Ferrari 330 GTC by Pininfarina 1967 |
Upon its premiere at the Brussels Salon in January 1964, the 330 GT 2+2 was intended to be the grandest of tourers. It was designed to cruise effortlessly across Europe and was luxuriously appointed to carry its occupants down the autostrada in style, while also ticking all of the usual Ferrari boxes in terms of performance. As per usual, Ferrari’s engineers kept pushing the envelope in order to create a car that would provide even better performance, as well as luxurious appointments that their discerning clients demanded. Enter the 330 GTC.
The 330 GTC was introduced in Geneva just two years after the 330 GT 2+2, and it embodied the best of both worlds between the comparatively plush 330 GT 2+2 and the more hardcore 275 GTB. The 330 GTC used the same steering, suspension, and transmission as the 275 GTB, and these features, coupled with a wheelbase that was 10 inches shorter than the 330 GT 2+2, made the GTC much more dynamic to drive. Perhaps the most sporting characteristic of the 330 was its engine. The 330 GTC’s Colombo V-12 produced 300 horsepower and had a top speed of 150 mph, with a 0–60 mph time of under seven seconds. The 330 GTC was definitely no slouch.
Ferrari 330 GTC by Pininfarina 1967 |
Design elements from the car’s ancestors are evident in the bodywork, as the 330’s tail was first used on the 275 GTS, and the body, which is ahead of the cabin, is very similar in style to the limited-production 500 Superfast for the Series II variant. With the shorter wheelbase, the 330 GTC lost its rear seats and gained a rear luggage shelf in its place. Like the beautiful 250 Lusso, the 330 GTC had very thin A- and B-pillars, giving the cabin an open feeling and incredible visibility from all angles. At the end of the 330 series’ production run, total numbers for the GTC stood at 598.
The records of Ferrari historian Marcel Massini record that chassis number 10267 was completed by the factory as a U.S.-specification car in Grigio Notte (Night Grey) (18933) over Arancino (Orange) (VM 3104) in 1967. It was shipped stateside and delivered to West Coast distributor William Harrah’s Modern Classic Motors, of Reno, Nevada, later that year. Further history includes ownership by Richard Rice, of Palos Verdes, California, who was listed with the car in the September 1978 Ferrari Owners Club USA Newsletter.
Ferrari 330 GTC by Pininfarina 1967 |
The present owner, a well-known southwestern collector, acquired the car from a California owner shortly after its re-emergence into the collecting community several years ago. At the time, it was a well-maintained, black plate, Golden State car in very original condition, and it showed only 45,000 actual miles, which may well have been actual mileage from new. It has since been freshly restored by the best of the best, with the mechanical work having been handled by the renowned Patrick Ottis and paint and upholstery by the well-known Brian Hoyt. Typical of their work, the quality and detail throughout is absolutely outstanding. The body was refinished in the striking color of Blu Scuro over Claret leather upholstery. Accessories on the car include chrome Borrani wire wheels with correct Ferrari knock-offs and the original factory air-conditioning.
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