Vehicle Description
The arrival of the 365 GTB/4 "Daytona" in 1968 signaled a seismic
shift in Ferrari's design language. Ferrari was content with the
275 GTB/4, 330 GTC, and 365GT 2+2. However, the young and dynamic
Pininfarina designer Leonardo Fioravanti thought otherwise, and he
wanted to shake up Ferrari design as a new decade approached.
Working in his spare time, he mocked up the crisp and muscular
Daytona and showed it to his bosses, including Enzo Ferrari. Enzo
was rightfully impressed and gave his blessing for the project to
move forward. With the new flagship supercar taking on the likes of
the Lamborghini Miura, Ferrari reimagined the rest of the lineup,
replacing the luxurious 365 GT 2+2 and 365 GTC. Four-seat grand
touring cars served an important role supporting Ferrari's bottom
line, so the new model needed appeal to traditional buyers, while
still moving the marque forward into the 1970s. Named 365 GTC/4,
the new car drew heavily from the Daytona's proportions with a
sharp-edged, fastback profile, short overhangs, and a steeply raked
bonnet. One of the most distinctive features of the "C4" was the
oval, one-piece black urethane front bumper, cleverly integrated
into the bodywork. This significant stylistic touch finally laid to
rest Ferrari's long-standing traditional oval egg-crate grille
design, yet it never appeared on another production Ferrari.
Mechanically, the C4 shared much of the Daytona's structure with a
few key differences. First, the 4.4-liter Columbo V12 got
side-draught Weber carburetors to accommodate the lower bonnet
line. In place of the Daytona's transaxle, the 5-speed gearbox
bolted directly to the engine - with the added benefit of superior
shift feel. Engineers then added power steering, electric windows,
optional air conditioning, and Koni-developed self-leveling rear
dampers. While all around a softer car than its big brother, the
365 GTC/4 was a superb grand tourer, offering exceptional levels of
comfort and performance. Although the performance was only just shy
of the Daytona, the C4's rakish lines limited headroom for rear
passengers. Despite its strengths, production lasted a mere
eighteen months, with just 501 cars leaving Maranello.
Fioravanti-styled 365 GT4 2+2 (later 400i and 412) replaced the C4
after 1972. According to the respected historian Marcel Massini,
this gorgeous 1972 365 GTC/4 is an original US-market example, sold
new via Luigi Chinetti Motors in Greenwich, Connecticut. Records
list the color scheme as Grigio Argento Metallizzato over a black
leather interior with rarely seen optional red tartan fabric
inserts and red carpets. Factory options include a Becker Mexico
radio, Hirschmann aerial, and air conditioning. It is believed that
the first owner was Mr. Robert Moe of San Francisco, California. No
doubt proud of his new acquisition, Mr. Moe registered the car on
the personalized blue plates "72 GTC" and cherished the Ferrari for
the next 30-plus years. After years of enjoyment in and around the
Bay Area, he began the process of a light restoration, but health
issues put the project on hold. Sadly, he passed away before seeing
his beloved Ferrari return to the road, and in 2011, the most
recent owner purchased the car from Mr. Moe's estate. The new owner
completed the restoration, carefully preserving the car's
authenticity while returning it to a fresh showroom appearance. The
restoration started with an excellent, unmolested car, and included
fresh paintwork in the original shade of Grigio Argento using
Glasurit paint as used by the Ferrari factory. The paint finish is
beautiful, correctly detailed true to factory specs. Body gaskets
and seals were replaced upon reassembly, and the optional Boranni
RW 4075 wheels were rebuilt and fitted with correct Michelin XWX
radials to achieve the ideal stance on the road. Concurrently, a
restoration of the distinct interior was done, using authentic
materials and patterns. Using unblemished samples taken from inside
the door panels, the restorers sourced the 100% wool tartan fabric
from a specialist mill in Scotland in the same pattern and color as
the original. The bright red seat inserts, door panel accents, and
red Wilton carpets add a fantastic splash of color against the
black leather and silver paintwork. Finally, the 365 received a
comprehensive service at the hands of marque specialists. The work
consisted of rebuilt Koni dampers, braking system overhaul, rebuilt
Weber carburetors, suspension overhaul, and numerous small details
to bring the car back up to a high standard. In 2019, a
California-based Ferrari specialist rebuilt and synchronized the
distributors, tuned the carburetors, and performed various other
minor services to dial the car in for road use. The result of all
this effort is a gorgeous 365 GTC/4 with exemplary performance. The
stunning color scheme and rarely seen factory interior treatment
further enhance the striking design. In addition, the generous
boot, occasional rear seats, power steering, and factory A/C make
it a sublime and surprisingly practical car for long-distance
touring. It retains the original Becker radio, Hirschmann antenna,
and Neiman factory keys. It also includes the original hardshell
tool kit, jack, knock-off tool, owner's manuals, warranty book, and
safety triangle. Documentation consists of a Massini report and
numerous receipts related to the restoration work. In addition,
this car is eligible for Classiche Certification and the process
has been initiated with Ferrari's historic department. Long
considered a well-kept secret among Ferrari Tifosi, the 365 GTC/4
has finally come of age as a full-fledged, highly collectible Grand
Touring thoroughbred. The softer demeanor makes it the driver's
choice compared to the hard-edged Daytona, and even as values have
risen, the distinctly styled GTC/4 still represents a tremendous
value in the world of Enzo-Era twelve-cylinder Ferrari GT cars.
Offers welcome and trades considered For additional details please
view this listing directly on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/6524-1972-ferrari-365-gtc-4-coupe/
