REFINING A TRUE THOROUGHBRED

As one of the marque’s most dynamic classic roadgoing models, the Ferrari 275 GTB has long been celebrated for its extended touring capabilities, race-bred performance, and captivating aesthetics. Officially introduced at the Paris Salon in October 1964, the new berlinetta was powered by a 3.3-liter development of the Colombo-designed short-block V-12 engine, and it was Maranello’s first road car to be equipped with an independent rear suspension and a weight-saving transaxle. Scaglietti’s coachwork to a Pininfarina design was a clear evolution of the breathtakingly beautiful 250 GTO, featuring a long front deck with covered headlamps, a raked windshield, and pronounced rear fender haunches.

After several months of feedback, Ferrari conducted a mild redesign of the 275 GTB during mid-1965. Most obviously, the nose was lengthened in an effort to reduce front-end lift at high speed. Secondarily, a new transmission design with CV joints was implemented to prevent vibrations that had often developed with the original solid-propshaft configuration. Unfortunately, this modification did not entirely solve the vibration problem, so beginning with chassis number 08305 a solid torque tube was introduced. This solution proved to be much more effective, becoming the standard configuration through remaining two-cam production, as well as with the four-cam cars that followed.

Ferrari offered its sporting clientele several performance options that now distinguish certain 275 examples with an increased performance envelope, rarity, and corresponding collectability. These options primarily included aluminum alloy coachwork and a six-carburetor intake (as opposed to the standard three-carburetor set-up). The rare 275 examples that were so equipped are now recognized as 275 GTB/6C Alloys, and they hold a special cachet among the other 275 examples, as the ultimate specification of an already-potent Prancing Horse.

THE SECOND OF 10

Continuing to benefit from a Platinum-awarded restoration performed by two of the most significant names in the collectable Ferrari niche, as well as a 2019 certification by Ferrari Classiche, this breathtaking GTB boasts the most desirable design configuration of Maranello’s celebrated two-cam 275. According to the research of model expert Dyke Ridgley, chassis number 08343 is the eighth car to be completed with the updated torque-tube driveshaft. It is furthermore just the second of 10 examples fitted with the torque tube that were also aspirated with six carburetors and clothed in lightweight aluminum alloy coachwork, forever sealing its long-term desirability.

As corroborated by a history report on file written by Ferrari expert Marcel Massini, this long-nose 275 GTB was appointed with instruments in kilometers and trimmed with full leather seats. Finished in Bianco Polo Park paint and upholstered in Nero vaumol leather, the berlinetta was originally sold new via Auto-Becker, the official marque importer in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Completed in March 1966, the Ferrari was shipped by train to Auto-Becker and sold the following month to its first owner, a resident of Siegberg, a German town near Cologne. In early 1968 the 275 was offered for sale, and later that year it was serviced at the Ferrari factory’s Assistenza Clienti in Modena.

In 1970 the Ferrari was exported to the United States and acquired by Avi R. Brand of Woodbury, New York. Eight years later Mr. Brand sold the 275 to FAF Motorcars in Tucker, Georgia, the well-known marque specialist that was so instrumental in developing the collectible Ferrari niche in the US. FAF undertook a full refurbishment, eventually painting the coachwork in Giallo Fly.

In May 1980 the alloy berlinetta was sold by FAF to Carl Caskey, a helicopter pilot and Vietnam War veteran officially residing in Atlanta who was then working for Bell Helicopters in Iran. The 275 was stored while Mr. Caskey remained overseas, but in June 1981 the owner presented the car at the Ferrari Club of America (FCA) National Meeting and Concours d’Elegance in Asheville, North Carolina.

In January 2008, following a remarkable 28-year period of single-owner care, 08343 was sold by Mr. Caskey and found a home with a collector based in Los Angeles. Upon arrival on the West Coast, the engine was sent to the well-known shop of Ferrari specialist Patrick Ottis for a complete rebuild, while the remainder of the car was refurbished by the equally well-regarded marque expert Brian Hoyt. In addition to a comprehensive mechanical restoration, the cosmetics were refinished in the current livery, a striking color combination of Blu Scuro paint over Rossa leather.

After completion of the impressive refurbishment in late 2011, the 275 GTB was presented at the Cavallino Classic in January 2012, and seven months later the car received a class award at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The owner then sold the berlinetta in May 2013 to a respected Ferrari collector in New Jersey.

Chassis number 08343 was notably displayed in August 2013 at the 50th Annual FCA International Meet and Concours d’Elegance in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, where it received a Platinum Award, the Coppa Bella Macchina Award, and a Coppa GT Award. The 275 rounded off 2013 by winning Best of Show at the 2013 Ferrari Fall Festival in New Jersey.

In July 2019 the ravishing 275 GTB was issued a Ferrari Classiche Red Book and corresponding Certificate of Authenticity. The Red Book authenticates the continued presence of the matching-numbers six-carburetor type 213/66 V-12 engine, the factory-appointed alloy coachwork, and a correct-type gearbox, numbered 88-I, considerably enriching the car’s documented authenticity.

Attractively equipped with Borrani wire wheels, and still resplendent in Blu Scuro over Rossa, this undeniably gorgeous berlinetta checks all the metaphorical boxes. It boasts the most ferocious mechanical specifications short of the competition-sanctioned 275 GTB examples; it benefits from a complete restoration by two of the Ferrari niche’s leading restoration specialists; and it has been certified by Ferrari Classiche to retain its matching-numbers V-12 engine.

Equally poised for concours lawns, touring events, or driving enjoyment, this outstanding GTB exudes elegance and style while hinting at the six-carburetor engine’s underlying menace. A 275 of such pedigree should not be overlooked. These rare high-spec cars are so prized that they seldom become available in public settings, making 08343’s current offering a fortuitous opportunity for any serious Ferrari collector.