THE DAYTONA DROP-TOP

Without a doubt, the Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider is one of the most spectacular open Ferraris ever built. It holds a unique cachet among the marque’s vintage front-engine V-12 convertibles, combining rarity and arresting design, while occupying an important perch in the manufacturer’s genealogy.

It all began when Ferrari announced the 365 GTB/4 berlinetta in 1968, introducing the company’s first 4.4-liter dual-overhead-cam engine in a road car. Clothed in Leonardo Fioravanti’s revolutionary shark-nose coachwork, the model was actually a stopgap effort that surprised everyone with its sheer success while a forthcoming rear-engine flat-12 model remained in development. It would be the last of Ferrari’s great front-engine grand touring machines for over 20 years, an exclamatory statement of power and style that capped a legendary tradition.

With a staggering output of 352 horsepower, the 365 GTB/4 dethroned the Lamborghini Miura as the world’s fastest production car. As a direct development of the 275 GTB/4, it utilized dry-sump lubrication that enabled a lower placement of the engine, a five-speed transaxle providing ideal 50/50 weight distribution, and all-wheel independent suspension. As a result of this competition-derived mechanical design, the Daytona delivered crisp handling characteristics at speed. Wide wheels with superior tire contact and four-wheel disc brakes rounded out a superb all-around package that eventually proved its potency with three class victories at Le Mans and several years of dominance in Group 4 GT racing.

As with any successful Ferrari berlinetta, the Daytona was soon reimagined as an open-top variant that geometrically improved the style and experiential impact of the car’s performance.

At the 1969 Frankfurt Motor Show, Maranello introduced the striking drop-top Daytona and revealed just how handsome the coachwork became when the roof was removed. Endowed with a purity of line and stance, the new spider’s collectability was assured when only 121 examples were produced.

As the final front-engine open Ferrari to feature a derivation of Gioacchino Colombo’s classic short-block V-12, the Daytona Spider was the ultimate evolution of nearly 20 years of development. Like a fine Chianti, the platform only got better with age!

CHASSIS NUMBER 14557

Given its rarity and superlative design, any Daytona Spider instantly exudes serious gravitas, but this exceptional example additionally claims matching-numbers components and 53 years of single-owner care by the original buyer, combining to result in one of the most authentic Daytona Spiders ever offered.

According to the records of marque expert Marcel Massini, chassis number 14557 is the 22nd car built, and it was completed in September 1971, factory-equipped with air conditioning and a radio. The 365 was finished in Rosso Chiaro paint and trimmed in Nero leather, including Daytona seats with Rosso inserts and carpeting.

Distributed to William Harrah’s well-known Modern Classic Motors in Reno, Nevada, the Ferrari was retailed through an official marque dealership in Santa Monica, California, called Francisco Mir’s Service and Diagnosis Center. Mir had personal ties to Enzo Ferrari, and in addition to retailing Prancing Horses, he later functioned as the Scuderia Ferrari’s local garage during the Long Beach Grand Prix, as well as federalizing gray-market models like the Berlinetta Boxer to meet US emissions and safety standards.

Within a few months, the Daytona Spider was purchased by its first and only owner to date, Thomas Mouradick. Born and raised in Fresno, California, Tom Mouradick (or Tommy, as he was known to friends) grew up around farming. He was groomed to assume control of his father’s business, M&A Distributing, Inc., a grape growing concern based in the Coachella Valley to the south. After inheriting the company and moving to Southern California fulltime, Tom went on to market his own brand of wine under the label “Tommy Boy,” reaching new heights of success. Following years of fruitful operation, Tom sold his business during the 1990s and settled in Newport Beach.

By all accounts Tom lived his life to the fullest, indulging his passions for racing thoroughbred horses and driving Italian sports cars. The latter of these he satisfied with the purchase of one of the era’s most magnificent speed machines when it was brand new—chassis number 14557.

Maintenance records on file demonstrate that Mr. Mouradick routinely serviced the Daytona as needed, sometimes storing the car for extended periods. This regular care included attention by marque dealerships such as Ferrari of Orange County and Ferrari of Newport Beach, as well as specialists such as Tiamo Motorcars and Symbolic Motorcars. While Tom mostly enjoyed the 365 on his own, he was an active Ferrari Club of America (FCA) member for many years, and most notably presented the spider at the 1999 Concorso Italiano, and at the Santa Barbara Concours d’Elegance a month later, where the car won its class. The Ferrari was also exhibited at the 2002 FCA National Concours in Century City, California. Since Mr. Mouradick’s unfortunate passing in October 2023, the car has remained in his estate, and it is now offered after an amazing 53-year period of single-party original ownership.

It is important to note that this rare Ferrari retains its matching-numbers engine and transaxle, offering the ideal basis for a comprehensive restoration and potential certification. Alternatively, the Spider can be refreshed and enjoyed for driving and presentation, as the car is believed to retain portions of the original interior, and to have been repainted only once.

Now awaiting its return to the collectable Ferrari niche after 53 years of single-owner care, this fabulous Daytona Spider is poised to indulge torque-filled bursts of road enjoyment, or admiration on concours fields. The matching-numbers single-owner Spider will prompt any self-respecting Italian performance enthusiast to kiss their fingertips and exclaim, “che capolavoro!”

What a masterpiece, indeed!