1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Coupe

Voted the top sports car of the 1970s by Sports Car International magazine and number two out of a list of 'Greatest Ferraris of all time' by Motor Trend Classic, the Ferrari 365 GTB/4 is certainly a very well known car, but with a name whose origins is greatly in doubt.

Introduced in 1968 in Paris, two years after its predecessor was introduced, the new 365 GTB/4 was a replacement for the company's gorgeously elegant 275 GTB/4 Berlinetta. The new 365 GTB/4 shared much in common with its predecessor, including the chassis, suspension and wheelbase. Even its layout was very much similar. However, one important and obvious departure was in the car's styling. Though designed by Pininfarina, the 365 GTB/4 resembled the sharp-edged styling incorporated by Lamborghini, especially in its Miura, more than traditional Pininfarina designs. Gone was the traditional shapely open-mouth design as used on the 275. The 365 featured a sharper-tipped nose and small, egg crate style grill. More of a design feature than truly functional, the small bumpers were rubber-tipped. These small bumpers were matched at the back of the car right below four, round taillights that would become a regular design feature on future Ferrari chassis. All-in-all, while still representing Ferrari well, the 365 GTB/4 offered a new look to Ferrari.

Very quickly, the car became a popular model with people and would even become known under a different name, the Daytona. Though not officially called this by Ferrari at the time of its introduction, the car would very quickly become known, by many people, by no other name.

Being a Ferrari, performance was a part of its styling. The refined Tipo 251 V-12 engine, that had also powered the 275, was capable of producing 347 bhp and could power the car up to a top-speed of 174 mph. The car only took 5.4 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph. To help enable this kind of performance, weight-savings became an important focus. Aluminum was used for the doors, hood and trunk lid and saved a good deal of weight.

While the last front-engine Berlinetta Pininfarina would design, the five-speed manual transmission was mounted in the rear for optimal weight distribution. Initially, the 365 was introduced with fixed headlights, set back behind a transparent cover. This design feature was changed because of new safety regulations in the United States, which was Ferrari's largest importer. Because of the safety regulations banning all headlights behind covers, retractable pop-up twin headlights were incorporated into the design in 1971.

In addition to the Berlinetta, Ferrari made a small number of Spyders. Throughout the Daytona's production history, only 122 Spyders were produced. This, therefore, has made the 365 GTB/4 Spyder one of the most sought-after Ferraris.

Though virtually the same, the Daytona Spyder went through a few important structural upgrades. Not surprisingly, the body, chassis and windshield frame were all strengthened for the convertible version.

Because only a relatively few number of Daytona's were produced as Spyders, many Berlinettas have undergone conversions into convertible models. These modifications have been done to varying levels of quality, and therefore, have continued to make the original Scaglietti Spyders the most coveted amongst collectors.

The Daytona Spyder offered at the 2011 RM Auction sale in Arizona is one of those Scaglietti orignals and is a model from Ferrari's last year of production of the Daytona Spyder. In fact, it was the 89th built, out of the 122. It features left-hand driver positioning and Rosso Chiaro red finish. Its original equipment included air-conditioning, a radio and an odometer calibrated to miles.

The car was first purchased in October of 1973 by Mr. James R. Levitt. After Mr. Levitt, the car was owned by a number of rather famous people including legendary motorcycle stuntman Robert Craig 'Evel' Knieval and famed disc jockey Frankie Crocker. Then, in the mid-1990s, the car was purchased by Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, and car collector, Reggie Jackson.

Under Mr. Jackson's ownership a set of triple-eared Euro-styled knock-off wheels were installed, replacing the less than favorable US-styled knock-offs. The dash pad was replaced soon after purchase. Then, in 2000, the entire interior was newly re-fitted in factory-original black. The car was then overhauled and detailed in 2007-2008. Great care was taken to retain the factory applied yellow paint markings. The car was maintained and ready to provide a true 365 Daytona Spyder experience.

Whether called merely by its model number, or, by the name that has become synonymous with it, the Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spyder is truly a remarkable and rare find. No matter what one decides to call the car, the incredible engine sound and performance, matched equally by the car's beautiful styling, makes the 365 Daytona Spyder a special car indeed. For it is a rare car in number, in styling and performance.

Sources:
Wikipedia contributors, 'Ferrari Daytona', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 20 November 2010, 13:25 UTC, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ferrari_Daytona&oldid=397859399 accessed 5 January 2011

Wikipedia contributors, 'Ferrari 275', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 2 July 2010, 02:16 UTC, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ferrari_275&oldid=371306444 accessed 5 January 2011

'Buy: Featured Lots (Lot 259: 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spyder)', (http://www.rmauctions.com/FeatureCars.cfm?SaleCode=AZ11&CarID=r102). RM Auctions Arizona. http://www.rmauctions.com/FeatureCars.cfm?SaleCode=AZ11&CarID=r102. Retrieved 5 January 2011.

By Jeremy McMullen