1967 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2

The Ferrari 250 Series established Ferrari as a 'volume' manufacturer, and the introduction of the Pininfarina-designed 250GTE in 1959 added a genuine 2+2 grand tourer to the range. It offered both performance and creature comforts required for traveling many miles (or kilometers) in speed, elegance, and style. The 250GTE was succeeded by the interim 330 America, which featured an enlarged 4.0-liter engine. This was followed by the 330GT 2+2 Series I in 1964. In 1965, the 330GT was updated when the Series II models arrived, with the previous twin-headlight design replaced with a more attractive and simple single-headlight design. Production continued until 1967 with 1,099 examples built, making these the first Ferrari's to sell in excess of 1,000 units. Between 1964 and 1967, 460 examples were Series II cars.

The 330 GT's tubular chassis was 50mm longer in the wheelbase than before, which allowed more room for the rear passengers. The suspension was independent at the front by wishbones and coil springs. The rear setup was a live axle/semi-elliptic setup. Improvements to the discs-all-round braking system saw separate hydraulic circuits adopted for front and rear. The 'Series 1' featured a four-headlight design that was truly evocative of 1960s fashion.

The engine in the 330 GT was a Colombo-type, 60-degree, v12 unit which had first appeared in the 300 America (it was essentially a big-bore 250 GTE 2+2) in 1963. With a displacement size of 3,967cc, the single-overhead-camshaft, all-alloy unit offered 300-plus horsepower, which gave the 330 GT a top speed of 152 mph. When first introduced, it was the fastest road-going Ferrari.

Initially equipped with a four-speed-plus-overdrive gearbox, the 330 GT gained a five-speed transmission in mid-1965 and later that year had its four-headlight front end replaced by a two-lamp arrangement, becoming the 'Series 2′. Other improvements on the Series 2 cars included electric windows, alloy wheels and hanging control pedals.

by Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2019