Fort Lauderdale, Florida, March24, 2002
During a previous visit to Florida, a friend who lives there suggested that I make some
time during the next trip to visit a flea market with him! I said ”a flea market?” To which he
replied ”Yes, I think you’ll find it interesting, there’s a Ferrari on display in a glass case”.
So on a trip this March I left a morning free to meet up with him, so that he could show
me this gem in a sea of mediocrity. After meeting at his place in Coconut Creek just
north-west of Fort Lauderdale, he drove me to see ”the find”. We arrived at a large
undulating parking area, apparently the undulations were specifically built in as it was for
a drive-in movie area, with a large well worn sign proclaiming $wap Shop. There was
also a sign with a T-Bird insignia (as in Ford Thunderbird), this rang a bell, the T-Bird
Swap Shop racing team from the seventies and eighties, that ran Ferrari 365 GTB/4C,
BB512/LM and Porsche 935 models, at Le Mans and in other endurance races.
Entering through the main entrance, the first thing that greets you on the left side is a
large glass showcase, or small glazed room, containing a yellow 275 GTB and some
racing memorabilia. However, this is not any old yellow 275 GTB, but the example that
won the GT class and finished 3rd overall at Le Mans in 1965, 275 GTB/C ”Speciale”,
chassis # 06885. The last time I saw this car was amidst the splendour of the Garage
Francorchamps 40th anniversary celebrations at the Cinquintenaire in Brussels, how its
surroundings have changed!
Moving on to wander through the various booths and stalls, selling almost every
conceivable item to varying degrees of kitchness and use, we came across a central
stage area, where a daily circus performance is given. Across the other side of this we
could just make out the shapes of more cars, situated between this and the cafeteria
area. Making our way round, we found another five Ferraris and a Dodge Viper, crammed
between waist high mobile barriers and the circus auditorium. Amongst these were an
original ”Daytona” spider, a new 550 barchetta, and the F5O raced in the FOC Pirelli
Maranello Challenge series in the United Kingdom. Surely one of the most bizarre
venues for a Ferrari display?
If you want to check out the display yourself whilst in Florida, the $wap Shop is open daily
including holidays, and the address is as follows –
Fort Lauderdale $wap Shop ... Swap Shop
3291 West Sunrise Boulevard (Between I-95 and the Turnpike)
Fort Lauderdale
Florida
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