1969 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Competition Conversion
Chassis No. 12765

– Converted by Carrozzeria Vari
– Well-cared for 34 years by one owner
– Showcased at Maranello Rosso Collezione (1991-2014)

“The Star of the Maranello Rosso Collezione”

This vehicle has a chassis number of 12765 and it was 50th car to be produced as a normal version road car; the body number of Scaglietti is also #50.

According to the record, it was manufactured on July 21, 1969 and delivered to the official dealer Gastone Crepaldi Sas on 26 Via San Marco, Milano.

Later, the dealer sold the vehicle to a new owner in Signor Montanari of Brescia, Italy. There seem to be no other owner on the record despite of an investigation that was conducted.

But it is clear that the car was modified into “a semi-group 4 competition version” in around 1974 by Autofficina GioacchinoVari in Rome. This is legit conversion model which is similar to official Competizione made by Ferrari, manufactured at a famous Italian factory through 1971 to 1973.

The body features built-in roll bars and flared fenders to accommodate wide rims and tires.
The headlights were altered with the ones resembling competition version, and a front spoiler and an air dam device had been installed. The car is also equipped with acrylic sliding side windows and a fuel cap matching the competition version.

The body is finished in original color of red called “Rosso Chiaro 20-R-190” and the color of interior is the original black “Nero VM 8500.”

The Daytona, wearing the most suitable color for a Ferrari racing car, is still radiating the beauty.
The side window frames were repainted in black during the conversion.

In the late 1970’s, the ownership of vehicle changed to a well-known Ferrari collector Fabrizio Violati, and became a part of his expanding Maranello Rosso Collezione.

According to Marcel Massini, an authority in Ferrari history, this vehicle might had been driven by Vittorio Setti at Ferrari Days which was held in Modena through September 15 and 18, 1983. It is also said to be the one driven by Fabrizio Violati himself at the Ferrari Club Italia meeting held in Alessandria, Italy, on June 22, 1985.

What makes this “12765” stand out from those of cars that are superficially look-alike is that it was once owned by a great racer Fabrizio Violati, and it has the history of being a part of his magnificent collection of Maranello Rosso Collezione. The machine had been loved by the true Ferrari fan for 34 years and now it is available in our stock.

Anyone who owns this vehicle also owns an illustrious history thereof. When entering into a vintage event, all eyes will be on this car. It will for sure be the center of any events you bring this car to just like a car with such glorious background should.

The powerful performance of 4.4-liter V12 engine promises to provide an exciting experience to you once you are behind the wheel.

“The History of Ferrari Daytona”

365 GTB/4 was a successor of 275 GTB/4. It is one of the most important vehicle in the history of high performance sports car with front engine and it is a Gran Turismo automobile.

Salon de Paris was selected as a place to introduce the car in the fall of 1968. It was traditional place for all new models of Ferrari to be announced in the public. In 1967, Ferrari factory team dictated the podium in Daytona 24-hour race. After the race, the media nicknamed the car as “Daytona” in honor of their results. The nickname has been used widely since then.

The name 365GTB/4 consists of four meanings: “365” stands for displacement per cylinder, “GT” for Gran Turismo, “B” for berlinetta (coupé) and “4” for the number of camshafts (DOHC). The maximum speed of 278km/h was the fastest speed in the world at that time. Ferrari was proud of quicker acceleration which outrun the famous high performance cars such as Lamborghini Miura, Mercedes-Benz 350SL, Jaguar V12 E-Type, and De Tomaso Pantera.

At the end of August in 1971, they produced 500 cars to meet FIA homologation in the International Group 4 Special Grand Touring car racing category. Even though Maranello had no intention to do so, the competition version made its debut because many clients required the racing car.

365GTB/4 is the last model of Ferrari with V12 engine which was introduced before FIAT started to dictated and controlled the production of Ferrari road cars. Until Ferrari started to sell Testarossa in Northern America in 1984, 365GTB/4 was the last vehicle to be sold as V12. As the federal regulation of the U.S. was getting stricter and stricter each year, Ferrari could not comply with it because they are a manufacture with a small-quantity production and they could not bear the costs associated with compliance. Even today, a chassis number of North American models is followed by a capitol “A” to be distinguished.

“Design”

365GTB/4 was more aggressive model than 275GTB/4. Nose is long, wide and sharp like a shark. Wide hood has two square slots which release hot air to the outside. The body consists of long hood and the cabin section and the edge of it starts near the end of wheel arch and Kamm Tail cuts off sharply at the rear end. Two sets of headlight, two bulbs per unit, are mounted in the tail panel and bumper corners are installed underneath of it.

