“THE BEST SPORTS CAR IN THE WORLD”

Ferrari’s 365 GTB/4 is an indisputably iconic automobile, practically born to disrupt the status quo! In appearance alone, the car struck the most extreme, rakish image of the “long hood, short deck” sports GT ethos in the face of its mid-engined wanna-be competitors. The design was penned by Pininfarina stylist Leonardo Fioravanti, and he created a sublime form that stands alone among the Ferrari historical catalogue. Its unique, predator-nosed, fastback profile was breathtakingly modern, resembling neither the cars that came before or after it in the Ferrari lineage.

Even the Daytona’s name was a point of controversy. Very few Ferraris are popularly identified without a numerical nomenclature; indeed, the name Daytona was not even an official factory term. Reputedly chosen in honor of the manufacturer’s 1-2-3 sweep of the 1967 24 Hours of Daytona, the name was swiftly disavowed by Maranello when it leaked to the press prior to the model’s debut.

The moniker caught on nevertheless, and the Daytona was even modified to race by the factory and private teams, the last of the true competition berlinettas. The model was so well engineered that it had an impressively long competition shelf life, remarkably claiming a 2nd-place finish at Le Mans in 1979, a full decade after its introduction.

CHASSIS NUMBER 16951

Bolstered by certification of authenticity from Ferrari Classiche and with eight Platinum awards from the Ferrari Club of America, including the prestigious Coppa Bella Award, this beautifully restored Daytona is a concours-judged and proven sensational example of the legendary berlinetta. Also desirably equipped, this car was outfitted at the factory with power windows, air conditioning, and Borrani alloy wire wheels. According to marque historian Marcel Massini, the car was one of just 30 examples originally finished in Nero paint, of which only 11 were trimmed with a black interior.

Imported from new to the United States through Ferrari distributor William Harrah’s famed West Coast dealership, Modern Classic Motors, the 365 GTB/4 was restored in 1986 by Harley Cluxton III. When he offered the car later that year, the interior was re-trimmed with red leather and carpeting, with black lateral inserts on the seats, and wider Borranis were mounted for higher performance and a more menacing stance. The Ferrari had only accrued 20,800 miles at the time. Passing through noted dealer Dennis Glavis shortly thereafter, the berlinetta was soon sold to an enthusiast who began showing it at premium events, including the 1994 Concorso Italiano. A subsequent owner took the car to the Cavallino Classic in 2003, as well as the FCA’s International Concours at the Quail Lodge in Carmel Valley in 2004.

Restored to the highest standards in 2004 by Brandon Lawrence’s Sportscars Italiano of Burlingame, California, the Daytona was purchased by a noted Ferrari collector in the San Francisco Bay Area soon thereafter. The Daytona was then exhibited at the 2009 Quail Motorsports Gathering and at the FCA International Concours at Concorso Italiano, where it won a Platinum award, rounding out its very impressive portfolio of exhibition history.

On August 1, 2012, Ferrari Classiche, Maranello’s respected historical division, issued the desirable Red Book certification for this car, assuring that all components are factory correct. The only mechanical differentiator of note is the current 4.3-liter V-12 engine, which is of the correct type, though not its original unit. (The installed engine is from a European-specification Daytona, which offered more pure horsepower; the addition of higher lift camshafts during its restoration at Modern Classic Motors makes for a very desirable combination of attributes.) Further awards followed certification, including a 2nd in Class at the 2012 Concours-on-the-Avenue at Carmel, California, and a class win at the 2013 Palo Alto Concours d’Elegance.

It currently displays an odometer reading of approximately 28,800 miles, which is supported by the low-mileage notations through 1988 in the accompanying history report by Massini. Included are also the owners’ manuals and books in the correct leather pouch, a jack, and a complete original tool kit. Indisputably striking in its black-over-red color scheme, this consistent, multiple-award-winning Ferrari is a preeminent example of one of the most revolutionary designs in GT history, a model that Road & Track deemed at its introduction, “the best sports car in the world.”