One to Buy: unique 1965/66 Ferrari 330 GTC Prototipo
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As a consequence of combining already well-proven design and mechanical features, Ferrari only felt compelled to create a single 330 GTC prototype and that car, chassis 6431, is currently on the market with Fantasy Junction at its showroom in Emeryville, California.
Using a 275 chassis and initially, it is believed, a 3.3-litre 275 engine with an open driveshaft and corresponding transaxle, 6431 was assembled at Ferrari between December 9th 1964 and July 25th 1965. It then departed for Pininfarina to be completed with a fully equipped body (number 99607 and assembly sequence number 1).
Upon 6431’s return to Maranello, the car was retained for testing and evaluation, during which it was reputedly assessed by none other than Enzo Ferrari himself. When this programme was complete, Ferrari mechanically rebuilt the car, largely to production specification with a numbers matching 4-litre 330 engine. However, a good number of prototype features were retained.
Exterior-wise, chassis 6431 kept its original ribbed hood, unique front apron, thinner gauge bumpers, front badge bar, emblem-less front grille and 275 GTS-style trunk lid push-button.
Inside, the original 275-style dash that lacked wood inlays and a glovebox stayed. A Pininfarina emblem was mounted on the passenger side of the dashboard and rally-style stopwatches could be found where the GTC’s audio system would normally reside. The position of various levers was different to the production version as was the centre console treatment. Perhaps most noticeably, instead of a parcel shelf, chassis 6431 was built with a pleated rear bench seat.
A number of the GTC’s prototype mechanical features also remained to include its different lower cross member behind the clutch bell housing that was necessary to accommodate the longer 330 engine and transaxle. The air cleaner housing, copper hydraulic system lines, hood safety catch, brake servo assembly and hydraulic reservoir also remained different to production versions.
Ferrari issued 6431’s official Certificate of Origin in December 1966 and in January 1967 the car was sold to its first private owner, Carlo Bombieri of Milan. The GTC was delivered in the striking combination of Rosso Cina over Nero upholstery with air-conditioning, Campagnolo cast alloy wheels and metric instrumentation.
Registered as MI D28441, chassis 6431 was maintained by Ferrari’s Assistenza Clienti department in Modena until May 1971, by which time it had accumulated approximately 32,000km.
Bombieri retained the car until June 1982 when it was sold to Francesco Santovetti of Rome who kept it for eleven years. Following a multi decade stint in Hong Kong, this one-off Ferrari was exported to the United States where it currently awaits its next custodian.
