The Ferrari 365 GTB/4 ‘Daytona’

The now legendary 365 GTB/4 marked a dramatic leap forward when it was first shown to the public at the 1968 Paris Salon. Drastically different from its predecessor, the 275 GTB/4, yet instantly recognizable as a Ferrari and so unique. It was an instant hit. Few of Maranello’s road models have captured the magic like the 365 GTB/4. The ultimate expression of Ferrari’s fabulous line of V12 front-engined sports cars, the 365 GTB/4 was soon gaining the unofficial name ‘Daytona’ in honor of the sweeping 1, 2, 3 finish by the Ferrari 330P4 at that circuit in 1967.

Fitted with an all-new 4.4-litre V-12 engine capable of producing 352 horsepower and 315 foot-pounds of torque at 7,500 rpm, the 365 GTB/4 was capable of a top speed of 279 km/h, making it unsurprisingly one of the fastest production car in the world at its time of introduction.

Pininfarina’s Leonardo Fioravanti was responsible for the influential shark-nosed styling, creating a package that restated the traditional ‘long bonnet, small cabin, short tail’ look in a manner suggesting muscular horsepower while retaining all the elegance associated with the Italian coachbuilder’s work.

At the time of its introduction in 1968 the Daytona was the most expensive production Ferrari ever, deliveries commenced in the second half of 1969 and the Daytona would be manufactured for just four years. Only c. 1,300 Berlinetta models and 121 Spider had been made when production ceased in 1973.
This Motorcar

Euro A-Type model series 2
Rosso Chiaro 20-R-190
Nero VM 8500 interior
Chassis type 605
Chassis number 15673
Motore 251 / 1688/B
Cambio 606 / 799
Montaggio 789°

The car we are offering here is chassis 15673. It is a European series 2 model with pop-up headlights, thus making it a desirable Tipo-A Daytona.
The Tipo-A cars would differ from the US versions with an additional 25bhp! The US cars, which represented a large number of the series 2 Daytona production, had indeed smaller inside diameter exhaust header, different carburetor jetting, different distributor timing and air injectors that intruded into the exhaust ports, further restricting exhaust flow.
15673 was supplied new via official German Ferrari distributor Auto Becker and finished in its timeless colour way of Rosso Chiaro 20-R-190 with Nero VM 8500 hide to the interior.
Its first owner was Mr. Manfred Rinklin of Freiburg who took delivery on May 1972 (registered HOL-DK 34) as shown on the original Kraftfahrzeugbrief which is included in the dossier.
Mr. Rinklin did 14,000 km within approximately a year and subsequently put an ad by mid 1973 in German Auto Motor & Sport magazine.
The second owner, Mr. Leif Wahlström from the Malmö area in Sweden was back then in good relationship with head of Ferrari sales at Auto Becker Mr. Hans-Gunter Lehmann and had him inspect the car on his behalf. The car’s overall condition was faultless and the sale concluded shortly after.

15673 was registered HGP-565 and remained in Mr. Wahlström’s premises until it was stolen, but fortunately recovered immediately after in a Malmö garage. This resulted in a gearbox synchro damage and a few scratches on the dashboard. The car being still functional, Mr. Wahlström took the radical decision to drive the car all the way down to the Ferrari factory in Maranello and ordered a complete check-up of the bodywork, gearbox, brakes, suspensions, steering column and a try-out on the bench with new mechanical parts. All the work was performed in 1977. We do retain a rather large amount of correspondence letters and factory invoices. Mr. Wahlström remembers to have been extremely satisfied with the factory services and furthermore claims in a letter that following the factory’s intervention the engine power was increased from 354,5 bhp to 374 bhp. By August 1977 the engine was ready and the car collected. Considering the important amount of work carried out by the factory, Mr. Wahlström recalls to have been able to exceptionally test drive 15673 on the Fiorano race track for approximately 10-12 laps following Enzo Ferrari’s personal consent, thanks to his close relationship with Carlo Tazzioli, head of Ferrari export sales.
On the way back home to Sweden, Leif Wahlström drove from Modena through Paris, then Calais. From Dover to London, then Scotland and Inverness. Then Denmark before heading home near Malmö.

Upon its return in Sweden and later that year, the car was registered in the name of his wife Irene Wahlström before being re-registered again to the name of Leif Wahlström until 1994.
The car was shortly after acquired by Rolf Karl Gustaf Arbinge, also from Sweden (Stockholm) who made little use of the car until it passed on in mid-2005 to its next short-term owner Mr. Lars Arne Wendel of Velltinge, Sweden.
By late 2005, 15673 was in very sound original condition and got sold to official Ferrari dealer Eberlein Automobile GmbH of Kassel, at which stage it was Ferrari Classiche certified and also embarked into a total restoration by themselves and needless to say, to the highest level. An important number of internal invoice records is present in the dossier. By 2009, 15673 was acquired by current owner and driven sparingly (less than 1,000 km since the restoration). An additional thorough service at Ferrari Eberlein was performed in late 2016 to ensure its perfect working order.

Today, 15673 is offered in mint condition throughout with a truly amazing untouched upholstery and showing 45,600 km from new.
Supplied with tool kit, jack and instruction books, 15673 is undoubtedly one of the finest examples to have been offered in recent years and comes with an incredible dossier. Having went through a no expenses spared restoration by one of the most renowned European Ferrari dealers, this exceptional piece would be an ideal addition to any significant Ferrari collection.

Photos by Stephan Bauer