Intended to bridge the gap between the outgoing 275 GTB/4 and Ferrari’s forthcoming rear-engine flat twelve, the 365 GTB/4 surprised Maranello brass by becoming the brand’s bestselling V-12 car to date. The innovative, shark-like styling by Pininfarina’s Leonardo Fioravanti and the first dual-cam, 4.4-liter engine fitted to a Ferrari road car proved to be immensely popular, forever sealing the model’s place in company lore. Though Enzo Ferrari furiously squashed any official use of the Daytona moniker after the name was inadvertently leaked to the press, it remains in popular use to this day, forever commemorating Ferrari’s 1-2-3 finish at the 1967 24 Hours of Daytona. Revered by tifosi and general sports car aficionados alike, the 365 GTB/4 is particularly notable as the last of Maranello’s legendary vintage V-12 road cars.

CHASSIS NUMBER 16927

According to the records of Ferrari historian Marcel Massini, this 365 GTB/4, chassis number 16927, was originally finished in Blu Dino (106-A-72 Salchi) over a Beige (VM 3234) interior, and built as a left-hand-drive car with European specifications. Its order came from famous Belgian importer Jacques Swaters’ Garage Francorchamps, to which the car was delivered on November 10, 1973, following its completion on October 15.

Garage Francorchamps sold the Daytona to Commercial Credit S.A., Belgium Services, of Brussels, which leased it to Bricoux S.A., a company in Charleroi. It later passed in the late 1970s to Christian Plesner, who maintained residences in Oslo, Norway, and Zürich, Switzerland. Mr. Plesner retained the car for over a decade and, during that time, subjected it to a ground-up restoration by Graypaul Motors, of Loughborough, England. At some point, the car was acquired by an owner in Montreal and later by a Dr. Ferrara, of Glen Cove, New York, before its acquisition by the present caretaker, an avid West Coast Ferrari collector.

The car is fitted with factory air conditioning and 7.5x15-inch and 9x15-inch Cromodora wheels. It has recently received a cosmetic reconditioning of its exterior, interior, engine compartment, and undercarriage by a well-known West Coast Ferrari technician. The car was repainted in its original striking color of Blu Dino, and its dash has been recovered in correct mouse hair. The car is a strong driver, having received a fresh service and showing good compression across all cylinders. An application for Ferrari Classiche certification has been submitted to the factory. The car also comes with a set of books and tools.

Beautifully presented in elegant colors and built to the most desirable European specifications with left-hand drive, this Daytona is the ideal acquisition for any astute collector looking for one of the ultimate Italian sports cars of its era.