1969 FERRARI 365 GTB/4 DAYTONA BERLINETTA COMPETIZIONE
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| SOLD SOLD SOLD for US$ 935,000 (£560,454) including buyers premium. 1969 FERRARI 365 GTB/4 'DAYTONA' BERLINETTA COMPETIZIONE Conversion by Carrozzeria Vari Chassis no. 12765 Engine no. 12765 *1970s Competition conversion on fine production 365GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta *Tremednous future potential as Vintage racing classic 4-cam V12 Ferrari *Offered from 34 years within one ownership *Starred in the Collezione Maranello Rosso from its 1991 foundation to 2014 FERRARI 365 GTB/4 'DAYTONA' COMPETIZIONE The concept of manufacturing a 4-cam V12-engined Berlinetta with considerably greater power output than the successful 275 GTB/4 model emerged in 1967, as soon as the 3.3-litre variant was being launched upon a receptive market. The new model would have to meet newly-developed US Federal regulations, which meant a tremendous amount of time-consuming development work before the new design could be introduced. Ferrari's first known prototype for such a car emerged during the winter of 1967 with bodywork presaging the final design that would be adopted, although its front-end treatment looked back towards that of the 275 GTB. It used a three-valve per cylinder 4-litre V12 engine that was not taken further. Instead a Tipo 251 power unit would be adopted which was a more conventional 4.4-litre with hemispherical combustion chambers in its twin-cam heads, and single-plug ignition. The block had been lengthened to accommodate a bore and stroke of 81mm x 71mm, identical to the Tipo 245 engine's which already powered the 365 GT 2-plus-2, GTC and GTS models. The new 4.4-litre unit was lubricated by a dry-sump system with a 14-litre separate tank. Compression ratio was 8.8:1 and with six Weber 40DCN carburettors the unit delivered a muscular 352bhp at 7,500rpm, with 318lbs/ft torque at 5,500rpm – enough – indeed, as one English technical writer of the time described as being "...more than enough to pull your house down". The mechanical ensemble, comprising engine, torque tube and rear-mounted five-speed transaxle was attached to the tube chassis at four points – two on the engine and two on the transaxle – and the familiar 2.4-metre wheelbase was retained, which dated back in unbroken line to the 250 GT SWB. To clothe the new 365 GTB/4, Pininfarina created a classical and now legendary design which combined Maranello tradition with modernity. Only the prototype body was actually built by Pininfarina and as with the preceding Berlinettas it was Scaglietti who actually made the bodies in steel (with opening panels in aluminium) for the production examples. Venue for the new model's launch was the October 1968 Paris Salon, and its immediately successful reception saw it being nicknamed the 'Daytona' in honour of the Ferrari factory team's 1-2-3 defeat of the mighty Ford GT fleet in the 1967 Daytona 24-Hour race. Capable of achieving 278km/h (172mph) in standard form, the new Ferrari was the fastest production car in the world at that time. It also displayed the quickest acceleration when pitted against the Lamborghini Miura, Mercedes-Benz 350SL, Jaguar V12 E-Type and the De Tomaso Pantera. Over 400 metres from a standing start the Daytona clocked just 13.8 seconds. By the end of August 1971, Daytona production had reached the 500 examples demanded for FIA homologation in the International Group 4 Special Grand Touring car racing category. Initially Maranello had no plans to exploit this opportunity. However, several valued clients demanded a competition version with which to go racing at any level, and it was Chinetti's North American Racing Team which first took the plunge – running a car in the 1969 Le Mans 24-Hours. Manufacture of Competizione versions for customer use then began at the Assistenza Clienti department of the factory in Modena and a succession of three main Competition series of 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinettas would emerge into 1973. For homologation purposes, the later Daytona Competizione cars of Series 2 and 3 had to retain steel-panelled bodywork. It was to compensate for their additional weight, and therefore more problematic vehicle dynamics, that the Series 3 cars of 1973 were equipped with the ultimate in competition 365 GTB/4 engines. These power units featured high-compression pistons, reprofiled cams, re-choked carburettors and 9.9:1 high-compression cylinder heads. They developed an awesome 450bhp, with the additional spread of torque over an extremely wide rev range. Since even this engine was tailored absolutely to the demands of 24-hour endurance racing - as at Daytona and Le Mans - even this state of tune retained such practicable, easily serviced features as standard-sized valves, and even the standard connecting rods were strong enough for safe use. Obviously, therefore, the ultimate specification 365 GTB/4 Daytona 'dream car' would be a combination of the Series 1 lightweight alloy bodied chassis