Vehicle Description
Chassis No. 15933
Engine No. 00271
Transmission No. 281
Ferrari entered the 1970s with Fiat at the helm, providing the
capital and manufacturing might to produce more consistent road
cars that would impress discerning buyers, especially those in
North America. Easier said than done. Increasingly strict safety
regulations in the US mandated impact-absorbing rubber bumpers
resulting in some ungainly and quickly cobbled together solutions -
especially from low-volume manufacturers. The Ferrari 365 GTC/4
avoided this fate thanks to Filippo Sapino at Carrozzeria
Pininfarina, who cleverly integrated these new impact strips into
the car's bodywork. The overall design was a discrete and graceful
shape that closely resembled the 365 GTB/4 on which it was based,
distinguishable by a lower, sloping nose made possible by
side-draft Weber carburetors. The similarities to the fabled
Daytona didn't end there, as it also shared the same tubular space
frame chassis and 4.4-liter Colombo V12, tuned to 340-horsepower
with more focus on torque.
Subdued but not overly so, the 365 GTC/4 featured a number of
creature comforts that took the edge off of its muscled,
brutally-quick stablemate. A slightly longer wheel-base made room
for additional luggage space, while other user-friendly
improvements included ZF power-steering, servo-assisted brakes, and
air conditioning as standard equipment. These amenities did not
come at the expense of performance, as the 365 GTC/4 was capable of
climbing to a top speed of 163 mph, with Road & Track noting in
their review that '[it] smooth[s] out at speed, just as if the car
were a thoroughbred getting into its stride.' Between 1971 and
1972, Ferrari sold 500 365 GTC/4s - nearly one-third the quantity
of the Daytona - before replacing it with the 365 GT4 2+2, making
it one of the rarest Ferrari models produced in the 'modern
era.'
This Ferrari Classiche certified 365 GTC/4 was completed as a
left-hand drive, European market example in Maranello in June 1972,
and delivered new to noted Belgian Ferrari dealer Jacques Swaters'
Garage Francorchamps in the dazzling Blu Ribot over Pelle Beige
leather scheme it wears today. Chassis number '15933' was sold to
its first owner, a Mr. Albinus of Belgium, in July 1972 before
finding its way to Germany two years later, where its second owner,
US Army Lt. Colonel Bill Story, was stationed with the US Army Air
Corps. The Ferrari remained with Colonel Story for a remarkable 35
years, relocating with him to Georgia before entering the
collection of its third owner in 2008, US Congressman John Campbell
of Orange County, California. Not long after acquiring 15933, the
congressman commissioned a restoration and refitting of the
original leather hides which had been retained with the car. The
exhaustive restoration process continued in 2015 when the car was
disassembled and professionally repainted in its original factory
tone at the hands of renowned marque expert Mike Regalia, along
with a careful reassembly of the entire car ensuring a
concours-level fit and finish of the original body panels. In
August 2015, 15933 achieved the current auction record for a
Ferrari 365 GTC/4 - a testament to its exceptional originality and
the exacting quality of the restoration. The record-breaking result
serves as further confirmation that 15933 is one of, if not the
finest 365 GTC/4 in existence, evidenced by restoration invoices in
excess of $300,000 and a digital file of images documenting the
work performed.
The Ferrari has been preserved by its fourth custodian for the past
seven years, remaining in pristine condition since the restoration,
which is to say, near perfect inside and out. In addition to
retaining its spectacular Blu Ribot factory color scheme, 15933 is
accompanied by a Ferrari Classiche 'Red Book' certifying that the
body, chassis, engine, and transmission numbers are recognized by
Ferrari to match factory records. Indicating fewer than 28,000
kilometers on the odometer at the time of cataloging, this stunning
grand tourer offers tremendous rarity and performance and is
undoubtedly one of the most intact and correct 365 GTC/4s currently
offered for sale.
