Original Road and Track review of 330 GTS | FerrariChat

Original Road and Track review of 330 GTS

Discussion in 'Vintage (thru 365 GTC4)' started by Jedi, Jun 27, 2009.

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  1. Jedi

    Jedi Moderator
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    Mar 18, 2008
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    Dave
    #1 Jedi, Jun 27, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    I posted this in the 335 section but thought others might want to see it as well.

    Jedi

    Original post:

    I found this at a local festival (Taste of Tacoma) from a vendor selling old ads and such. It's
    apparently the original Road and Track review of the 330 GTS (of which only 100 were made - I
    wonder if someone here actually owns THIS car? ) I bought this plus 3 other vintage Ferrari
    ads that I'll scan and post here. But this was the best of the lot - and was only $7
    There are no dates, but it certainly has to date to 1966 or 1967.

    The magazine article (clipped out) paper is in very good shape, so I thought I'd scan it for
    the benefit of the vintage folks here. These images of course are resized for F-chat - the
    originals at 300 DPI are about 25 MB each. But I've uploaded them so that you can download
    and resize to read. Be sure you set your browser to download full-size images.

    http://ellison.bizland.com/330/330Page1.jpg
    http://ellison.bizland.com/330/330Page2.jpg
    http://ellison.bizland.com/330/330Page3.jpg
    http://ellison.bizland.com/330/330Page4.jpg

    I love the MSRP - $16,426!!! Oh, to buy a 330 GTS in 16k of TODAY'S dollars

    Enjoy,

    Jedi
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  2. The Ape

    The Ape Formula 3

    Feb 28, 2007
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    Ape
    very cool!
     
  3. Miltonian

    Miltonian F1 Veteran

    Dec 11, 2002
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    Jeff B.
    The 330 GTS road test is from the August 1968 issue of Road & Track.
     
  4. Jedi

    Jedi Moderator
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    Dave
    Thanks!
     
  5. modena1_2003

    modena1_2003 F1 Rookie

    Aug 17, 2005
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    Jon
    0-60 in 6.9sec. in 1966. Wow.

    "Enough torque to bring the back end out anytime"

    Loving it. Thanks for posting!



    _J
     
  6. Jedi

    Jedi Moderator
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    Mar 18, 2008
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    Dave
    #6 Jedi, Jun 27, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    I found this at a local festival (Taste of Tacoma) from a vendor selling old ads and such. It's
    apparently the original Road and Track review of the 330 GTS (of which only 100 were made - I
    wonder if someone here actually owns THIS car? ) I bought this plus 3 other vintage Ferrari
    ads that I'll scan and post here. But this was the best of the lot - and was only $7
    There are no dates, but it certainly has to date to 1966 or 1967.

    The magazine article (clipped out) paper is in very good shape, so I thought I'd scan it for
    the benefit of the vintage folks here. These images of course are resized for F-chat - the
    originals at 300 DPI are about 25 MB each. But I've uploaded them so that you can download
    and resize to read. Be sure you set your browser to download full-size images.

    http://ellison.bizland.com/330/330Page1.jpg
    http://ellison.bizland.com/330/330Page2.jpg
    http://ellison.bizland.com/330/330Page3.jpg
    http://ellison.bizland.com/330/330Page4.jpg

    I love the MSRP - $16,426!!! Oh, to buy a 330 GTS in 16k of TODAY'S dollars

    Enjoy,

    Jedi
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  7. Bisonte

    Bisonte F1 Veteran
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    That was a fun read. Thanks for sharing it.

    I liked the bit about the remote controlled crash test car. That's some mental image. :)
     
  8. UroTrash

    UroTrash Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Jan 20, 2004
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    Yeah, thanks for the post!
     
  9. b-mak

    b-mak F1 Veteran

    I have this issue somewhere in storage.
     
  10. JazzyO

    JazzyO F1 World Champ

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    Nice! I have a special interest since buying my 330GTC. I've got a reprint of the original Car & Driver test of Bill Harrah's 330GTC from 1967, which mentions the price ($16k for the coupe) as well - but in context: the most expensive American sportscar at the time was $4500. The Ferrari 330GTC/GTS was one of the most expensive cars in the world.

    In those days, being a millionaire still meant you were really wealthy.


    Onno
     
  11. CraigFL

    CraigFL Formula Junior

    Jan 17, 2001
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    The 330GTS is one of my favorite cars, along with the 275GTS. I like the vents in the front fenders.
     
  12. solofast

    solofast Formula 3

    Oct 8, 2007
    1,773
    Indianapolis
    It is really interesting how much faster cars are today than they were in those days. Nowadays, a mid level sedan can run 0-60 and 1/4 mile times about as fast as this, and braking is a lot better.

