330 gtc

My key question would be:
Why does it cost so much more than a 330 GT?

 

The GTC has a transaxle and a slightly shorter wheelbase. As a result, it handles more like a sports car than the 2+2. I have asked this question before. Namely, is a transaxle worth $40,000? I never seem to get any answers on point.

Dale

 

In the Ferrari world, 4 seats hurt the value of the car. The 2+2 is a very nice car but the addition of the back seats makes it feel a bit larger than the GTC and gives it an overall bigger look. The transaxle vs solid axle comparison should not affect the driving characteristics 99% of the time.
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Hi Brad

Value is a tricky question. Certainly you will pay a lot more for a GTC than a 2+2, but why would you be paying less than for a GTS or a Lusso?

If you want a GTC then the price is the price!

It is a very good car and an absolute joy to own and drive. The handling is superb and the car always has great poise and presence on the road. It is one of the most practical all round two-seater that Ferrari ever built.

Let me go back to your original question about what to look out for. Obviously you will want to be sure about the overall mechanical condition, and it is important to try to buy a complete car. The only little bits I can think of are:

Try to persuade the seller to let you take off a front wheel and have a look behind the splash guards. You could be pleasantly surprised or frightened to death!

The headlight stalk switches tend to break and are impossible to replace and difficult to repair.

Rust can be a problem in all the usual places, but its worth sticking your head in the boot (trunk) to look at the underside of the narrow panel just below the rear screen.

Good luck in your search

Colin

 

It's a 2 seater.

I agree, in 2-year ownership retrospect, that a good 330 2+2 is huge value for the $, in terms of the pure Vintage Ferrari Experience enjoyment and decent if not spectacular appreciation potential.

A previous post mentioned handling. My 330's handling and straightline performance characteristics are very similar to those of the 1966 Pontiac GTO that I bought new. Car and Driver's famous 330 2+2 vs Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2(an overweight hog) comparison test in 1965 should have been between the Ferrari and the Tempest-bodied GTO. Its probably sacrilege to some, but I think of my Ferrari as a 60's Italian muscle car.

Also, in retrospect, I wish I had had the balls to jump on one of those $125K Lussos a couple or so years ago.

 

Forget about "investment values." What I want to know is whether a GTC is a $40,000 better driver than a 2+2?

Dale

 

a 330GTC is a sports car
a 330 2+2 is a sports sedan

Apples and Oranges, 'nough said

Tom Shaughnessy
Ferrari Parts and Sales
San Clemente CA

 

Hi, Wayne. Obviously that was a before picture. Paint is ready to go on and then it is reassembly time. Engine is done and ready to be installed. I am thinking that an early Spring completion date is doable. That will make it a three year restoration.

 

Not to me, Bubba. I have seriously lusted after a GTC in the past and a Daytona. Now, a Daytona does not compare to either a GTC or a 2+2. They are totally different cars.

But in the "smiles per mile" department, will a GTC gin up $40,000 more smiles than a 2+2? Or is the difference comparable to a 456GT (no auto) and a Maranello? For a back-road trip, I sure that the 456 is probably better than the Maranello. But for those few times when you, uh, you know, well you would of had to have been there; but getting the Shark on clear two-lane highway that cuts through to nowhere, it just doesn't get much better.

Dale

 

Dale- is your question really" is the 330 GTC really more fun and better able to cover the miles on a winding road" better than a 330GT? By the way the independant rear suspension doesnt really cost more since you get more back when you sell. Architect logic, but not too invalid. Will you be walking when we meet on the road?

 

I'm walking to New Or-leans...

 

I have owned 2 330's. Once back in 76-85 [put 98K miles on it] and now again [bought in July]. I do have some knowledge of the cars. Rust is always question one. Although built by Pina Farina where rust proofing is better than Scalglietti [Daytonas], pinched metal areas - bottom of doors and rear wheel well are most predominate areas. Synchros...well they are always suspect unless they have been replaced. Check front suspension ball joints for play. Radiator leaks and questionable fan operation are important. Valve seals do cause smoking so when was last time heads were redone? The list can go on. But basically you are looking at nearly a 40 yr old car so a Ferrari shop PIP is gonna be your best source of info.
If you would like to discuss more feel free to PM.

 

1. Don't be shy about spending time and money on PPI's (I had 3 highly-regarded shops look at my final choice),

2. Most times, don't waste time with a Ferrari dealership; rarely does their expertise go that far back; find a tech who rebuilds/restores them on a daily basis,

3. You'll never regret spending more $$ on a better car in the beginning; rarely can you redo something today for less than the other guy already spent on it,

4. Before you embark on steps 1 - 3, decide what you want to do with the car; restore it, show it for trophies, or drive it. One doesn't necessarily preclude another, but in todays world restoring a driver to Platinum will probably cost more than market value.

Good luck!
james

 

... and of course the standard stuff -

1) Compression test
2) look at the books and tools
3) double check the spare tire

I bought an Elcometer paint thickness gauge, which helps determine how thick the bondo is. Its been an invaluable tool in gauging the quality and condition of the metal. ($800 investment can save you thousands on bodywork receipts later on.)