Vehicle Description
1970 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 "Daytona" Berlinetta U.S. Prototype by
Scaglietti
Chassis : 13361
Engine: B362
Gearbox: 166
Body: 159
Ferrari cognoscenti will be quick to note that chassis number 13361
is a very early chassis number in the overall scheme of
U.S.-specification Daytona production. That is because 13361 was
the U.S.-specification prototype. As such, it was the second
Daytona imported into the United States (following chassis number
13205). It was completed by the factory on April 20, 1970, finished
in Rosso Chiaro (20-R-190) over a Nero (VM 8500) leather interior.
As such, it is also important to note that it was fitted with
Plexiglas-covered headlamps and without the requisite emissions or
safety equipment fitted to later Daytonas sold new in the U.S.
Chassis 13361 would head directly to Bill Harrah's West Coast
distributorship, Modern Classic Motors in Reno, Nevada. Of course,
as a major car collector himself, it was only natural that Harrah
opted to keep the first Daytona that arrived at his dealership for
himself. It is believed that Harrah used this Daytona as his
personal car for a period of time. 13361 undoubtedly wowed
enthusiasts all over the United States when it was featured on the
cover of Road & Track magazine in October 1970. In the magazine, it
is seen fitted with Harrah's personal Nevada 2 license plate.
After leaving Harrah's ownership, and it is believed that it then
remained on the West Coast for its entire life. In the early 1990s,
the car was purchased by Ferrari collector William H. Tilley, of
Los Angeles, California. The Daytona was occasionally used on the
road by Tilley and was extremely well maintained.
Following Tilley's passing in November 2012, the car was sold the
following year to its next owner, who opted to fully restore the
car to its original, historic, as-delivered configuration.
Refinished in its original color combination of Rosso Chiaro over a
Nero leather interior, the car is accompanied by a complete set of
books and tools, as well as a full restoration file complete with
receipts and photographs of the restoration process.
The Daytona's most recent owner is a noted American collector who
maintained the car's impeccable condition and had the car certified
by the Ferrari Classiche department.
Simply put, chassis number 13361 is truly one of the most important
and special Daytonas in existence, due to its status as the
U.S.-specification prototype, provenance with renowned American
tifosi Bill Harrah, and appearance on the cover of Road & Track.
Boasting a recently completed concours-level restoration that
brought the car back to its original standards, it is undoubtedly
one of the very best Daytonas that money can buy- as impressive
today as when it crossed the Nevada deserts and appeared on
newsstands nationwide.
About the Ferrari 365 GTB/4 "Daytona"
Ferrari first pulled the cover off the new 365 GTB/4 Berlinetta at
the Paris Salon in 1968 to great acclaim. Equipped with an all-new
4.4-liter V-12 engine that was capable of producing 352 horsepower
and 315 foot-pounds of torque at 7,500 rpm, the 365 GTB/4 was
capable of a top speed of 174 mph, making it the fastest production
car the world had ever seen. After its introduction, the car
quickly gained the unofficial nickname "Daytona" from Ferrari's
incredible 1-2-3 finish at the 1967 24 Hours of Daytona the year
before.
In terms of styling, the Daytona was a drastic step forward from
the 275 GTB/4. Gone were the voluptuous curves of the car's
Pininfarina design for Ferrari in the 1950s and 1960s. Leonardo
Fioravanti's design for the Daytona was much more angular and
aggressive than the car it replaced, yet it still resonated with
Ferrari's existing customers and proved to be an instant hit.
While Daytonas were becoming more frequently seen out and about in
Europe toward the beginning of the 1970s, American enthusiasts were
still waiting for their chance to own Ferrari's next great V-12
grand tourer, and it wasn't until the spring of 1970 that the
Daytona would finally make its way to the new world.