Pininfarina designed body and Scaglietti was in charge of the production. The body was made from steel. Generally, doors, hood, and trunk lid were made of aluminum. However, in later phase of production, the doors were made with steel and side impact protection beams were installed to North American versions in accordance with a new federal law of the U.S.

Some initial prototypes had the nose of 275GTB/4, but the final batch had a sharp wedge-shaped design which was radically different from 275GTB/4. The feature of early models is plexiglas windows, including the cover for the headlights: each headlight consists of 2 bulbs and placed in the Plexiglas cover. Also, there are clearance lamps and turn signals.

In 1971, Ferrari changed the headlights to retractable type remaining the headlights with 2 bulbs each. The US Federal regulations were changed and covered lamps were no longer permitted. 365GTB/4 was designed to meet the Federal Regulations of the U.S. because Ferrari considered the American markets to be important. They tried to place fixed headlights but the idea ruined the design of nose. Retractable headlights could keep the nose flat and its original shape when they were not in use.

A cabin has five windows and wide windshield is slightly curved. Rear quarter panels placed on the both side of rear windows are connected to tail panel. The front edge of cabin section placed almost near the arch in back edge of front wheel and side moldings of the body is semicircular design. 2+2 model used the same design and mid-ship model used a slightly different design.

In 1969, Ferrari Daytona Spider 365GTS/4 was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show a year after from revealing of Berlinetta. Below the waistline is visually the same as Berlinetta and the only differences were the shape of trunk lid and foldable roof. The Spider was very popular in the US market. As soon as it was released, the sales accounted for almost 10% of 365GTB/4. After that, cutting Berlinetta’s roofs and making the Spider conversion became very popular but die downed at the end of 1980.

Production period of Daytona was longer compared to the previous model and they were produced until 1973. Maranello had made 1284 of Berlinetta 122 of Spider.

Speciale coupé, chassis number 14547, was displayed at Salon de Paris in 1969. A stainless roll hoop and zippered rear window were the features of the car.

Body was based on Tipo 605 chassis with 2400mm wheelbase and an odd number of chassis for road cars was engraved onto plates. The production method was basically the same as other models from that period. Two large diameter oval shaped tubes were vertically placed and a strong cross member connects those tubes while a sub-frame supports the body and ancillaries.
Customers could choose either right-hand or left-hand drive.

Normal wheel was five-spoke light alloy wheel with a knock off spinner on the hub. However, American versions and some of imported version had to be fixed with a large central nut to comply with legislative requirements. Wire wheels made by Route Borrani Milano were an option throughout the production period.

Engine type was the same V12 unit as 275GTB/4 except its displacement. It was called as “Tipo 251” at the factory. The displacement was 4390cc and bore and stroke was 81mm x 71mm. It had dry Sump lubrication system.
This V12 was fitted into six twin choke weber 40 DCN20 or 21 carburetors. It had twin ignition coil system, and ignition system distributor was mounted in the rear of engine. On the other hand, American version had capacitor discharge ignition and 352hp to comply with the American regulation.

An ignition system of electronic control had been equipped to the cars for Northern American and the official output is 352hp. Also, a fast idling device, air injector inside exhaust manifold, and other devices were installed in purpose of reducing toxic fumes in emission.
Torque transmit 5 speed transaxle via propeller shaft which was the same speed as the engine after it go through a clutch mounted on flywheel. The way to mount transaxle was the same as 275GTB/4. Torque was transmitted from independently suspended rear wheel via right and left half shaft. Rear wishbone suspension consists of coil springs and a shock absorber.


“Series and Performance”

Total of five Daytona Competition Speciale exist in 3 series. (We have competition conversion model.)
A customer support department at the head office in Modena produced the cars.
They also built One-off model, structured in aluminum body, for Luigi Chinetti from a racing team in Northern America.

First series made in 1971 had the body made of aluminum. Flared wheel arched covering wide wheels, aero fin at the front fender, a small chin spoiler, and a bumper corner were removed.

Second series were produced in the early 1972’s. The body was made of steel, but hood, trunk lid and doors were made of aluminum which was the same as road cars. The width of wheel arched were widen to accommodate larger wheels and tires.

Third series made in the early 1973’s had the same exterior as second series; the doors were made of steel and lids of hood and trunk were made of aluminum. Every series were high-performance vehicles like racing cars. The performance was improved because of homologated special parts.

These Competition Speciale had been very successful at endurance race of GT. The power was not the only strength of them and the durability was another remarkable point.
At 24-hour Le Mans in 1972, Daytona competition dictated top 5 in a certain class and won the first prize in the class: continued to win in 1973 and 1974.
Special Daytona never lost its reputation at 24-hour Le Mans in 1979 by finishing the race in second place. This car is truly amazing even 6 years after the end of production.