1970 Ferrari 365 GT 2+2

Following on from the success of its predecessor, the 330 GT 2+2, the 365 GT 2+2 was debuted at the Paris Salon in October 1967 as a luxurious Grand Tourer capable of carrying four passengers. The 365 GT 2+2 was designed and created by the legendary styling house Pininfarina, and housed a 4.4 litre V12 engine with three Weber 40-DFI/5 carburettors. Other refinements included independent suspension all round, power-assisted steering, air conditioning and electric windows.

Offered here is a 365 GT 2+2, chassis number 13535, built in 1970 and it's an original right-hand drive UK-market car. Letters from the Ferrari owners club in 2003 to the owner at that time, suggest that the car had 3 previous owners before it made its way to France. Interestingly, one of the owners listed was a Mr & Mrs D. Bell, and as if by coincidence a certain Derek Bell was driving in his first Le Mans 24 hours for Ferrari that year in a works entered 512. Unfortunately, we cannot confirm that the car was owned by the successful racing driver, but it does make for interesting reading!

After a string of owners in the UK, the car spent the next chapter of its life on display in the Museé Automobile de La Clayette, France. It's believed that the car remained there for around 13 years before returning to the UK at the end of 1999 and was registered with the DVLA, bearing the registration number ANM 397H. The next owner was to keep the car for 3 years, before it was purchased by a Mr S. Brookman of Torquay in July 2005. Upon his purchase the car was sent to a Ferrari specialist, where it benefitted from new carpets, a carburettor overhaul and some light recommissioning work.

In August 2009, the MoT certificate shows that ANM 397H had covered 85,533 miles. It was almost a month later that our vendor acquired the car and immediately set about returning this Prancing Horse back to its former glory, by making it as driveable and presentable as possible. As with all his previous classics, specialist restorers Trevor Farrington Ltd of Knutsford were entrusted with the car, and their first job was to fit a new alternator and battery, remove, strip down and rebuild both the front and rear suspension and rebuild the brakes. The drive shafts were also sent to GKN engineering for inspection and overhaul.

In March 2010 the engine was taken out, steam cleaned, and the strip-down process started in preparation for a full in-house rebuild by Trevor Farrington and his team. All machining was carried out at the HeadShop (UK) Ltd in Warrington, before the engine was carefully reassembled, finally being reunited with the car in November 2010.

Now mechanically sound, attention was focussed on the body & paintwork and in the autumn of 2013 the aforementioned specialists began stripping the car down to bare metal ready for a full repaint. At this time, any necessary body repairs were undertaken, and all brightwork and glass removed before finishing with a number of coats of Blu Chiaro. By the end of 2013, the car was finished, buffed, polished and MoT'd ready for our vendor to enjoy once again. Since then the car has been kept in a dehumidified garage and only used sparingly.

Supplied with a UK V5c, an MoT until 25th April 2016, original driver's manuals and now reading 87,000 miles on the odometer, this car is presented beautifully and has a lovely patinated beige interior.

With only 801 Ferrari 365 GT 2+2s built between 1968 and 1970, and only 52 being right-hand drive, this car offers a marvellous opportunity to own a very rare and exclusive front-engined V12 Ferrari.

Photo Credit: James Gibson, James Gibson Photograpywww.jamesgibsonphotography.co.uk