Lot 603: 1965 Ferrari 330GT 2+2 Berlinetta
Coachwork by Pininfarina

By the end of the 1950s, the market for sports cars with ‘family accommodation’ had grown sufficiently for Ferrari to contemplate the introduction of a four-seater model. Introduced in the summer of 1960, the first such Ferrari - the 250GTE 2+2 - was based on the highly successful 250GT. Pininfarina’s brief had been to produce a 2+2 without sacrificing the 250’s elegant good looks or sporting characteristics, and the master carrozzier succeeded brilliantly, moving the engine, gearbox, and steering gear forward and the fuel tank back, thus creating sufficient room for two occasional rear seats.
The 250GTE provided the basis for its replacement: the 330GT 2+2 introduced in January 1964. Pininfarina was once again entrusted with the styling, adopting of a four-headlamp frontal treatment that reflected the tastes of Ferrari’s most important export market, the USA. The 330GT’s tubular chassis was 50mm longer in the wheelbase than before, which made conditions less cramped for the rear passengers. Suspension was independent at the front by wishbones and coil springs, while at the back there was a live axle/semi-elliptic set-up. Improvements to the discs-all-round braking system saw separate hydraulic circuits adopted for front and rear.
The 330GT’s Colombo-type, 60-degree, V12 engine had first appeared in the 330 America (effectively a big-bore 250GTE 2+2) in 1963. Displacing 3,967cc, the single-overhead-camshaft, all-alloy unit was good for 300-plus bhp, an output sufficient to propel the 330GT to a maximum velocity of 152mph (245km/h) making it, when introduced, the fastest road-going Ferrari. Equipped at first with a four-speeds-plus-overdrive gearbox, the 330GT gained a five-speed transmission in mid-1965 and later that year had its four-headlight front end replaced by a two-lamp arrangement.
Believed restored some 20-plus years ago, this 330GT 2+2 Series 1 has been standing unused in dry storage since 1995 and appears standard and complete, with no parts known to be missing. The engine has recently had its oil changed and been started on fresh fuel, displaying good oil pressure and running sweetly on all 12 cylinders. The chassis underside appears to be in very good condition, but the paintwork and interior would benefit from refurbishment and the car’s overall mechanical condition remains unknown. Sold strictly as viewed, the vehicle is offered with Swansea V5 registration document.