For Sale: 1973 Ferrari 365 in Houston, Texas

1973 Ferrari 365 GT4 2+2
Chassis No. 17109

What did you buy in 1973 when you had a wife, two kids, a successful business...and still refused to give up your Ferrari?
Meet the Ferrari 365 GT4 2+2, Maranello's answer to the gentleman who needed four seats but wasn't quite ready for a sensible car. 1 of just 521 examples produced. And before you laugh at our Enzo reference, the joke isn't entirely a joke: Enzo Ferrari himself reportedly used a 365 GT4 2+2 as a personal car (chassis no. 16293).

Introduced at the 1972 Paris Motor Show, the 365 GT4 2+2 combined Pininfarina's wonderfully understated, angular bodywork with the part that really matters: a 4.4-liter, four-cam Colombo-derived V12 up front, a five-speed manual in the middle, and rear-wheel drive. Ferrari quotes 340 hp and a 245 km/h top speed. In other words, it was essentially the executive express of the Ferrari lineup. The car for someone who wanted Daytona-era V12 hardware but occasionally had to pick up the kids.

And they're genuinely rare. According to the Cavallino Guide, just 521 examples were produced between 1972 and 1976. In our own 20+ years dealing in collector cars, we've owned only one other and have rarely seen them for sale.

This particular early example, chassis 17109, is finished in silver over black. It features a beautiful five-speed manual shifter, knock-off alloy wheels, air conditioning and matching etched glass throughout. Its Veglia odometer currently displays 90,248 kilometers (approximately 56,077 miles).

But the coolest part may be the paperwork. This thing has receipts for its receipts.

The history file contains extensive original Italian registration and ownership documents dating back decades, Italian service invoices, U.S. import and federal paperwork, Customs documents, EPA and NHTSA correspondence, subsequent American service records and even period photographs documenting the actual car being loaded into a shipping container in Italy. Seriously. We have pictures of it inside the container.

The paper trail documents chassis 17109 in Italy through the 1980s and its rather interesting travels across the Atlantic. U.S. federal paperwork records Daniel Fortunato as importer, while later documentation shows that the Ferrari actually returned to Italy for repairs before coming back to America. A 1988 Lloyd's agent survey identifies the car by chassis number and silver color and documents its inspection and containerization at Livorno for shipment to the United States. The accompanying stamped photographs show the very car sitting inside that container.

Someone was documenting this Ferrari long before documenting Ferraris became fashionable.

Period Italian Ferrari dealer invoices from Auto La Rotonda also accompany the car, along with later American service records. The history file continues into the 1990s and 2000s with work involving the fuel system, ignition, brakes, electrical system and other mechanical items.

Now for the Wholesale Wednesday part...

You're not taking it to Cars & Coffee or Pebble Beach yet...

Chassis 17109 has been sitting for an extended period and should be considered a light project requiring recommissioning. The good news? There's a lot here to like.

The body appears straight and structurally sound from our visual inspection. The engine compartment shows evidence of considerable previous attention, including fresh-looking plating, hardware and gaskets. Inside, the black leather front and rear seats present exceptionally well and appear to have been restored, as does the leather dashboard. The door panels appear older/original and remain quite presentable.

Open the trunk and you'll find what every vintage Ferrari container find should come with: a small Italian flea market. Miscellaneous trim and parts, Pininfarina emblems and badges, a jack with its leather bag, and additional pieces accompany the car. There's also a workshop manual in a binder and, of course, the substantial history file.

Is it perfect? No. Does it currently run? Also no, but it did start for us once...

Could this be a very rewarding and relatively straightforward recommissioning project for someone who knows these cars or knows somebody who does? We certainly think so.

Because underneath the dust and deferred recommissioning is something pretty special: an early-production, front-engine, four-cam V12 Ferrari with a gated five-speed, knock-off wheels, four usable seats, handsome colors and an unusually entertaining transatlantic paper trail.

The 365 GT4 2+2 was Ferrari for the man who had grown up... but hadn't given up. And more than half a century later, that might be exactly why these understated V12 Ferraris are finally getting the attention they deserve.

HIGHLIGHTS
• 90,248 km indicated / approx. 56,077 miles
• Silver over Black
• 4.4L Four-Cam V12
• 5-Speed Manual
• Knock-Off Wheels
• Air Conditioning
• Matching Etched Glass
• Extensive Italian & U.S. Documentation

Wholesale Wednesday. Buy it before we fix it and the price doubles...

$79,500.00 FIRM

The above vehicle information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time it is posted to this website. It is provided 'as-is', without warranties as to its accuracy, whether expressed or implied, and is intended for informational purposes only. Corrections or additional information is always appreciated.

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