    So while we have all this better performance, the cars are so bland to look at and have no soul that we adore these older cars since they are so much more fun to drive....
     
  13. El Wayne

    El Wayne F1 World Champ
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    Aug 1, 2002
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    L. Wayne Ausbrooks
    Thanks, but there's really no reason to start two separate discussions on the same topic. Besides, this is highly model-specific and it make little sense to place it in the "not model-specific" forum.

    Threads merged.
     
  14. Jack-the-lad

    Jack-the-lad Six Time F1 World Champ
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    Jun 22, 2004
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    I have almost all of the contemporary 330GTC road tests, but R&T never tested it. I wonder why.

    Jack.
     
  15. JazzyO

    JazzyO F1 World Champ

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    This will then surprise you: I had no problem keeping up with a 360 Modena up a mountain pass in Switzerland in my 330GTC a couple of weeks ago. The owner/driver of the 360 has racing experience, and I don't. Even going down the passes the car was a lot quicker than my fellow Ferrari owners on the trip had expected. You just need to be careful applying the brakes because you don't want to lose them halfway on your way down... That is truly the area where cars have progressed a lot.


    Onno

    P.S. "No problem" was overstating it a bit - with hard work I could keep up, but that is amazing in itself, in my book!
     
  16. bannishg

    bannishg Formula Junior

    Oct 6, 2008
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    Greg
    To put things in perspective, in '68:

    Base Prices:

    Rolls Royce Silver Shadow: $19,800
    Lamborghini Miura P-400: $19,900
    DeTomaso Mangusta: $10,900
    Porsche 911 Coupe: $6,400
    Corvette Coupe: $4,400
    BMW 1600: $2,738


    While we're on the subject, what was the cheapest list price for a new Ferrari, regardless of inflation?
    I think Boanos went for around $9000 new in 55-56.
     
  17. JazzyO

    JazzyO F1 World Champ

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    Off the top of my head, the 275GTB went for $14k in 1967. The 330GTC was $16k with aircon and Borranis, I think $14.5k without options.


    Onno
     
  18. xs10shl

    xs10shl Formula 3

    Dec 17, 2003
    2,037
    San Francisco
    The article mentions optional available power assist steering and the fitment of 3-point seat belts. I have not seen either in the 10 or so 330 GTS I've come across. Anyone have any pictures?
     
  19. JazzyO

    JazzyO F1 World Champ

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    I've got what I think are original seatbelts in my 330GTC. No pic unfortunately, as I'm not near my car.


    Onno
     
  20. SCantera

    SCantera F1 Veteran
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    Aug 4, 2004
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    P.S. "No problem" was overstating it a bit - with hard work I could keep up, but that is amazing in itself, in my book![/QUOTE]

    Onno,

    Last year I organized a drive through the Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina. I was in my GTC. Through the twisties I could keep up with the modern Fcars including a friend in my 575 SuperAmerica. When we made a stop for gas it was clear that I was the only one working hard. All the others in the new cars were feeling no arm or leg muscles. That is what pedel-less paddles, power steering and big brakes will do. But I know I had more fun than they did.

    Right now I am in Italy. Yesterday I drove a great road to Radicofani....on to Pienza...then to Montipiciano finishing in Cortona where we are staying in a beautiful villa. Next year the GTC has to come with me. Driving a BMW 6 series is fun, but just not the same excitement as the 330.

    ciao
    Steve
     
  21. JazzyO

    JazzyO F1 World Champ

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    :)

    I've driven some of those roads in the 550 Maranello. But I must do it in the GTC as well. Wonderful - enjoy the rest of the trip!


    Onno
     
  22. Miltonian

    Miltonian F1 Veteran

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    Harrah's personal 330GTC was tested in both Car & Driver (July 1967) and Sports Car Graphic (February 1967). According to the C&D article, "Harrah had fitted the car with a small fire extinguisher, and an excellent 3-point seat belt cum single-strap safety harness, complete with inertia reel." So apparently the belts were not a factory option. The belt can be seen on the drivers seat in the SCG article.

    The GTC was one of the four supercars "tested" in a silly article in Motor Trend, November 1968.

    The "Road Test" magazine "Sports Car Annual" from 1967 has three pages on the GTC.

    I've posted lots of pictures on FChat, but never an entire article.
     
  23. JazzyO

    JazzyO F1 World Champ

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    Not necessarily. The belts that I have in the 330GTC, as well as the belts I have in my 8 years younger 365BB, do not have an inertia reel but are in fact of a set length that you have to adjust manually. This makes them very annoying if you change drivers, because setting the belts takes around a minute of fiddling. Also - when I have my seat belt on in the 330GTC, I can't fully take off the handbrake (it being under the dash). Quite annoying.

    So, it is possible that Bill Harrah upgraded the factory belts with inertia reel ones.


    Onno
     

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