Retro 70s supercar SO rare only 26 were ever made hits auction for eye-watering price – & there’s a world’s first inside

A LEGENDARY Ferrari – believed to be just one of 26 – is set to go for £450,000 at auction.

The classic 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 ‘Daytona’ Berlinetta is up for sale at RM Sotheby’s.

The Daytona was built in Modena by Ferrari subsidiary Scaglietti only 3 years after Ferraris’ clean sweep at the American racing track in 1967.

The car boasts the beautiful wood-rimmed steering wheel, black leather dashboard and tan leather seats with red leather inserts.

Its eye-catching metallic gold paint is also a nice touch, and is just one of 26 originally finished by Nocciola Metallizzato.

It was certified by Ferrari Classiche in September 2023 and found to retains its matching-numbers engine and transaxle.

“Launched at the 1968 Paris Motor Show, the 365 GTB/4 soon became universally referred to as the ‘Daytona’ in honour of the Scuderia’s one-two-three result at the 1967 Daytona 24 Hours,” states the RM Sotheby’s listing.

“It featured the latest 4,390-cc Tipo 251 development of Gioacchino Colombo’s famous V-12. With a 9:1 compression ratio plus dry-sump lubrication and six Weber carburettors, it was good for 352 horsepower at 7,500 rpm.

“While the Daytona did achieve competition success—Charles Pozzi-entered cars won their class at Le Mans in 1972, 1973 and 1974—this was primarily a roadgoing grand tourer, built to cover long distances at immense speed.

“Ordered new in January 1971 by W.J. Skelly, the Managing Director and owner of the Skellys Ford dealerships, chassis 14323 was no standard specification example.

“Mr Skelly stated that he wanted his Daytona to be finished with Nocciola Metallizzato paint (metallic gold in colour), and the Connolly Leather to be in “light” Beige.

“He made two further requests: the first being a wood-rimmed steering wheel to be fitted instead of a leather rim; and for the car to be supplied with Borrani wire wheels and three-ear knock-off hubs.

“This was not only a sublime specification, but Mr Skelly’s Daytona became one of just 26 examples of the model that Ferrari would paint in Nocciola Metallizzato.

“Collected from Maranello on 9 July 1971, the car arrived in the UK later that month. A copy of a letter on file from Mr Skelly notes that he would hold off registering the car until the new year.

“Copies of an invoice from Thompson Doxey Export of Southport show that the 12,000-mile service was carried out with the odometer reading 11,418 miles, while the car had private registration number “MN 2108”.

“As per the documentation available to view on file, this Daytona was acquired by Dick Lovett of Swindon on 1 April 1973 and was sold to the next owner, Mr Brian See on 1 August 1975.

“It was later registered on 29 October 1976 to Mr Robert ‘Bobby’ Bell, co-founder of Bell & Colvill Ltd, the renowned Lotus and Morgan dealership, as the next owner.

“Painted in red at his time of acquisition with the odometer reported around 25,000 miles, chassis 14323 remained in Mr Bell’s care until his passing in 2017.

“There are multiple invoices and MoTs on file that detail the mileage and maintenance of this Ferrari Daytona.

“In 2015, Mr Bell purchased £4,400-worth of engine components and then had the engine rebuilt by the Ferrari specialist Vincent Mezzullo of Guildford, Surrey. The work was carried out while the odometer read approximately 35,000 miles.

“Acquired by the consigning owner in 2017, they sent chassis 14323 for Ferrari Classiche certification, and the car was granted an all-important Red Book on 19 September 2023.

“Invoices on file highlight a cost of £9,000 for the certification and a further £9,500 spent on maintenance in the autumn of 2022. Upon inspection by Ferrari, it was found to retain its matching-numbers engine and transaxle.

“Today, this Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona is presented in red over a tan leather interior with red inserts.

“Chassis 14323 is accompanied by invoices and MoTs dating to the early 1990s, along with a report from marque expert Marcel Massini, and copies of the original order documentation from Tony Willis.

“The vehicle is further complemented by Ferrari manuals, a tool kit, spare wheel, and its Classiche Red Book. Previous MoT certificates allow the odometer to be traced from 31,000 miles in 2006 up to the current odometer reading at the time of cataloguing, which is 38,166 miles.”