Without Reserve
Chassis: 14959
Engine: Engine Internal No. 00121
Limited-Production GT Ferrari; One of Only 500 Examples Produced
Striking As-Delivered Marrone Colorado over Beige Color Scheme
US-Specification Example Delivered New to Beverly Hills
Retained by Its Original Owner from 1972 to 2006; Lifelong Southern California Car
Accompanied by Factory Handbooks, Warranty Card, Tool Kit, and Extensive Records
4,390 CC DOHC V-12 Engine
Six Weber Twin-Choke Carburetors
320 BHP at 6,800 RPM
5-Speed Manual Gearbox
4-Wheel Ventilated Disc Brakes
Front Independent Suspension with Coil Springs
Rear Independent Suspension with Coil Springs and Self-Leveling Shock Absorbers
Debuted at Geneva in 1971 and epitomizing the gran turismo concept, Ferrari’s 365 GTC/4, combined outstanding V-12 performance with striking modern styling and luxurious accommodations.
Masterfully styled and rendered in steel by Pininfarina, the GTC/4 utilized a chassis derived from that of its predecessor, the 365 GT 2+2. While sharing its basic 4.4-liter V-12 engine with the Daytona, the 365 GTC/4 utilized specific cylinder heads, wet sump lubrication, slightly lower compression, and six sidedraft Weber carburetors for hood clearance. Unlike the rear transaxle of the Daytona, the five-speed manual gearbox of the 365 GTC/4 was mounted in unit with the engine. Offering ample luggage space plus air-conditioning, power steering, and self-leveling rear shocks, the 365 GTC/4 was ideal for fast, long-distance travel and capable of exceeding 150 mph. Just 500 were built over a brief 18-month run.
This GTC/4, chassis 14959, is an outstanding example of this limited-production GT Ferrari. According to the accompanying 2010 research report of marque historian Marcel Massini, this car was completed in December 1971, finished in the handsome period color scheme of Marrone Colorado (Colorado Brown) over Beige leather and cloth upholstery. Delivered new to Modern Classic Motors in Reno, Nevada, the GTC/4 was originally retailed by official dealer Francisco Mir’s Diagnosis & Service in Santa Monica, California in March 1972. The Ferrari’s first owner, Thomas Somermeier Jr. of Beverly Hills, kept it in his ownership for 34 years. In 1988, he commissioned the renowned Ferrari specialist Bruno Borri to perform a substantial mechanical restoration that included rebuilding the engine, gearbox, and rear end.
In 2006, well-known Ferrari enthusiast and FCA master judge Tom Shaughnessy acquired the 32,000-mile GTC/4 and kept it for about a year before selling it to a local collector. Mr. Shaughnessy reacquired 14959 in 2009 and it was then sold via Gooding & Company to the current owner in August 2010. For the past 13 years, this GTC/4 has remained a fixture in one of the finest private Ferrari collections in North America, where it has benefited from sparing use and occasional exercise.
Repainted and reupholstered in its original color scheme circa 2008–2009, the Ferrari continues to present very well in all respects and showed just 37,202 miles at the time of cataloguing. A Southern California car from new, with a limited roster of caretakers since leaving the hands of its original owner, this GTC/4 is well documented, with a remarkable history file that includes service invoices dating back to the early 1970s, previous registration/ownership records, and a 2010 report from Marcel Massini. Furthermore, the Ferrari is accompanied by a proper tool kit and its original handbook set, which includes the factory-issued warranty card, owner’s manual, parts book, and US-version supplement.
An attractive, high-quality example with a well-established Southern California provenance, this 365 GTC/4 represents an ideal entry into the exclusive world of twelve-cylinder Enzo-era GT Ferraris.