www.QV500.com - Ferrari 275 Part 6: 275 GTB/C Speciale

Commonly known as 275 GTB/C Speciale's, this trio of 1965 cars were joined by a fourth example in early 1966 after the first series of official 'customer' GTB/C's had been manufactured. By comparison, these Short Nose Series I customer GTB/C's were much closer to production GTB's, ten cars being constructed, few of which saw serious competition use. 12 Series II GTB/C's were subsequently built after the fourth Speciale, these Long Nose variants being completed to a slightly more radical spec than the Series I's. Prior to all of these derivatives though came a particularly interesting example that pre-dated the entire lot. Chassis 6021 was a 1964 275 GTB Competizione prototype and featured an all aluminium body with faired in supplementary lights, vented rear wings, an engine cooling scoop similar to the 250 Lusso and an externally mounted quick fuel-filler cap. 6021 trialled and homologated many of the trick parts Ferrari thought would be required should the 275 ever be called into action. Its Tipo 213 engine (effectively a 250 LM unit) was carefully prepared and fitted with six twin choke Weber 40 DCN3 carburettors, output comfortably reaching in excess of 280bhp. This contingency planning proved to be a wise move as the 250 LM was quickly outlawed, Ferrari's pressing need for a 1965 GT class contender resulting in the arrival of the three 275 GTB/C Speciale's that are occasionally referrd to as '65 GTO's. This trio were substantially different to the later, more standard Series I and II GTB/C's, Ferrari designing the bodies in-house and manufacturing them from the thinnest available aluminium.

Widened intake ports and exhaust manifolds were also used along with F1-spec fuel tanks. The bodywork was substantially different to production 275 GTB's, the more streamlined appearance including a GTO-style nose, bulbous wings and a Kamm tail. The fact these Speciale's bore even the faintest resemblance to the stock GTB is surprising as only the cabin and sail panels seemed to mimick the stock Berlinetta. The interior was stripped of all bar the most necessary endurance racing equipment, drivers being greeted with acres of bare aluminium and nothing in the way of soundproofing. Three Speciale's were built between November 1964 and spring 1965, but due to ongoing wrangles with the FIA over weight, only one car ever raced (the second example built). 6885 debuted at the Targa Florio where it was used by several works drivers for practice and then by Biscaldi and Deserti in the race. It was subsequently entered by the factory for the Nurburgring 1000km, Baghetti and Biscaldi finishing 13th overall and fourth in the over three-litre prototype class. Sold shortly afterwards to Jacques Swaters of Ecurie Francorchamps, 6885 was re-painted yellow (from its original red) and entered in June's Le Mans 24 Hours. A third overall by Mairesse and Blaton was good enough to secure victory in the under four-litre GT class. This was followed up later in the year after the car had been sold again (to George Arents via Luigi Chinetti), an outright win for Charlie Kolb at Nassau's end-of-season Tourist Trophy sealing a respectable year for the Speciale.

275 GTB/C Speciale Chassis Index