1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spider Conversion in Auburn, IN

To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sothebys' Auburn Fall event, 30 August - 2 September 2018.
Estimate:
$500,000 - $600,000

Left-hand-drive, European-specification exampleConverted by Michael Sheehan's European Auto RestorationFinished in traditional Rossa Corsa; featuring Plexiglas noseAir conditioning; power windows and brakesRecently serviced

Ferrari debuted the 365 GTB/4 in the fall of 1968 at the Paris motor show. The car replaced the beautiful 275 GTB/4 and 365 as the new V-12 grand tourer in the Ferrari lineup. The GTB/4 featured radical new styling, with its angular wedge design and a unique nose with Plexiglas-covered or later pop-up headlights. The �Kamm' tail harkened back to Ferrari road racers of the mid-1960s, and a lovely style line which runs the length of the car, a true display of European design.

The car was an instant success, and following Ferrari's 1-2-3 finish at 24 Hours of Daytona the media quickly nicknamed the company's new 365 GTB/4 model the "Daytona." While the car was initially only offered as a Berlinetta, the demand for an open-top spider variant was evident. In 1969, Ferrari debuted the first production 365 GTS/4 spider at the Frankfurt Motor Show and over the course of the next four years, Ferrari produced only 121 such examples. The beautiful design of the Daytona Spider led many berlinetta owners to convert their car to the rarer production convertible, a popular exercise in the 1970s and 1980s.

The Daytona offered was completed on September 1, 1970 as a left-hand-drive European-delivery example and was originally finished in Argento Metallizzato over a blue leather interior. It was delivered new to an official dealer, Motor S.a.s. di Carla Allegretti e C., in Bologna, Italy. The car was later exported to the US, with Larry Crossan of Loomis, CA being the first known owner of the car stateside. In 1981, Loomis had the car converted into a spider by Michael Sheehan's European Auto Restoration, a firm well-known for their Daytona Spider conversions. Steve Forristall of Houston, Texas owned the car for a period of time and offered it for sale in 1987. The car changed hands several times in the 1990s, eventually selling through Red McCoombs Galleria Auto to Chris Minnick in February of 1998. Minnick held onto the car until 1999 when John Baldwin of Louisiana purchased it, he owned the car through at least early 2001. The Daytona was ultimately acquired by the current owner in 2007.

Today the Daytona is presented in the traditional combination of Rosso Corsa over black leather and rides on chrome knock-off Borrani wire wheels. The interior features Daytona-style seats with red inserts, a leather wrapped steering wheel, power windows, and air conditioning. The Ferrari has benefitted from a recent service which included a rebuild and tuning of the carburetors, a brake service (pads, pistons, and seals), an oil change, and new ignition coils, spark plugs and wires. The car is accompanied by a full-size five-spoke spare.

Arguably one of the most iconic Ferraris, the Daytona's timeless design and exhilarating performance have led it to be one of the more sought after Italian grand tourers. With its exceptional presentation and recent servicing, this Daytona Spider conversion is ready for the road and sure to impress future ownership for many miles to come.To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/AF18.