unit, with the ultimate 4.4-litre V12 engine, the Series 3. Late in 1973 the first of the replacement rear-engined 365 GT4/Boxer Berlinetta cars were delivered. But for many the notion of converting a standard production 365 GTB/4 Daytona into at least a look-alike Competizione variant was to prove completely irresistible... THE MOTORCAR OFFERED This individual Ferrari 365 GTB/4 'Daytona' Berlinetta began life as standard production car chassis '12765', which was the 50th example to be built in sequence and which originated with Scaglietti-made body number '50'. Records confirm that it was first completed by the factory on 21 July 1969, as a regular production road car which was delivered new during that same month to official dealer Gastone Crepaldi Sas of Via San Marco 26, Milan. Crepaldi found a ready buyer for '12765' in a Signor Montanari, of Brescia, in north-eastern Italy. Its immediate subsequent ownerships have then passed unrecorded – although research is still continuing and may have produced results by the time of viewing - but we understand that the car was then converted into what is described as "...a semi-Group 4 competition... 'Racer' version apparently by Autofficina Gioacchino Vari in Rome". The work was undertaken in around 1974 and it saw the car equipped with an internal roll-over bar structure, flared fenders to accommodate wider-rim front and rear wheels and tyres, its headlight configuration was changed to near competition standard, a front spoiler or air-dam was fitted, and sliding plexiglass side windows and a competition-demanded outside fuel filler arrangement were also added. The car was finished in red, its original livery as-new having been 'Rosso Chiaro 20-R-190' and its original interior 'Nero VM 8500'. Its side window frames were repainted black during the same conversion process. We understand that the car was acquired by Fabrizio Violati for his growing personal Ferrari collection probably during the later 1970s, and certainly it was with him by 1980. Renowned Ferrari authority Marcel Massini considers that this might be the car that was driven by Vittorio Setti during the Ferrari Days at Modena meeting of September 15-18, 1983. And it was then possibly the Daytona Competizione-equipped car which Fabrizio Violati himself drove during the Ferrari Club Italia meeting at Alessandria, Italy, on June 22, 1985. While this is not one of the official Ferrari factory-built 365 GTB/4 Competizione Berlinettas built in period, 1971-73, it is a home-grown independent conversion of a known and well-recorded production-series model - the conversion having been carried out in near-period, around 1974 ... What sets Ferrari Daytona '12765' apart from the normal run-of-the-mill lookalikes is that it was then taken on by Fabrizio Violati himself – a real-life, dyed-in-the-wool, blood-red Racer with a capital 'R' – and as part of his illustrious Collezione Maranello Rosso it has come down to us today after least 34 years in Violati-sphere stewardship. It is valued, inevitably, at a fraction of the potential cost of a genuine 365 GTB/4 Daytona Competizione Berlinetta from period, yet it promises to provide every bit as much adrenalin-pumping delight on both road and track. It would be widely useable in suitable Vintage events, and with adequate-standard further restoration and preparation it could also grace any collection as a Ferrari with a perfectly respectable long-term Museum history. We commend it to you as a 1970s 4.4-litre 4-cam V12 Ferrari Berlinetta of great potential, which has yet to be fully explored and exploited. Without reserve. |
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| Advertised by: | Bonhams Motor Cars USA (click here to see full profile) |
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Ad Details |
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| Garage Spaces (put 0 if this does not apply) | 0.00 |
| Property is | Sold |
| Price | $935,000 USD |
| Make: | Ferrari |
| Model: | 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta Competizone |
| Year: | 1969 |
| New or Used: | Used |
| Type: | Car, Classic Vehicle / Collector Vehicle, Exotic Vehicle |
| Price Info | Sold at auction for US$ 935,000 (£560,454) including buyers premium. |
| Exterior Color: | Red |
| Interior Color: | Black |
For Sale at Auction |
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| Auction Sale? | Yes |
| Type of Auction | No Reserve Price |
| Auction Date | 08/14/2014 |
| Auction Time | 5:00PM PDT |
| Location | Quail Lodge in Carmel California |
| Name of Auction | Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction |
Unique Sale Issues |
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| Type of Sale | Auction Company Sale |
Location |
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| Address | 8000 Greens Valley Dr. |
| City | Carmel |
| State | CA |
| Postal Code | 93923 |
| Country | USA |
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| Phone | +1 415 391 4000 |
| Ad id: | 17403001 |
| Ad views: | 3607 |