The project was initiated by Count Giovanni Volpi, the owner of the Scuderia Serenissima racing team. Volpi sought to acquire the new Ferrari 250 GTO for the 1962 season, but Enzo Ferrari refused to sell him the model. This refusal was a result of Volpi hiring several former Ferrari employees who had departed to join the rival ATS firm.
To circumvent this restriction, Volpi decided to upgrade an existing vehicle from his fleet. The donor car selected was chassis number 2819 GT, a 250 GT SWB Competition. This specific chassis already possessed a significant racing pedigree, having finished second overall in the 1961 Tour de France in the hands of Olivier Gendebien and Lucien Bianchi. Volpi had purchased the car from Gendebien shortly after that result. As a competition-spec SWB, 2819 GT featured a lightweight chassis, minimal interior trim, and a 286 bhp Tipo 168 engine equipped with Testarossa-type cylinder heads.
Volpi commissioned engineer Giotto Bizzarrini to transform the 250 GT SWB into a GTO competitor. Bizzarrini, who had been instrumental in the development of the original GTO before leaving Ferrari, applied his latest aerodynamic and mechanical theories to the project. Working with body specialist Piero Drogo, Bizzarrini designed a body that was lower than the GTO's. The roofline was extended dramatically toward the rear, adhering to the aerodynamic principles of Wunibald Kamm. This functional shape earned the car the nickname "La Camionnette" (little truck) from the French press and "Breadvan" from English-speaking observers.
Mechanical modifications were extensive. Bizzarrini moved the engine and radiator further toward the center of the chassis and lowered their position by installing a dry sump system. The induction system was upgraded from three 46 DCN Weber carburetors to six twin-choke 38 DCN Webers. While the original four-speed gearbox was retained, the mechanical preparation and body fabrication were carried out by Giorgio Neri and Luciano Bonacini in Modena. The final vehicle weighed 935 kg (2,061.3 lb), providing a significant weight advantage over the 1,000 kg (2,204.6 lb) factory GTOs.
The Breadvan made its competitive debut at the 1962 24 Hours of Le Mans. During the opening hours, the car demonstrated its pace by passing all the factory Ferrari GTOs on the track. By the fourth hour of the race, it held seventh place overall; however, a driveshaft failure forced its retirement.
Despite the setback at Le Mans, the car proved effective throughout the remainder of the 1962 season, claiming two GT class wins. The Breadvan continued to be campaigned in various events over the following years, concluding its period competition career at the 1965 Coppa Gallenga Hillclimb.
The Breadvan's aerodynamic success validated the use of the Kamm tail in sports car racing. This design philosophy was subsequently adopted by other significant racing machines, such as the Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ and the Ford J-car. The car's visual identity also influenced later Ferrari production and concept models, including the 456 GT Venice and the Ferrari FF.
Following the performance of 2819 GT, Bizzarrini, Drogo, Neri, and Bonacini were commissioned to modify two additional 250 GT SWB chassis (2053 GT and 2735 GT) for privateers, utilizing similar body styles. A third Ferrari conversion was planned but never finished, and an Iso Rivolta (chassis IR460368) was also rebodied by Drogo in a style reminiscent of the original Breadvan. In 2018, designer Niels van Roij produced a modern homage to the Breadvan using a Ferrari 550 Maranello as a base.
Since 1973, the original 2819 GT has been a frequent participant in the historic racing circuit. It has appeared at major international events, including the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Tour Auto, and the Monterey Historic Automobile Races.