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www.QV500.com - Ferrari Daytona Part 4: 365 GTB/4C Series I The Series I GTB/4C Daytona's were built and prepared by Ferrari’s Servizio Assistenza Clienti department in Modena between the summer and autumn of 1971, just in time for a few specially favoured teams to compete in that years Tour de France. Four of the five Series I Competizione's and the majority of all 15 GTB/4C's went to semi-works outfits run by the Ferrari distributors for their respective countries. Prolific entrant's were Charles Pozzi (France), Luigi Chinetti for NART (USA), Jacques Swaters for Ecurie Francorchamps (Belgium), Colonel Ronnie Hoare for Maranello Concessionaires (UK) and Switzerland's Scuderia Filipinetti, run by Georges Filipinetti. Each Series I GTB/4C was carefully prepared by the Customer Assistance Department to Group 5 specification, most attention being focused upon reducing weight although some mechanical improvements were also made. Ferrari's engineers upgraded the stock Daytona's relatively supple ride by fitting stiffer springs and shocks and beefier anti-roll bars while there were also wider Campagnolo five-spoke magnesium alloy wheels. |
 Chassis 14437, 1971 Tour de France |
Engine-wise, the Series I Competizione's used a fundamentally unaltered 4.4-litre Tipo 251 60° V12 to Ferrari's stock Daytona, the most important upgrades having been an increase in compression (from 8.8:1 to 9.3:1), hotter Weber 40 DCN 21 carburettors with velocity stacks and an aluminium cold air box. Consequently, output officially rose by just 10bhp (to 362bhp at 7700rpm) although considering their especially careful preparation, we think somewhere in the region of 380bhp would probably have been a more realistic rating. This combined with the removal of an amazing 400kg meant these factory-built hot rods were blisteringly fast despite their prodigious size. |
| Several bodywork changes were also made, Pininfarina's original creation getting a wraparound chin spoiler, flared wheelarches and a pair of distinctive fence's mounted along the front wings. Bumpers were junked, as were the newly introduced retractable headlights, the front lenses now being mounted beneath contoured Plexiglas covers. Lightweight aluminium panels were used throughout (along with a glassfibre hood), plastic replacing all glass (save for the windscreen). Series I GTB/4C's also ran a four outlet rear exiting exhaust. As you would expect, the interior was much less luxurious than Ferrari's production Daytona, heavily bolstered vinyl bucket seats with cloth centres and competition harnesses, a crackle-black dash, the removal of all carpeting and no sound insulation to speak of making these cars a daunting proposition for the ears. Fitted with custom roll cages, only five Series GTB/4C's were built and of these, only one car - chassis 14429 - has retained its original lightweight aluminium bodywork, the other four all having been upgraded to Series II specification come the end of that 1971 season. |
| Chassis | Details |
| 14407 | Sold new to Charles Pozzi 1971 Tour de France (Andruet / Roure) 10th overall 1972 Montlhery GP (Rouveyran) 9th overall 1972 Spa 1000km (Ballot-Lena / Rouveyran) 18th overall, 6th in GT class 1972 Le Mans 24 Hours (Migault / Rouveyran) DNF 1972 Tour de France (Migault / Rouveyran) 2nd overall 1972 Paris 1000km (Migault / Rouveyran) 11th overall, 5th in GT class Sold to Cyril Grandet for Shark Team 1973 Le Mans Test Day (Guerie) 26th fastest overall, 5th in GT class 1973 Le Mans 4 Hours (Guerie / Grandet) 9th overall, 4th in GT5.0 class 1973 Le Mans 24 Hours (Guerie / Grandet) DNF 1974 Le Mans 4 Hours (Grandet) 5th overall, 3rd in GT class 1974 Le Mans 24 Hours (Grandet / Bardini) 5th overall, 1st in GT class |
| 14429 | Sold new to Dr. Paolo Mariani - never raced |
| 14437 | Sold new to Georges Filipinetti for Scuderia Filipinetti 1971 Tour de France (Elford / Kingsland) 4th overall 1972 Le Mans 24 Hours (Cheneviere / Vetsch / Pillion) DNF Sold to Paul Newman 1977 Daytona 24 Hours (Newman / Mintner / Forbes-Robinson) 5th overall, 3rd in GTO class |
| 14885 | Sold new to Luigi Chinetti for NART 1972 Daytona 24 Hours (Posey / Bucknum / Chinetti Jr.) DNF 1972 Sebring 12 Hours (Grossman / Chinetti Jr.) 8th overall, 2nd in GT2.5+ class |
| 14889 | Sold new to Luigi Chinetti for NART 1972 Sebring 12 Hours (Adamowicz / Posey) 13th overall, 3rd in GT2.5+ class 1972 Watkins Glen 6 Hours (Hobbs / Posey) DNF 1972 Paris 1000km (Jarier / Laffite) 9th overall, 3rd in GT class Returned to factory and upgraded to Series III specification 1973 Daytona 24 Hours (Grossman / Chinetti Jr. / Shaw) 5th overall, 4th in GT2.5+ class 1973 Le Mans Test Day (Migault) 12th fastest overall, 3rd in GT5.0 class 1973 Le Mans 4 Hours (Migault / Guitteny) 5th overall, 2nd in GT5.0 class 1973 Le Mans 24 Hours (Grossman / Guitteny) DNF 1973 Watkins Glen 6 Hours (Grossman / Yenko) 15th overall, 7th in GT class |