1969 Ferrari 365 GT 2+2

Description

1969 Ferrari 365 GT 2+2 in Hamilton, QLD. Details Apple, Coco Cola, McDonalds and Nike are brands recognisable the world over. So is Ferrari and interestingly the iconic Italian luxury sports car manufacturer was named ‘The World’s Strongest Brand’ in the 2019 Brand Finance Global 500 Report. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1939 out of Alfa Romeo’s race division as Auto Avio Costruzioni the company built its first car in 1940. The Second World War halted Ferrari’s dream, which was finally realised in 1947, when the first car bearing his name, the Ferrari125S, was built. From that day on Ferrari race cars dominated the world over, winning race after race and many world championships in Formula One, sports car racing and endurance racing. Ferrari built exclusive sports cars for the road too, but in the early days, this was primarily to fund his motor racing! The Cavallino Rampate or ‘prancing horse’ was the symbol chosen by Ferrari and like the ‘golden arches’ it is recognised by just about every man, woman and child on the planet! The Ferrari road cars built in the 1940’s and early to mid 1950’s were built in very small numbers and it was not until the introduction of the 250 series cars that production numbers increased. Almost 1,000 Ferrari 250 GTE’s were built from 1959 – 1963. The 250 series also contained some of the most special Ferraris ever built, including the Ferrari 250LM, 250 SWB, 250 California Spider and of course the 250 GTO. The 250 series cars were superseded by the 275 series cars, the 330 series cars and later the 365 series cars. The nomenclature designated the cubic capacity of each cylinder. So a Ferrari 275 GTB was powered by a 12 cylinder engine of 3300cc capacity. The mid 1960’s were a fabulous time for Ferrari and one of its best sellers was the 330 GT 2+2. This model was a great success capturing the true essence and tradition of a Ferrari whilst offering the practicality of four seats and a good size boot. Just over 1000 of these cars were built from 1964 – 1967 and Enzo was very keen to continue the theme into a new model. Enter the 365 GT 2+2. First shown at the 1967 Paris Motor Show the Pininfarina designed 365 GT 2+2 took styling cues from the 500 Superfast and 330 GTC models. The car was built on a modified version of the 330 chassis, but what mattered most was that its engine was the new 4.4 litre version of the Columbo V12 engine. From a performance perspective the 365 GT 2+2 was all Ferrari, however, this model also offered creature comforts including power steering, air conditioning, electric windows and overall a more luxurious finish in the cabin. Often referred to as ‘the Queen Mary’ this model is now recognised by enthusiasts and collectors as one of the most practical of the classic front engine V12 Ferraris. 800 examples were built from 1968 – 1970. Oldtimer Australia is delighted to offer for sale a 1969 Ferrari 365 GT 2+2. This particular car was delivered new into Torino, Italy to its first owner a Mr Schreiber in June 1969. The car was sold by RM Sotheby’s at their 2015 Monterey sale and the following history is an extract from their auction catalogue: “The car offered here was built to European specifications, with left-hand drive and metric instruments, and it was delivered through Torino dealer Italcar S.A. to a local resident, Mr. Schreiber, in June 1969. It was registered as TO D 09929 and serviced and maintained by the Ferrari Factory Assistenza Clienti at Viale Trento Trieste in Modena. At some point in the early 1970s, the car was exported to the U.S.A. and was acquired in 1974 by Richard S. Scarpellini, of St. Louis, Missouri, who drove it in the FCA Tour de Saint Louis in nearby Westport in September of that year. In 1979, it passed through Foreign Cars Italia of North Carolina to Jim Francis, of Roanoke, Virginia, and then to David G. Seibert, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Fred Von Basedow, of Moline, Illinois. Von Basedow apparently owned the car until the late 1980s, when it was acquired by Ralph D. Crosby Jr., of California. Mr. Crosby displayed the car at the Newport Beach Concours d’Elegance in 1995, by which time it was reported to have undergone a complete restoration, including a bare-metal repaint in black, with new leather interior, carpeting, and headliner installed. When sold in 1997, it had reportedly completed only 2,000 miles since its completion. Well-preserved since and reportedly still fully matching-numbers, including its original engine, this is a handsome example of a comfortable, powerful, adept grand tourer, offered with its original tool kit, owner’s manual, and jack.” The car sold for US $363,000 (all in) against a pre-auction estimate of US $325,000 – $425,000, which at the time was just under AUD $500,000. The buyer was a Perth based entrepreneur who subsequently imported the car into Australia. At the time of purchase the odometer was at 23,144 km. The car changed hands and found its way to a collector based on the Gold Coast. A change in his circumstances has now resulted in this stunning car being offered for sale. Today the odometer reads 24,025km, so this car has only travelled some 850 km in the last 4 years. Whilst the car is an older restoration it still presents beautifully today. The jet black paint work has a high gloss and strong depth of colour. There are a few small imperfections in the paint. The most noticeable is adjacent to the right hand vent on the front guard, which is a bubble the size of a five cent piece. There are other small imperfections around the car and small dent in the roof. The car is very clean underneath and it looks to be structurally good, though there is a small spot on the front left sill. All of the exterior trim, including the chrome, lenses and badges as well as the glass are in excellent condition. The car is fitted with a set of Starburst wheels which suit the car perfectly and are in excellent condition. We love the interior of the 365 GT 2+2 and everything in the cabin of this car is stunning. The tan leather upholstery is gorgeous and essentially ‘like new’. It complements the black exterior perfectly. The dash, instruments and controls are also in excellent condition and everything looks to be in working order with the exception of the fuel gauge. The timber steering wheel as well as the timberwork on the dash and centre console is a feature on a 365 GT 2+2. They are beautifully presented on this car. The big V12 starts relatively easily on this car and it idles smoothly, though we suspect it could do with a service and quite possibly a good old ‘Italian tune’ would do the job! The engine has a good oil pressure and it has plenty of power on tap. The gearbox is really good on this car and it moves up and down the box smoothly even when cold. The car handles and steers as one would expect and the brakes pull the car up efficiently and in a straight line. Whilst the 365 GT 2+2 is often referred to as the ‘Queen Mary’ due to its size, the car belies that when you are behind the wheel. Make no mistake the 365 GT 2+2 is a quick car that would be the ideal mode of transport to blast from Paris to Rome back in the day. What is surprising is that it would also be right at home blasting across the Swiss Alps! The car has books including the leather pouch, tools, a jack kit and thick history file with receipts dating back to 1986 from when it was in the ownership of Mr Crosby Jr. There is also a Massini history report on file. There is no spare wheel. Being left hand drive this is a truly world market car that presents a unique opportunity in this country. Price AUD $425,000. Specification

Specifications