www.QV500.com - Ferrari 275 Part 2: 275 GTB/2 Series II Long Nose
 

1965 275 GTB/2 6C with aluminium bodywork

The Series II Long Nose 275 GTB was launched during October 1965 at the Paris Salon. Initially built using the same Tipo 563 chassis as outgoing Series I cars, the most obvious change was an extended nose that drastically reduced front-end lift. A more oval grille did without the brushed alloy rim of Series I cars, the new model receiving front bumpers mounted higher and closer to the indicators than before. A larger rear window was also introduced, the boot getting external chrome-plated hinges and Ferrari scripting, the latter having been moved up from above the licence plate.
   
The mechanical specification of Series II GTB's initially went unchanged until another important revision arrived in January 1966. Shown at the Brussels Salon, the Long Nose 'Torque Tube' version used a new and improved Tipo 563/66 chassis. On it, the engine and transaxle were connected via a solid torque tube coupling and ZF limited slip differential, this to solve the occasional alignment problems that had been experienced on some earlier cars. Meanwhile, the interiors of most Long Nose Berlinetta's were typically completed with a number of new details. For example, a vinyl covered dash and more pronounced instrument binnacle, a black vinyl facia and oddments tray were all gradually phased in to replace the teak veneered items of Short Nose cars. However, a few early Series II's (and particularly those that used the Tipo 563 chassis), have been found to feature Short Nose-spec interiors with their greater use of wood. Options available on Series II cars remained much the same as before, Long Nose cars fitted with the desirable six carburettor option sometimes having been identifiable by their shallow bonnet blister.
 

This 1965 car still has the teak veneered dash

Introduced in October 1965, production of the Series II twin cam Berlinetta lasted barely a year before it was discontinued during the autumn of 1966 to make way for Ferrari's new four camshaft GTB/4. Just 12 months had seen 205 Long Nose 275's produced in two successive variations, those with the Tipo 563 chassis and others on the Tipo 563/66 Torque Tube frame. As a consequence of their mere three-month production, around one half of all Long Nose 275's were built without the Torque Tube Tipo 563/66 chassis.
 

1965 Ferrari 275 GTB 6C with lightweight aluminium bodywork