Unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in October 1966, the 275 GTB/4 was a groundbreaking Ferrari. As Maranello’s first four-cam road car, the GTB/4 paid homage to the dominant sports racing prototypes of the era and pointed to the future of Ferrari design.

Subtly differentiated from the long-nose two-cam 275 GTB by a slight bulge on the bonnet, the true beauty of the GTB/4’s design lay beneath the surface. The 3.3-liter tipo 226 engine was inspired by Ferrari’s successful line of prototype cars, featuring dual overhead cam cylinder heads, dry sump lubrication, and an impressive lineup of six Weber carburetors, an arrangement that was a desirable option on earlier 275 GTBs. The result was a free-revving 300 bhp engine with improved low-end torque and greater overall flexibility.

Beyond its exquisite four-cam engine, the 275 GTB/4 benefited from other notable refinements, from the implementation of the improved torque-tube driveshaft to more modern interior appointments. Beautiful, civilized, and devastatingly fast, Ferrari’s four-cam berlinetta had few peers on the roads of 1967.

In the years since its introduction, the 275 GTB/4 has remained a remarkably desirable model for collectors all over the world and retains all of its original allure in a more contemporary setting. They occupy prized spaces in the world’s greatest collections and it is hard to think of a previous owner that would not pine for the days when they had unfettered access to such an extraordinary automobile.

Nearly 54 years after the model first went on sale, the vast majority of four-cams have had a succession of owners. It is, without question, almost unheard of to find a Ferrari of this era that has retained such an emotional grasp on its original owner that it has never been neglected, never been tired of, and never been sold due to its remarkable rise in value or to fund a more important endeavor. The 275 GTB/4 offered here, chassis 10443, is such a car, and stands as the rarest of opportunities for a collector looking for the ultimate four cam.

Eloquently remembered by Donald L. Weber in a letter in this car’s incredible history file, he and his wife arrived in Modena in October 1967, and made arrangements to see Ferrari’s sales department across the street from the Hotel Fini. Upon arrival, they were greeted by Mr. Manicardi, Ferrari’s general sales manager, and were presented with fifteen 275 GTB/4’s, all under covers and in a row. As the agency was closing, Mr. Weber returned the following Monday morning and selected a red car that was fitted with US-specification options and trim, 10443. After being told that the car was already sold, he was introduced to Luigi Chinetti, the US Ferrari importer. Chinetti worked it out so that Weber could buy the car and the deal was done; Donald L. Weber had purchased his first new Ferrari.

During their days in Maranello, Chinetti introduced Weber to fellow American Eddie Smith, who was also in town taking delivery of his new 275 GTB/4. The group was then introduced to Enzo Ferrari, who presented signed copies of his book to them, and received tours of the factory from Dr. Carlo Tazzioli. Over the next two days, Weber’s 275 was equipped by the factory technicians with electric window lifts, an electric antenna, a chrome bar on the front nose, and the driver’s seat had padding removed to accommodate his large frame.

Upon completion, three 275 GTB/4s were lined up in front of the Hotel Fini and Weber, Chinetti, and Smith set out to drive to Paris. Upon arriving at the Mont Blanc pass, they were told that it was closed and had to pay their way through. After a night in Geneva, at the Presidente Hotel, they arrived in Paris and checked into the Hotel Celtic. The next morning, they drove around the Arc de Triomphe and down the Champs-Élysées before heading to Le Havre, France, and placing the three cars on ships to the the US; Weber’s car was bound for his home in California. Weber maintained lifelong communications with Sig. Ferrari, Mr. Chinetti, Dr. Tazzioli, and Mr. Smith, and called the trip something they “cherished all of their lives.” Photos in the file document their adventure.

Back in Los Angeles, Weber used his 275 regularly and it saw consistent care, acting as the basis for his burgeoning collection. Circa 1989, Mr. Weber hired the preeminent Ferrari specialists in the area to restore his cherished four cam, which showed approximately 36,000 miles. Herschel “Junior” Conway restored the body and trim, Richard van de Water rebuilt the engine, while the famed Tony Nancy reupholstered the interior. Numerous photos document the comprehensive refurbishment, and the specialized care the car received is apparent today.

The restored 275 was then invited to be shown at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® in 1997, and photos of the event are in the file, as is the original entrant’s packet, including that year’s commemorative Robert Talbott necktie.

In 2007, Weber applied for Ferrari’s then-new classiche certification for his 275 GTB. The accompanying Ferrari Classiche Red Book confirms that this 275 retains its original body, engine, and transaxle. Poignantly, in the section for additional pictures it reads: “Mr. Weber took delivery of this 275 GTB/4 at the factory in Maranello on October 20th 1967 from Mr. Tazzioli, Mr. Manicardi, and Mr. Florini.” Continuing its long history of factory connection, in 2016, the 275 was displayed in front of Casa Ferrari, in Pebble Beach during the week of the concours.

Showing just 37,115 miles at the time of cataloguing, this 275 GTB/4 is accompanied by a plethora of items from its 54-year ownership. These include its original tool roll, manuals, and folio, including its original warranty booklet with Mr. Weber’s name in it and the cardboard box in which it was delivered. Documentation includes extensive receipts from its restoration and show servicing at Ferrari of Newport Beach as recently as 2018, when it received attention to its fuel and cooling systems. Concours trophies and a fitted and embroidered car cover round out the comprehensive accoutrements.

This 275 GTB/4 welcomes the scrutiny of the most ardent of collectors, standing not only as an incredibly rare Ferrari berlinetta with one owner from new, but as a car of incredible inherent quality restored by legendary specialists. You will not be alone in your intense desire to covet and own this extraordinary machine, and it is Gooding & Company’s great honor to provide the opportunity to do so.

*Please note that this vehicle is titled 1968.