352 bhp, 4,390 cc DOHC V-12 engine, six Weber 40DCN17 carburetors, five-speed manual transaxle, independent front and rear suspension by coil springs and wishbones, and four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes. Wheelbase: 94.5"

• Approximately 6,391 miles from new; three owners, the last for 26 years

• Original tool roll, original books with leather pouch

• Air conditioned, Becker Mexico radio

The Ferrari 365 GTB/4 acquired its unofficial “Daytona” appellation while still a prototype, when Ferrari swept the 1967 race of the same name with a 1-2-3 podium finish. The name was truly fitting, given that in 1979 an elderly 1973-model 365 GTB/4 finished second at Daytona, driven by John Morton and Tony Adamowicz.

The Daytona was the ultimate expression of the front-engine V-12 Ferrari concept, perfectly illustrating Il Commendatore’s dictum that “the horse does not push the cart, it pulls.” The Daytona’s exaggerated hood practically places the driver between the back wheels, and the whole effect is agreed to be the best work Pininfarina did in years, leaner and more aggressive than even the 275.

The Daytona had a tube steel frame, and the body featured a horizontal body-side crease below the level of the wheel wells. Early models had full-width plastic headlight covers, but U.S. regulations rejected covered lights, and the solution was the elegant pop-up lights which were fitted to all the cars from 1970 onwards. The Kamm tail contained two taillights on each side, and aluminum was used for the doors, hood and trunk-lid, while Cromodora five-spoke wheels were standard and similar to wheels used on Formula 1 cars at the time.

Daytona 365 GTB/4 prices rose from $19,500 to $23,940 through the model’s five-year production run, while one of the 121 Spyders would cost about $2,000 more. But the Daytona’s mechanical specifications delivered on its claim to be the fastest production sports car in the world, with a top speed of 174 mph. The four-cam Colombo V-12 engine displaced 4.3 liters and generated 352 hp. Road & Track’s Dean Batchelor photographed an indicated 180 mph at a flat-out 7,000 rpm, and even when the speed was calculated and corrected afterwards, it still came out to 173 mph.

The Daytona was introduced at the Paris Salon in 1968. One of the first ringing endorsements came from Le Mans winner for Ferrari and lifetime auto journalist Paul Frere. He reported 176 mph in Autostrada traffic in 1969 and observed dryly that the radio was useless above 120 mph. Still, as he said, “If you go faster, it’s the engine that makes the music, the finest music of all to the ears of the enthusiast and the music he can enjoy in a well-sprung car, fitted with such amenities as electric window lifters, air conditioning and a really capacious luggage locker—a Grand Touring car par excellence.”

The 365 GTB/4 Daytona was a fitting end to an era. Fewer changes were made to the Daytona than to previous models, which might be explained by the fact that the car was pretty much correct at conception. The most notable change was the pop-up headlights that were fitted after 1970 to accommodate the U.S. ban on covered headlights.

Moreover, the Daytonas acquitted themselves very well in competition. Competition Daytonas won the Tour de France in 1972, their class at Le Mans in 1973 and 1974 and their class at Daytona in 1973 and 1975. In fact the 1973 Le Mans class-winning Charles Pozzi entry, s/n 16363, driven by Vic Elford and Claude Ballot-Lena, was driven back to Paris following the race, proving the Daytona’s remarkable reliability. Finally, at an age when it shouldn’t have been possible, a 365 GTB/4 was second overall at Daytona in 1979.

The example offered here, chassis 16539, was completed on June 1, 1973 and handsomely finished in Rosso Dino 20-R-350 with Pelle Nero VM8500 leather upholstery. Upon completion, it was delivered new to Montreal-area Ferrari importer Luigi della Grotta, the visionary who became Canada’s first Ferrari dealer despite Enzo Ferrari’s initial protestations that the country’s climate would hinder Ferrari sales.

Over the ensuing 38 years, 16539 has covered only about 6,400 miles in the hands of three owners, the last of whom retained it for more than 26 years. During that time, it has been maintained in climate-controlled condition within a Texas-based collection, with regular exercise. Further supporting the low mileage of the car, 16539 was reportedly offered for sale during 1989, at which point the odometer read approximately 6,100 miles, and it was also apparently advertised in a Chinese publication that year.

As presented, 16539 is reported to be mechanically sound, rides on a set of Borrani wire wheels and comes with its original tool roll and books enclosed within their leather pouch. The car is fitted with such desirable amenities as air conditioning and a Becker Mexico radio, and as offered, 16539 is very correct in its presentation. Upon close inspection, the overall condition of 16539 and the state of such tell-tale items as the dash, pedals and seat upholstery are commensurate with the limited use, proper care and very low mileage enjoyed by this Daytona over its lifetime.

While a superbly restored Ferrari Daytona is a remarkable and desirable supercar, with outstanding performance and handling characteristics even today, an original, well-maintained example carries particularly irresistible cachet. Any car can be restored, but it’s only original once.