 |
| www.QV500.com - Ferrari Daytona Part 2: Daytona of Special Interest |
 Pininfarina Speciale chassis 12925 |
The first of six custom-bodied Daytona's built was a one-off coupe constructed on chassis 12925, this beautiful machine being displayed during October 1969 at the Paris Salon. It featured a unique notchback cabin and flattened rear deck, the roof itself incorporating a brushed stainless steel roll hoop while there was also a removable vinyl rear window. Other interesting details on this solitary Pininfarina Speciale were distinctive wraparound quarter bumpers while a subtly extended tail section provided a little extra luggage space. |
| Admittedly to a far less bespoke specification, GTB/4 chassis 14271 was another Pininfarina car with an interesting history. Driven by Brock Yates and Dan Gurney, it won the first Cannonball Run, 1971's Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy. Covering the 2876-mile route from Manhattan's Red Ball garage to the Portofino Inn at Redondo Beach in 35 hours and 54 minutes, 14271 captured the imagination of American enthusiasts and further enhanced Ferrari's reputation in the US. There were also four Daytona's that received bodywork designed by Michelotti, the Italian styling house that was working closely with NART impresario Luigi Chinetti at the time. All four were highly ‘Americanised’ designs and some markedly more attractive than others, Michelotti carrying out these period re-bodies on chassis' 14299, 15003, 16467 and 15965. The first three were all completed to largely comparable Spyder configurations although only one, chassis 16467, was originally manufactured as a GTS/4. Most were pretty cars but not 15965, a design that had been influenced a little too much by the grandiose early seventies Chevrolet Corvette. Generally referred to as the Michelotti NART Spyder (despite only featuring a removable targa panel), 15965 featured overly muscular styling with a heavily chiselled nose, bulbous-rear wings and an overweight tail. Chinetti attempted to qualify this car for 1975's Le Mans 24 Hours having displayed it at Geneva earlier in the year, however, political wrangling led to all NART entries being withdrawn. |
 Panther Westwinds Speciale chassis 15275 |
The last bespoke Daytona to have been re-bodied in period was chassis 15275, this car receiving a dramatic Shooting Break design fabricated by Panther Westwinds of Byfleet, England. Undoubtedly one of the most interestingly styled Ferrari's ever conceived, 15275 got an elongated nose and tail but retained the original GTB/4's two-seat configuration. Panther left the entire back half of the car free for storage and clothed it with a shell consisting primarily of three vast glass panels, two for each side/roof and another for the huge rear window. The overall effect was absolutely stunning and even today this car causes a great deal of interest wherever it goes. Just try replacing those epic glass panes in a hurry though. |
| 12925 | 365 GTB/4 | Pininfarina Speciale |
| 14299 | 365 GTB/4 | Michelotti Spyder |
| 15003 | 365 GTB/4 | Michelotti Targa |
| 15275 | 365 GTB/4 | Panther Westwinds Shooting Break |
| 15965 | 365 GTB/4 | Michelotti NART Spyder |
| 16467 | 365 GTS/4 | Michelotti Spyder |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 Top: 15275 by Panther Westwinds Centre: 15965 by Michelotti Bottom: 14299 by Michelotti - Luigi Chinetti commissioned this car for his wife, Marion |