1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 Coupe

This car was delivered to Ferrari importer Chinetti Motors in Greenwich, Connecticut, in January 1967, less than a year after its debut at the Paris Auto Salon. It was Ferrari's first twin-overhead cam road car and was visually almost indistinguishable from the first long-nose 275 except for the tell-tale bulges in its redesigned bonnet. Bodied by Scaglietti and designed by Pininfarina, the 275 GTB/4 echoed the appearance of the 250 Tour de France with its long hood, fastback roofline, and Kamm tail.

Edward Skae, Jr. purchased the car new from Chinetti Motors later in 1968. One year after purchasing it he sold the car to Carl C. Gagliano of Lake Forest, Illinois. Over the next 40 years, it rarely saw the road and in 2009 the car only had 9,000 original miles. Today the car remains in time capsule condition retaining its original paint, interior, tires and mufflers

Ferrari introduced its 275 GTB in October 1964 at the Paris Motor Show alongside its open 275 GTS stablemate. It was built as a replacement for the outgoing 250 GT (and many variants) and came with a fully independent suspension and a 3,286cc V-12 engine with each cylinder now displacing roughly 275 cc, hence the new model's '275' designation. The elegant bodylines were penned by Pininfarina, with coachwork performed by Scaglietti. Its purposeful appearance was inspired by the 250 GT Tour de France and 250 GTO.

The 275 GTB/4 followed in October 1966 with a small hood bulge a visual indication of the new four-cam engine. Designated Tipo 226, the upgraded 275 GTB/4 engine now featured revised cylinder heads with four overhead camshafts – two per cylinder bank – and developed as much power for the road as Ferrari's two-cam racing engines. Additional modifications included dry sump oiling and six twin-choke Weber carburetors. With these modifications, the engine delivered a factory-rated 300 horsepower and propelled the GTB/4 to more than 160 mph.

The driveline, engine, and rear-mounted transaxle of the GTB/4 were combined into one subassembly, bolted to the chassis at four points, creating a rigid structure with near-perfected 50/50 weight bias.

This particular dual-purpose road/race Berlinetta was discovered in 2013 and remained in (mostly) original and unrestored condition. It has had limited ownership and use over its life. It was delivered new to the United States and sold through official Ferrari distributor Luigi Chinetti Motors in Greenwich, Connecticut, to Edward A. Skae, a resident of Lake Forest, Illinois. Mr. Skae traded a Lamborghini Miura and a Maserati Ghibli for the 275 GTB/4 (plus $5,000). Harley Cluxton picked up 10803 at Chinetti's and drove it to Mr. Skae's home via Ontario, Canada.

Mr. Skae sold the Ferrari in August 1969 to Carl C. Gagliano of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who used it only sparingly. Damage caused by the family lawn mower resulted in $200 of documented, body-shop repairs.

When Mr. Gagliano passed away in 1996, the Ferrari went to his son Bill, who also used the vehicle sparingly before preserving the underside and wheels, and placing it onto stands in long-term garage storage. In early 2013, the car was acquired by Peter Klutt and at the time, the car remained the majority of its factory-original paint finish. The drivetrain and interior are original, as are the tires.

In 2013, it was shown at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance where it earned a Second Place in the Postwar Preservation Class. In 2015, it was sold at Gooding & Company's Pebble Beach Auctions, passing through two owners since that time. The last owner commissioned Motion Products Inc. to perform a thorough but sensitive mechanical overhaul. Currently, the Ferrari has 10,800 miles on its odometer.

By Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2023