1968 FERRARI 365 GTC

Legendary low-production model
Matching numbers
Well preserved and substantially original

The Ferrari 330 GTC (Gran Turismo Coupé) was unveiled at the Geneva Salon in March 1966 and was designed to complement Ferrari’s sporting berlinetta, the 275 GTB, in much the same way that the 250 GT Pininfarina Coupé had complemented the 250 GT Tour de France. The 330 GTC combined many design elements from the most beautiful Ferrari automobiles, and it offered the latest development of Colombo’s legendary V-12 engine, with a chassis closely patterned after the 275 GTB. Legendary racing drivers Phil Hill and Paul Frère both proclaimed the model to be the best Ferrari built to date and one of the finest GT cars ever made.

In 1968, the 330 GTC received a batch of modest upgrades, including an increase in engine displacement, good for an additional 20 horsepower, resulting in the 365 GTC. This new model was instantly identifiable by the relocation of its front wing vents to the bonnet. The improved engine featured greater power at a lower range of the rpm band, with strong torque developing at as low as 2,500 rpm.

In addition to offering better mechanical performance than its predecessor, the 365 GTC was built in far smaller quantities, with only 168 examples produced between 1968 and 1970. As with all limited-production Ferraris, the small number built has made the 365 GTC valuable as much for its power and dashing good looks.

This 365 GTC, chassis number 12055, was dispatched by the Ferrari factory to the Assistenza Clienti at Modena for finishing work and the preparation for delivery on 17 February 1969. Later that month, the car, finished in Grigio Ortello (2.443.813) over Beige (VM 3218) upholstery, was delivered to dealer M. Gastone Crepaldi S.a.s. in Milan and sold to a local resident, Mr Amadori. Records of well-known Ferrari historian Marcel Massini show that the Assistenza Clienti continued to maintain the car for Amadori until well into the early 1970s.

In the following years, the 365 GTC was exported to the United States, where it was owned by Carl Walsten, of Greenwich, Connecticut. Mr Walsten displayed the car at the Ferrari Club of America’s regional meeting on Long Island in September 1976.

By 1982, the car was advertised for sale with new black Connolly leather, which remains within it today. It was subsequently owned by Jules Levine, of Stamford, Connecticut, who maintained it for some five years. Thereafter, it was in the collection of Boston doctor David Allegra, M.D., who later relocated to California with the car and displayed it at the Rosso Rodeo Concours in Beverly Hills in June 1995.

More recently, chassis number 12055 was imported and registered in the United Kingdom. It is presented today as a largely original car that has always been well cared for. Importantly, it still retains the original engine, as can be clearly seen from the stamping on the engine block.

The paint is fresh, and the black leather has achieved the nice worn-in condition that can only be obtained through regular use and proper care. The engine bay shows proper maintenance, and the original Veglia metric instrumentation displays some 3,200 kilometres, likely post-restoration. The car is also equipped with air conditioning and an AM/FM stereo/cassette tape entertainment system.

In many ways, the 365 GTC represents the late 1960s “sweet spot” for Ferrari enthusiasts, as it offers everything that one seeks: two seats, V-12 power, well over 300 horsepower, a five-speed gearbox, classic Pininfarina good looks, Borrani wire wheels, a luxurious interior, and the classic thin, wood-rimmed Nardi steering wheel.

All in all, this is a well-cared-for, substantially original car that is bound to delight any aficionado of the marque. As a member of a very small constituency, only 168 examples, it is to be particularly prized.