While the car’s presence is an asset to any event, it is not a factory-authorized build, which makes it ineligible for judging at many shows
Introduced in 1968 with production beginning in 1969, the 365 GTB/4 Daytona was Ferrari’s response to an evolving market and changing regulations in the United States. Compared to Ferrari’s earlier cars, the 365 GTB/4 was bigger, both in bulk and in power, more luxuriously equipped and was wrapped in a Pininfarina-designed, Scaglietti-built body that was a departure from earlier Ferraris.
Pininfarina’s landmark design epitomized the ultimate in front-engined, V12-powered berlinettas, a combination of beauty and performance that has become an icon of design.
Conceived by Luigi Chinetti Jr. with detail layout by Gene Garfinkle for Bob Gittelman, a Miami home builder, this dramatic Ferrari was clothed by British coachbuilder Panther Westwinds. It is a remarkable statement that integrates neatly with the Daytona’s style. The side windows curve gently into the roof for visibility and an airy feel that belies the bulk of the added bodywork.
Access to the rear compartment is through the side windows which are hinged at the top and open gullwing-style. The instruments are concentrated in the center binnacle and angle toward the driver. Luxuriously trimmed in tan Connolly suede leather complemented by a rich wood paneled rear deck, the Chinetti Shooting Brake is finished in a menacing black livery that enhances the Daytona’s unique lines, and the entire theme is set off by an orange panel across the nose.
One of the most recognized one-offs in Ferrari history, the car’s daring styling befits a luxury lifestyle that may require additional space for luggage, sporting equipment or perhaps a loyal dog. Always ready to take advantage of the arrival of fresh powder on the ski slopes or of migrating waterfowl, it is a unique statement of refined design and utility. This is the only one in the world, and this is an outstanding opportunity for a discerning collector to acquire a Ferrari that will be a highlight in any collection, an eagerly awaited participant in any major concours or Ferrari gathering and an ideal car for long-distance tours and events.
SCM Analysis
Detailing
| Vehicle: | 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Shooting Brake |
| Years Produced: | 1972 |
| Number Produced: | 1 |
| Original List Price: | $65,000 |
| SCM Valuation: | $240,000-$325,000 (for standard Daytonas) |
| Tune Up Cost: | $3,000 |
| Chassis Number Location: | Stamped on the passenger side frame rail next to the engine |
| Engine Number Location: | Stamped on a flange on the rear passenger side of block |
| Website: | http://www.FerrariClubofAmerica.org |
| Alternatives: | Maserati Boomerang, Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Michelotti NART Spider, Chinetti-designed, Vignale-built Ferrari 330 GT Shooting Brake |
This car, Lot 66, sold for $300,000 at Bonhams’ Dubai auction on October 11, 2010.
The station wagon might be the most pedestrian of all automobile models. Created to help Mom, Pop, and the kids perform the most mundane daily tasks, station wagons may be practical, but they can also be downright boring.
However, fit a stylish, roomy body to a luxury chassis, call it a Shooting Brake, trim it in the finest materials and the station wagon becomes one of the rarest and most interesting models of the automobile world
Shooting Brakes are a carryover from the horse -and-buggy era. The term refers to a model of carriage chassis—a brake—fitted with a closed, wagon-style body designed to carry a hunting party to the field. The model became known as a shooting brake and was an extravagance found exclusively on the estates of wealthy landowners.
When the motorcar came onto the scene, having a Shooting Brake built by a premier luxury or sporting car manufacturer just seemed natural. Rolls, Bentley, and, later, Aston Martin were among the manufacturers commissioned to build Shooting Brakes. It is the irony of seeing the most pedestrian of automobile bodies on the most extravagant chassis that makes the model so fascinating today.
Fame but no fortune
There are few Ferraris that are universally known as an individual, specific one-of-one car. One look tells you which Ferrari they are, and it doesn’t take a check of the chassis number to remember something about its particulars.
It is arguable that due to its unique design, the 1961 250 SWB-based Breadvan is the most well-known individual Ferrari on the planet. Everyone who’s seen the Breadvan can identify it again—and probably tell you at least a sentence about it. The Daytona Shooting Brake is another of those cars.
The Daytona Shooting Brake has been featured in the Prancing Horse magazine, Road & Track (twice), Classic & Sports Car, and other magazines. It has been in four Bonhams catalogues, with details in all the publications following the auction scene.
If you follow Ferraris, you’ve seen this car and probably know something about it. While the magazine reviews were almost universally favorable, celebrity has not enhanced the car’s value.
While a beautiful and interesting car, the Daytona has been a tough sell. It has been available for purchase much of its existence and found few takers.
The original owner first put it on the market in 1980. It took until 1986, when Texas oilman John Mecom Jr. bought it, for the car to find a new home. 1987 was a tough year for the oil business, and Mr. Mecom sold most of his cars at the 1988 Barrett-Jackson auction.
Collector and dealer Bill Kontes bought the Daytona at Barrett-Jackson, and the car spent the next eleven years as a prized member of his inventory. Kontes finally sold the Daytona to a Paris-based collector of one-off cars in 1999.
The Paris collector consigned the car to Bonhams for its 2003 Gstaad auction, where the final bid was $254,880. It was again offered at Gstaad in 2005, where the final bid was $251,861. Bonhams once again offered the car at its 2008 Monterey auction, where the final number was $300,000. While the car was reported sold at two of the three Bonhams auctions, it appears the same Paris collector was somehow involved with the car at all the auctions—including the one in Dubai.
Why so few winning bids?
A couple factors have made this one-off Daytona a tough sell. While it was designed as a luxury wagon for running errands around town, it fell short of that goal.
Heavy steering made city driving a chore, and the expanse of glass with marginal air conditioning made Miami commuting less than fun.
The car should be an ideal show car but it’s not. While the car’s presence is an asset to any show, it is not a factory-authorized build, which makes it ineligible for judging at many shows. Spending hours and dollars schlepping a car to a show where it can only be entered for display appeals to few owners.
Finally it’s not a good choice for a tour car. As a one-off, virtually all of the bodywork is unique. Anything damaged while touring could be very difficult to repair. Unfortunately for the owner and the Ferrari enthusiasts, this car will likely not make many trips from the garage.
It’s hard to argue that the $300,000 this car brought at Dubai isn’t a good price. History has shown the car to have a thin market, but I can’t help but think it should be worth more. Put this car in any assembly of Ferraris, and viewers will gravitate to it. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it will attract more attention than cars costing three times its price.
The car is a credible exercise with good reviews, and will never embarrass the owner. Under the circumstances, I have to call the car well sold, but the buyer got an awful lot of bang for his buck, so I have to call it well bought too.