1969 FERRARI 365 GTC

1969 FERRARI 365 GTC
Chassis no. 12655
Engine no. 12655
Sold for US$ 858,000 including premium
*Highly original example of a rare high-performance two-seat Coupe
*Original paint, furnishing and interior trim
*Refined 4.4-litre V12-cylinder engine
*Over thirty years in preservation and museum display
THE FERRARI 365 GTC
The house of Ferrari was intent upon competing seriously in the global luxury car market when the 365 GTC was unveiled at the 1967 Paris Salon de l'Automobile exhibition. The new model was derived from a fusion of the preceding 500 Superfast with its sleek and exquisitely proportioned wind-cheating body form by Pininfarina, and the one-off GTC Special that had been custom-made by the factory for the Belgian Princess Liliane de Rethy.
The new Ferrari was the first street car from Maranello to feature all-independent suspension. Great attention had been paid (for once) to the new model's interior noise and vibration levels. The engine, gearbox and back-axle casing were fitted as one integrated assembly, mounts on the transaxle and engine being provided with special noise and vibration-damping rubber bushes made by Saga. For the overall GTC series the big V12 engine had been redesigned and given the new designation 209/66. There had been no proper successor to the 250 GT 'Lusso' whose production had ceased in 1964 upon the introduction of the 275 GTB, and so the 330 GTC fulfilled the role of being an intermediate model which filled the market gap between the sporting Berlinetta and the 2-plus-2 Coupe.
The 330GTC was a luxurious two-seater Coupe by Pininfarina which combined the large-capacity engine initially from the 330 GT 2-plus-2 with the short-wheelbase chassis of the 275 GTB and GTS. While the new GTC's independent rear suspension was based upon that of the GTB/GTS series it offered the further sophistication of hydro-pneumatic self-levelling, developed jointly with the Dutch damper manufacturer, Koni. Power steering was standard, together with air conditioning.
During the period 1968-1970, Ferrari manufactured no fewer than 2,276 road cars and amongst that total around 800 were 365 GT Series cars. Amongst this model family – offered in both 330 GTC form with 4-litre V12 engine and the later enlarged 365 GTC with 4.4-litre – only some 150 of the 365 GTC variants were manufactured from introduction late in 1968, thus making them one of the rarest and most desirable of Grand Touring Ferraris.
The 365 variant as offered here had an 81mm cylinder bore compared to the 330 model's 77mm, matched with the same stroke length of 71mm for 4,390cc. With single overhead camshafts per cylinder bank, roller rocker valve actuation and single outside-plug ignition, the big V12 engine breathed through three Weber 40DRI carburettors and developed some 320bhp at 6,600rpm.
There was no substantial external differentiation between the 330 GTC and 365 GTC models other than repositioning of the engine compartment air vents – some late 330 GTCs having been similarly updated. Instead of being positioned on the sides of the front fender area, these vents had been re-sited in the hood, just ahead of the winsdshield base.
Production of the 365 GTC as offered here did not run for more than a year. The American market was progressively being closed to vehicles that had not been designed specifically to that arena's requirements. In consequence, production of the 365 GTC terminated early in 1970, and initially Ferrari produced no replacement.
THE MOTORCAR OFFERED
This highly original and unspoiled Ferrari 365 GTC is listed as having been finished originally in the 'Marrone Colorado 2.443.221' paint scheme that it still wears today, together with its interior trim and furnishing colour which is recorded from new as being 'Beige VM 31218'. The car began life as number 731 in the overall series' assembly sequence list and its Pininfarina body number is 'C0830'.
We understand that the car was completed at Pininfarina's works in Turin during June 1969 and was delivered brand-new to Dino Ravasio & Sons in Verona, Italy soon after. Its first owner ex-Ravasio was a Signor Pasqualon within Italy. The car has formed part of the Collezione Maranello Rosso ever since the 1980s.
We would commend the contemporary road-test views of the great former Ferrari works driver—cum-technical journalist Paul Frere on the GTC family: "The greatest surprise is the silence of the engine. In handling the...GTC is exactly like all the Ferraris which I have driven before... It is close to being as neutral a vehicle as one could want, and if pushed to the limits of adhesion on a dry road it is the rear which gently breaks loose first, in a marvelously controllable manner, and with slight variations possible in response to speed changes.
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Robert Myrick Photography