The latest Palm Beach Cavallino Classic, the world’s top event devoted entirely to Ferrari classics, has just ended. This year’s event, the 31st, included two extraordinary celebrations: one marking Ferrari’s 75th anniversary and the other the 60th birthday of the Ferrari 250 GTO. A Ferrari 365 P Speciale (chassis no. 8971), representing the production year 1966, was judged the Overall Outstanding Ferrari Granturismo, while a 250 GTO from 1964 (chassis no. 5573 GT) took the Overall Outstanding Ferrari Competition award.
The highlight of the event is the concours, with vehicles judged on their originality and correctness—the goal being to find the best-preserved-or-restored cars on show. The globally renowned judging panel is made up of experts from across the USA and Europe, and winning one of the show’s major awards would be a feather in the cap of any Ferrari owner. The Cavallino Classic takes place at The Breakers, a Grand Hotel from a Grand Era, which is beautifully restored and wonderfully maintained. It is the perfect setting to host the perfect event.
That’s how the first owner of this 1966 Ferrari 365P Berlinetta Speciale—nicknamed “Tre Posti” for its driver-centered, three-passenger cabin—felt after plunking down $26,000 in August 1967.
At first glance, the 365P looks like a widened and stretched 1967 Dino 206GT, Ferrari’s first mid-engine production car. But under the impossibly long tail hid a 4.4-liter, three-carb V-12 and all the internal organs of Chinetti’s 365P2 race car—campaigned by his North American Racing Team, known as NART.
It was barely street-legal, with an integrated chrome roll cage, competition pedals, and a gas tank that Chinetti modified so the car’s driver wouldn’t have to drag the fuel nozzle inside the leather cockpit. NART badges with American flags were fastened to an otherwise oily-smooth white body.
With only 4950 miles and no seat belts, the Tre Posti is a remarkable preservation of when Ferrari sold road cars merely to finance its racing teams. And perhaps it was best that the Tre Posti was never built as a series production car. When it debuted, Road & Track drew a cartoon showing both of this car’s doors open, a man in the central driver’s seat, and two women fighting on the Italian roadside.
1966 Ferrari 365P Berlinetta Speciale Key Specs:
- Engine: 4.4 L (4390.35 cc) Colombo V12
- Designer: Aldo Brovarone at Pininfarina
- Width: 1,890 mm (74.4 in)
- Body style: 2-door 3-seat Berlinetta
This particular 1966 Ferrari 365 P Berlinetta Speciale Two with a recovered 365 P chassis received special bodywork. Built on chassis 8971, this white supercar was one of Sergio Pininfarina’s first designs. It was built in a pair of cars ordered by Fiat Boss Gianni Agnelli, and one was prematurely displayed at the 1966 Paris Motor Show without its full running gear on Pininfarina’s stand.
The 365 P was a radical platform for a new design study, as it was intended as a Le Mans contender. Located midship, the 4.4 liter V12 that powered this car produced 380 horsepower—and that was in detuned form. Internally at Pininfarina, the car was known as “Coupe Ferrari 3 Posti” for its unique three-seat design. Much like the modern day McLaren, it has a central driver’s position with two seats at each side of the driver. This layout is advantageous because it gives a high level of visibility to the driver and maximizes interior space.
Pininfarina’s exterior design borrowed many traits from the Dino prototypes shown in 1965. Because of its numerous similarities and hefty engine, the 365P Speciale can be seen as one of the father cars to the 206/246 production cars.
In 1964, chassis 5573 GT was driven by all of Ferrari’s Formula 1 Team drivers, including the season’s World Champion and team leader John Surtees (as well as Lorenzo Bandini, Ludovic Scarfioltti, and Pedro Rodriquez). Additionally, it saw action with the 1961 World Champion Phil Hill, and with 1964 Le Mans 24-Hour winner Jean Guichet, as well as future Formula 1 works team member Mike Parkes. All in all, six Ferrari Formula 1 drivers raced in this car, all in World-Championship-qualifying events.
This is the second GTO originally manufactured with the 1964 body design. Acquired in 1972 by legendary collector Pierre Bardinon, s/n 5573 joined the fabled Ferrari collection at Mas Du Cios.
In reference to GTO 64, Bardinon readily remarked, “If I could only keep one car, it would be this one.” Meticulously maintained, the car was purchased in 2014, directly from the Bardinon family, by its current custodian. (Cavallino Magazine #50, Page 32).
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