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A rare 1967 Ferrari owned by an orphan-turned-millionaire was sold at a weekend auction for $27.5-million (U.S)

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This 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4*S N.A.R.T. Spider by Scaglietti was purchased new by Eddie Smith Sr., of North Carolina and has been in Smith’s family ever since.Darin Schnabel

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“George,” as he was known to those close to him, passed away in 2007. Since then, the car has been stored in a separate, purpose-built garage, complete with his racing suit and shoes that he wore when driving on the track.Darin Schnabel

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The car has been fully restored to the highest standards, and it has the distinction of having full matching numbers from front to back; the gearbox, body, and engine stampings all correspond with chassis 10709.Darin Schnabel

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Mechanical details: 300 bhp 3,286 cc four overhead-camshaft V-12 engine, five-speed manual transmission, four-wheel upper and lower wishbone independent suspension, four-wheel disc brakes, and tubular steel frame. Wheelbase: 94.5 in.Darin Schnabel

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The car was originally finished in “Azzurro Metallizzato,” or metallic blue. By the 1980s, it had been refinished in a darker red/maroon metallic colour.Darin Schnabel

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The 275 N.A.R.T. Spider was featured in the 1968 film "The Thomas Crown Affair" starring Steve McQueen.Darin Schnabel

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Eddie Smith was born in 1918, one of four siblings. His parents died when he was a young boy, and he and his siblings were sent to an orphanage. At 18, he left the orphanage and started working in Lexington. In 1952, he and two other partners started their own mail-order hosiery business, which they named the National Wholesale Company.Darin Schnabel

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A trip to the 12 Hours of Sebring race in Florida in 1960 with his son Eddie Jr. inspired a love of racing.Darin Schnabel

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They returned the next year with a Corvette, but it wasn't long before they focused on Ferrari, buying a used 250 GT Short Wheelbase California Spider for $7000.Darin Schnabel

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That first Ferrari was replaced with a 275 GTB/4 BerlinettaDarin Schnabel

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The proceeds of the sale will go to charity.Darin Schnabel

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1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4*S N.A.R.T. Spider by ScagliettiDarin Schnabel

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Darin Schnabel

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