An evocative group of seven letters exchanged between Ferrari engineer and works driver Michael Parkes and British motoring journalist Joe Lowrey, dating from April to July 1963 and centred upon Lowrey's proposed visit to Maranello for an article on Ferrari.

The correspondence comprises four carbon-copy letters from Lowrey to Parkes, dated 27 April, 21 May, 7 June and 12 July 1963, together with three handwritten replies from Parkes, dated 13 May, 24 May and 8 July, two written on SEFAC Ferrari stationery and the latter from the Palace Hotel, Modena.

Lowrey's opening letter explains that, having recently left The Motor, he had begun writing a monthly series for Sporting Motorist on notable sporting cars. After articles on the Rover-BRM gas-turbine car, Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray and Jaguar E-Type, editor Philip Hutchinson had suggested pairing Aston Martin and Ferrari for a forthcoming feature. Lowrey admits that although he had driven Alex Moulton's ‘2.2’ and ridden in Baring's 250 GT, he had never visited the Ferrari factory, and asks Parkes to act as his guide to understanding what made a Ferrari “tick so fast, and why.” Parkes responds warmly, inviting Lowrey to Maranello and arranging accommodation at the Palace Hotel, Modena. Their subsequent correspondence coordinates a visit for 18 June, around Parkes' racing commitments at Le Mans, with Parkes suggesting that Ferrari's Dr Gozzi could show Lowrey around should he be delayed. 

The final exchange is particularly revealing. Writing from the Palace Hotel on 8 July, Parkes apologises for having missed Lowrey during his eventual visit, explaining that the car he had taken to Le Mans had broken down and that he had subsequently been delayed by another driver's accident and illness. Lowrey replies on 12 July that his factory visit had nevertheless been “most interesting and impressive,” while regretting that being shown around by someone from the business side had prevented him from learning more about the engineering reasons behind Ferrari's approach. Some creasing.