1974 Ferrari 365 GT4 BB Competizione Coupe

This Ferrari 365 GT4 BB Competizione with chassis number 18139 was constrcuted near the close of 1974. In November it was sent to Chinetti Motors in Greenwich, CT where it was modified by Francois Sicard and prepared for racing under the N.A.R.T banner. Its first race was at the 1975 24 Hours of Daytona where it was piloted by Claude Ballot-Lena and Milt Minter. In March it contested the 12 Hours of Sebring with Minter as the driver and Wietzes as the co-pilot.

At Daytona the car had failed to finish but at Sebring it finished in 6th. It's next race was at Lime Rock in May where Minter and the car was unable to finish the race. At Road Atlanta it DNS'ed. It was sent to the 24 Hours of LeMans in June of 1977 where Guitteny and Migault were given the honors of driving. It finished fourth in class and 16th overall.

In 1978 it re-appeared at the 24 Hours of Daytona where it finished in 22nd. It managed a 21st place finish in the hands of Migault at Road Atlanta a few months later.

That same year it was sold to Howard O'Flynn and then sent to the 24 Hours of LeMans as a Grand Competition Cars entry. It placed 16th overall. It raced at the 6 hours of Watkins Glen where it placed 11th.

From here, it would be used in vintage events and change hands on several occasions. In September of 1983 it was sold to Michael Sheehan for $55,000. In October of 1985 it sold for $80,000 to Pieter Boel. Sheehan re-acquired the car in 1987 for the sum of $230,000. It was offered for sale in 1988 for the sum of $350,000. The following year the asking price rose to $575,000. David Livingston of Seattle, WA became the cars next owner. He kept it for a brief amount of time. In 1992 it was offered for sale at the sum of $1,000,000. The following year the price was $400,000. In April of 1993 the price was $225,000. The cars next owner, Robert Coates, purchased the car for the sum of $185,000.

While in Coates care, the car has been shown at the FCA National Concours in Watkins Glen, at Cavallino Classis in 1998 and 2000, and at the Ferrari Historic Challenge in Lime Rock, Moroso, Atlanta, and Elkhart Lake. In 2008 it was brought to the Le Belle Macchine d'Italia.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2008