Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Series II by Pininfarina 1966 - World Of Classic Cars -

Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Series II by Pininfarina 1966

As Enzo Ferrari sought to update his lucrative grand touring coupe lineup, the 330 was conceived as a successor to his marque’s legendary and long-lived 250 series.
While Ferrari’s efforts primarily remained centered around racing cars, it was the sale of road going models to well-heeled, discerning customers that financed those efforts. This symbiotic relationship was obvious once one opened the hood of the first 330, the 330 America. The company’s new Tipo 209 V-12 engine displaced 3,967 cubic centimeters (330 cubic centimeters per cylinder, which gave the car its name) and boasted a slightly longer block than its 400 SA series predecessor. The engine was rated at 300 horsepower, and the 12 cylinders were fed by a trio of Weber 40 DCZ/6 carburetors. Befitting of the car’s highway cruising aim, the 330 used a four-speed gearbox with an overdrive unit.

Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Series II by Pininfarina 1966

The 330 America was, however, a short-lived placeholder for what was to come: the 330 GT 2+2. It was introduced in January 1964 at the Brussels Motor Show, where it generated a high degree of controversy for its quad-headlamp arrangement, which was penned by Pininfarina’s noted American designer Tom Tjaarda. Although today’s enthusiasts find its mid-century look to be distinctive, it was subsequently replaced with a more conventional twin-headlamp arrangement a year later, when the Series II hit the market.
Regardless of the number of eyebrows raised by the 330 GT 2+2’s styling, it was undoubtedly a “grander” tourer for Ferrari. The 330 rode on a wheelbase that was two inches longer than the 250 GTE, and it included such advanced engineering features as Koni adjustable shock absorbers and a Dunlop dual-circuit braking system that gave both the front disc and rear disc brakes their own servo-assist. A true five-speed gearbox arrived in 1965, which replaced the overdrive unit. Only 455 examples of the handsome Series II 330 GT were built before the more aggressive yet less stately 365 GT arrived in 1967.

Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Series II by Pininfarina 1966

The car shown here, chassis number 09089, is an original U.S.-delivery example that was built with power windows, instrumentation in miles, and factory air conditioning. It was originally finished in Amaranto (19379) with a Beige leather (VM 3218) interior and black carpets. After being completed by the factory in October 1966, it was shipped from Livorno, Italy, to New York aboard the S.S. Pia Costa. Upon arrival, it was sold by importer Luigi Chinetti Motors to a Mr. Kabalck, a New York resident who was a good, long-time customer of Chinetti’s, having earlier purchased a 342 America.

Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Series II by Pininfarina 1966

After being sold in 1983, the car was acquired in 1987 by Dennis Ravallese, of Wayne, New Jersey, in whose ownership it would spend over 20 years. It was eventually acquired by the present owner, whose personal shop oversaw the fresh restoration that it presently wears. The body was stripped to bare metal and refinished in its original color. As the owner notes, the interior had been reupholstered some time earlier, and it was done to such a high standard, and in the original color, that he decided to leave it as-is. The engine was removed, fully serviced to operate well, and then reinstalled. All chrome, stainless trim, and the Borrani wire wheels have been replated to a high standard, and new, correct Michelin tires were mounted.