Lot 208 - 1964 Ferrari 330GT Series I

There is little doubt that Ferrari made superlative touring cars as typified by the 250 series of cars, the 275 and latterly the 365 in all its forms. The Mk. I 330 sported a four litre, V12 engine and just 500 rolled of the production lines at Maranello. These are small numbers and followed on from the earlier 250GTE but fitted with the newer higher-output engine and the new quad-headlight design.

The fantastic Gioacchino Colombo designed high output 300bhp engine adorned with triple Weber 40DCZ/6 carburettors and mated to the four-speed manual gearbox complete with a versatile overdrive unit (allowing selection within 3rd and 4th gears). This combination took the vehicle from 0-100km in just 6.3 seconds. Clearly one of the fastest cars of the early/mid-sixties era and had very few rivals.The final body style for the 330GT, the Series II, saw a redesign of the front end, changing from four headlights to two and Ferrari made some mechanical changes including a different five-speed transmission which dispensed with the need for an overdrive unit.

Chassis 5887 is a Series I car despite sporting Series II side vents which, in many people's opinion, offer an aesthetic advantage. Having started life in the USA, the vehicle remains in lefthand drive guise and was imported from America to the UK in 2002. Upon landing, it was considered to be far too good for converting to the most desirable Ferrari 250GTO, as a replica like so many of its peers.

The then owner, who was a qualified and recognised Aston Martin specialist himself, retained the car as a personal vehicle and it became the family GT Tourer for trips to the South of France. Being an engineer himself, the car was properly maintained and wanted for nothing. As such, she starts with ease, performs well and has plenty of power in reserve to make the driving experience comfortable and enjoyable, even in unsympathetic modern traffic.

In current ownership for more than four years, EBW 293B has been stripped and re-sprayed in correct Ferrari Blu Pozzi colour (a beautiful blue black hue with colour depths which change in different light conditions), before being carefully pieced back together with particular attention being taken to the door shuts which are remarkably good for a car of this age. The chrome-work is in exceptionally good order and the original Borrani wheels (standard only on the series I), of which there are five including the spare, are in all round good condition with the spinners having been recently re-chromed. New Pininfarina badging adorns the rear quarters on each side. A stainless steel exhaust system has also been fitted. In all, this is an excellent and honest example of the car that Enzo Ferrari himself once described as his favourite car and is certainly worthy of serious consideration given its sensible guide price. Understated quality is the best way to describe the 330GT, and in a mature blue, no truer word was said.