Apple, Coco Cola, McDonalds and Nike are brands recognisable the world over. So is Ferrari and interestingly the iconic Italian luxury sports car manufacturer was named The Worlds Strongest Brand in the 2019 Brand Finance Global 500 Report.
Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1939 out of Alfa Romeos race division as Auto Avio Costruzioni the company built its first car in 1940. The Second World War halted Ferraris dream, which was finally realised in 1947, when the first car bearing his name, the Ferrari 125S, was built. From that day on Ferrari race cars dominated the world over, winning race after race and many world championships in Formula One, sports car racing and endurance racing. Ferrari built exclusive sports cars for the road too, but in the early days, this was primarily to fund his motor racing!
The Cavallino Rampate or prancing horse was the symbol chosen by Ferrari and like the golden arches it is recognised by just about every man, woman and child on the planet!
The Ferrari road cars built in the 1940s and early to mid-1950s were produced in very small numbers and it was not until the introduction of the 250 Series cars that production numbers increased. Almost 1,000 Ferrari 250 GTEs were built from 1959 1963. The 250 Series also contained some of the most special Ferraris ever built, including the Ferrari 250LM, 250 SWB, 250 California Spider and of course the 250 GTO. The 250 Series cars were superseded by the 275 Series cars, the 330 Series cars and later the 365 Series cars. The nomenclature designated the cubic capacity of each cylinder. So a Ferrari 275 GTB was powered by a 12 cylinder engine of 3300cc capacity.
The late 1960s and early 1970s were a fabulous time for Ferrari. Its flagship 365 GTB/4 Daytona was a resounding success and Enzos big risk the Dino 246 was also selling very well. At that time Ferrari wanted to continue with his tradition of producing high performance Grand Touring cars with a 2+2 configuration and the 365 GTC/4, which was a successor to the 365 GT 2+2 and the 365 GTC, filled that niche. The early 1970s were a time of innovation and Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati et al. continued to introduce new models in an endeavour to trump the other. The 365 GTC/4 was only in production in 1971 & 1972 and its successor the 365 GT/4 2+2 was first shown in October 1972 at the Paris Motor Show. This car, designed and built by Pininfarina, featured unique styling and whilst the sharp angular lines were very new for Ferrari it did share the characteristic design feature of a swage line dividing the body into an upper and a lower half with the 365 GTB/4 Daytona. Unlike the GTC/4 the GT/4 2+2 couldseat four people in relative comfort. Mechanically the 365 GT/4 2+2 was almost identical to the 365 GTC/4 and its 4390 cc quad cam V12 engine with six Weber 38DCOE side draught carburettors put out an impressive 320 bhp and was capable of propelling the car from 0-60 mph (0-100 km/hr) in a healthy 6.4 seconds and a top speed in excess of 150 mph (250 km/hr).
In period the car was well regarded though the oil crisis of the 1970s made the car somewhat difficult to sell and only 524 examples were built from 1973 to 1976.
Oldtimer Australia is delighted to offer for sale this 1974 Ferrari 365 GT/4 2+2.
This particular car is an Australian delivered, factory right-hand drive example that was delivered new through WH Lowe Pty Ltd. The car was originally finished in oro kelso (gold) with a pelle beige interior. The car has a factory delivery date of April 1974. The Australian compliance plate is dated 10/74.
The car is understood to have been sold new into Townsville, in north Queensland. Its subsequent history is known as this car has been in Queensland its entire life. The second owner was a Brisbane based lawyer and car guy who owned this 365 GT/4 2+2 through until 1986. The car was then purchased by people well known in the Ferrari Club and the car remained in their ownership through until 2006. Its fourth owner kept the car until 2014 and it was then sold through the Brisbane Ferrari dealer at the time, Euromarque, to its current owner.
It is not known exactly when the car was repainted red, but it was most likely done in the early 1980s. The car has clearly been very well maintained throughout its life and it presents in excellent all round condition today.
