Thursday 11th June 2015

Playboy centrefold: PH Blog

How sleeping around and doctoring the speedo to show bigger speeds can boost your car's value

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The word 'gentleman' crops up regularly with regard to Porfirio Rubirosa; that he mixed with society, played polo, dabbled in motorsport and was seen at the very best of parties in all the most glamorous of locations throughout the 50s would seem to back that up. Whether he behaved in a gentlemanly manner is another matter but there's little doubt he was the definitive playboy, women with whom he is reputed to have had 'associations' including (but probably not limited to...) Marilyn Monroe, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Evita Peron, Jayne Mansfield, Veronica Lake and more. Where did it all wrong, eh?

When they say it has history they're not kidding...

Well he died, allegedly having consumed rather a lot of champagne, by piling a Ferrari into a tree on a Parisian boulevard. You've got to go somehow. May as well be in suitable style.

What are the parallels between my life and that of Rubirosa? Erm, none. But I have driven one of his cars! And the story of the man has - unsurprisingly - stuck with me.

Why talk about him now? Well Ferrari has just restored one of his cars, a 1954 500 Mondial Spyder PF, and used it to promote the skills of its factory 'Classiche' department. There's a vid below which, frustratingly, goes big on music but not engine noise. No matter, it's a stunning looking car. Rubirosa raced it once in California in 1954 before selling it to Hollywood resident John Von Neumann. Celebrity associations continued, James Dean being photographed in it and Richie Ginther racing it. Phil Hill nearly did too but mechanical problems cheated him of the chance.

Rubirosa's Gullwing [Pic: HK Engineering]

Anyway. To that Gullwing. Restored by Bavarian 300SL specialists HK Engineering I was chucked the keys to it on a visit to their charmingly rustic workshops. Matt silver, stripped of bumpers and subtly enhanced with some choice HK mods it was an absolutely stunning car to drive. If the numbers ever come up, etc... Particularly amusing was the retention of a period Rubirosa modification - a carefully doctored speedo for the benefit of passengers to enhance the sense of the owner's manliness and kid them into thinking a Gullwing really can do 225mph. They're fast. But not that fast. And I can't help but think if a lady had stepped into Rubirosa's Gullwing and accepted a lift home the deal was probably done and he didn't really need to overplay the car's performance. Or his own, according to myth. Those large peppermills in Parisian restaurants? Apparently they were nicknamed 'Rubirosas' back in the day, at least according to the Daily Mail. Must be true then.

James Dean photographed in the Ferrari

This makes me chuckle too. When this Ferrari goes on show in the sanitised surroundings of Pebble Beach much will be made of its history, provenance and factory restored perfection while literally glossing over the fact it was owned by, basically, an averagely talented 'gentleman' racing driver known better for being a rampant and unrepentant shagger. There's celebrity history and there's celebrity history...

Dan

 

 

Watch the vid here.
 

 

 

[Sources: Observer Style, The Daily Mail, Autoevolution, HK Engineering]

[P4ROT]

Died in a 250 GTO - there's definitely worse ways to go....

[smileymikey]

The guy seemed to be well endowed with style and panache. Good work playboy fella!

[edinph]

I'm sure those well known women will be delighted to be remembered as objects rather than as people!
" women with which he is reputed to have had 'associations' including (but probably not limited to...) Marilyn Monroe, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Evita Peron, Jayne Mansfield, Veronica Lake and more. Where did it all wrong, eh?"
With whom !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dan Trent]

Bang to rights. Redacted!

Dan

[smileymikey]

edinph said:

I'm sure those well known women will be delighted to be remembered as objects rather than as people!
" women with which he is reputed to have had 'associations' including (but probably not limited to...) Marilyn Monroe, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Evita Peron, Jayne Mansfield, Veronica Lake and more. Where did it all wrong, eh?"
With whom !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edinph

His total lack of concern when it came to which and whom....Is probably the reason he shagged Marilyn Monroe and Evita Peron.....and you havent ;-)

Just saying

Edited by smileymikey on Thursday 11th June 19:33

[Whiters]

P4ROT said:

Died in a 250 GTO - there's definitely worse ways to go....

250 GT Pininfarina cab

Interesting article here with a pic of the PF Cab at the base. He was a Cad, and indeed a Bounder! But ultimately a drunk driver.

[0000]

Dan shagged who?!

[dandare]

P4ROT said:

Died in a 250 GTO - there's definitely worse ways to go....

That's a terrible way to go. I'd rather die in a Bangle designed 3-series, or even better a current Mercedes C-class. At least do some good when you die.

[RoverP6B]

Hang on... this is the scene of the accident in which he is said to have died... http://assets7.thrillist.com/v1/image/1230044/size...

That's little more than a minor fender-bender. The ultimate fate of the car is unknown, but there seem to be some rather persistent rumours as to its ongoing existence.

Am I the only one who thinks that the official version of events as to the cause of his death is a bit fishy? I find it more probable that he expired at the wheel as a result of his lifestyle than that he died as a result of the crash...

[williamp]

Windscreen smashed. Probably by his head. That would be enough