Beschreibung:

“At the top - at the absolute top - in the automotive enthusiasts’ hierarchy of the cars of the world, there is only one. Ferrari. Is there really any question?” Thirty-plus years after Car & Driver magazine voiced that rhetorical enquiry the answer, of course, remains the same. And the car that prompted that eulogy? The Ferrari 330GTC. Intended to fill a gap in Ferrari’s line-up between the four-seat 330GT 2+2 and the racer-on-the-road 275GTB, the two-seat 330GTC debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1966 and was essentially a closed version of the 275GTS. Pininfarina’s understated coachwork combined elements of the latter at the rear, with touches of the 500 Superfast at the front. Few would disagree with Car & Driver’s opinion that the result was most agreeable. ‘The GTC is a tasteful blend of the mean-and-low look of Ferrari competition GT cars, with the elegance of super-luxury street Ferraris of the past. Detail work, finish, panel fit, every aspect is superlative.’ Beneath the 330GTC’s bonnet resided the 4.0-liter, 300bhp version of Ferrari’s familiar, two-cam, 60-degree V12, as used in the 330GT 2+2. The short (94.5” wheelbase) chassis followed Ferrari’s established practice of tying together sturdy oval-section main tubes in a steel spaceframe, while the suspension was independent all round by means of wishbones and coil springs. First introduced on a road-going Ferrari (the 275GTB) in 1964, the rear suspension incorporated the five-speed gearbox in a transaxle, an arrangement that created a better balanced car and one that gave its driver, “the wonderful sense of knowing just exactly what's going on between one’s posterior and the pavé.” Much development work had concentrated on the reduction of noise levels in the cabin, which was luxuriously equipped in the best Gran Turismo manner: leather seats, electric windows and heated rear screen were standard; radio, air conditioning and Borrani wire wheels the options. With a top speed in excess of 150mph, excellent ride comfort and sure-footed handling, Ferrari could justifiably claim the 330GTC to be the finest of high-speed conveyances for two people and their luggage. Built in 1967 but not sold until 1969, the example we offer here is an original California car with a smog exempt sticker on the windshield. By 1998 it had been acquired by the previous owner who undertook a detailed and thorough mechanical restoration that included work on the engine, exhaust and brakes, as well as restoration of the suspension, exhaust system, clutch, transaxle, brake-line replacement and correct Michelin XWX tires. 10377 has recently received a cosmetic restoration and service bolstering an already excellent original car. Work undertaken has included a bare-metal repaint, re-plating of brightwork wherever necessary, front seats re-upholstered with new leather, rebuilt A/C system (blows ice cold), rebuilt carburetors, complete engine and undercarriage detail, and a full service. Accompanying the car are records of restoration work, owner’s manual, jack and the original keys. Delivering a supreme level of comfort together with Ferrari and Pininfarina’s unsurpassed style, this is a superb vehicle, ready for the discerning collector, and a fantastic driver. An outstanding example of a highly desirable limited production Gran Turismo, it wants for nothing except a new owner.