The car had a major engine rebuild in 2006. The engine has been re-bored, new pistons fitted, new valves & guides fitted, balanced and reassembled. This work was carried out at 98,000 miles. Additional work completed at the time included: replaced engine mounts, new clutch, gearbox overhauled, front shocks refurbished, front & rear rotors fitted along with pads.
The car was sparingly used from 2006 through until 2014 and it suffered through lack of use. The car had developed a number of oil leaks as a result of gaskets and seals drying out. As a condition of purchase by the current owner in 2014 a number of items required attending to. The work done at this time included an engine out tidy up, with a number of gaskets and seals replaced. Additionally, the steering pump was overhauled, new engine mounts were fitted, the exhaust hangers replaced, the sway bar bushes & front lower shock bushes were replaced, the oil temperature sender was replaced, the car had all its fluids changed and a new battery fitted. All the work was completed by Euromarque.
Oldtimer Australia has had the privilege of selling a number of Ferrari 365 GT/4 2+2s and this car is another good one. This is just a beautifully presented and driving car. Whilst the car carries an older repaint, it still retains a great depth of colour and high gloss. There are some very minor stone chips, imperfections and small cracks in the paint, but you have to look hard. All of the exterior trim, lenses, chrome work, bumpers (which are original and have been restored) and the glass are also in good condition. This 365 has obviously been very well cared for throughout its life, evidenced by the condition of the interior of the car which looks to be original. The cabin is just a lovely place to be, presenting with just the right amount of patina. There are a few small splits starting to appear on the front seats and this job was next on the owners to do list. The dash, instruments & controls, steering wheel and timber veneer are all in good condition. This car retains an electronic versionof the original Becker Mexico radio (with an iPhone connection) which is a nice touch.
The heart of any Ferrari is under the bonnet and the engine bay is just about as good as it gets on this car. The cars current owner can only be described as fastidious and he has painstakingly restored the engine bay to as close to how it was when the car rolled off the production line in Maranello all those years ago. The work carried out in the engine bay included: carburettors overhauled and restored to as built condition, the distributors were overhauled to as new condition and re-mapped, the distributor gear drives overhauled and restored, correct HT leads and lead brackets fitted, acorn nuts for the cam covers and correct metric fasteners fitted where required and the crackle finish was restored on the cam covers, air filter boxes, condensate canister and steel tubes. Everything is like new.
Make no mistake this car is not just about the show! Whilst this car looks the goods it really gets exciting when you slip in behind the wheel . . . it has plenty of go! Prime the Webers, turn the key and the 4.4 litre V12 engine bursts into life. It starts easily and idles smoothly from the get-go. Buckle up and away you go . . . on the move, you realise that the car is really tight on the road with no rattles or squeaks. Like all Ferraris, it gets better and better as it warms up. It steers, handles and stops as you would expect. The gearbox is firm and the synchros are good, including second, even when cold. This car has power on tap in spades! The big V12 revs willingly and the car pulls strongly through the rev range. The oil pressure is good and the engine sounds just right.
The air conditioning works and the car is fitted with period-correct Michelin XWX radial tyres and correct Koni shock absorbers, including the often replaced load levellers.
The cars third and very long term owner has confirmed that the current mileage of 114,310 miles would be genuine. In almost six years of ownership this Ferrari 365 GT/4 2+2 has travelled only 5,500 miles. It is regularly seen at Ferrari Club events, various Cars & Coffee events as well as other car shows.
This car was the recipient of a Gold Award at the last Ferrari Concours dElegance held in Brisbane.
This Ferrari 365 GT/4 2+2 ticks all the boxes.
Highlights:
- an Australian delivered, factory RHD example.
- finished in a popular colour scheme of red with a beige interior.
- this is a well sorted example that is ready to be used and enjoyed.
- it has Ferrari Classiche certification, books, known history from new, a history file - dating back to 1994, a diary on the car from 2014 and a correct jack kit.
The Ferrari 365 GT/4 2+2 has to be the last of the relatively affordable classic front engined V12 Ferraris and this example now needs a new owner to use and enjoy it!
Price $155,000.
