Our friend and fellow automotive journalist/enthusiast/cheerleader, Bill Lockwood, lives near a little slice of classic car heaven – Restoration & Performance Motorcars (rpmvt.com) in Vergennes, Vermont. He recently sent over some of his photographs of the gorgeous Ferrari 212 being restored there. Not only is the car a work of art, but their workshop itself is a fine example of where classic cars should live.

This early Ferrari 212 racecar 0086E won the Giro d’Sicilia and burned to the ground soon after. As the only 212 with this body type, it has been restored to exacting specifications by RPM. A Swiss agent working for Ferrari’s Heritage Group has certified it authentic – after some rather bizarre but period-correct modifications.

For instance, the 212 had some additional vents installed near the rear of the car closer to the end of its racing lifespan. Because these modifications were done to the car in the past, they had to be recreated now, even though the earlier version of the car was more aesthetically pleasing.

If you are wondering what a one of kind Ferrari is worth in this kind of condition, you probably aren’t in the buying demographic. It should fetch between $4.5 and $5 million at global auction.

These are pics of the car, just prior to receiving some finishing touches, like the leather straps to hold the hood down, etc.

The 212 will be tested at a racetrack in early March, in preparation for the trip to Italy to race the 2010 Mille Miglia that will take place from Wednesday, May the 5th (optional), to Sunday, May the 9th.

To see more about the 212 and other Ferrari Restorations, see the FerrariCraft blog at ferraricraft.com