330 GTC vs 365 GTC

[Do you folks think the cost of upkeep and spare parts would be a lot different on this rarer car than on a 330 GTC?]


First, neither is inexpensive to maintain properly, second, I doubt you would ever notice a difference in cost. Most/many parts are interchangeable, excluding hood and front wings, and internal motor parts. Annual maintenance items are the same $$ either car.

 

General opinion seems to be that the 365 is effectively a well-sorted 330 (or a notchback Daytona). Either way - what are you waiting for.??

Seems that Sheehan is a good guy too, judging by the replies in the other thread.

Personally, I'm a sucker for metallic blue front engined classic two seater V-12 Ferraris - so if you don't buy it, I probably will....

John

PS Do me one favour - if you do buy it, DON'T put Borranis on it.

Good luck

 

Michael, keep us posted. I have been looking at a 365 GTC here in Houston and one in Long Island. Personally, I think a 365 is a lot better car than a 330.

Dale

 

The costs between running a 330 GTC and a 365 GTC should be no different at all. Same service procedures for very similar single cam engines with rear transaxles.

--Matt

 

Oh, there's no doubt that it makes the most sense to buy the best car you can find. I think that there are a few improvements in the later 330s (clutch cables maybe?) and the 365s that merit some attention. I gotta admit that the 330 side vents look a lot better than the 365 hood ones. But then again, I do love torque. And, for me, there is a certain, uh, hook to owning one of 150.

But to broaden this discussion, what I'm actually looking for is a vintage Ferrari that I can drive cross country. Cause I'm a driver, not a lover. This means that will retrofit whatever updates are necessary, e.g., electronic ign, real tires, better brakes, bigger alternator, better A/C and fans, value guides, update rubber bits, etc. etc. etc.

This stuff might cost points on the lawn, but since I ain't going to be on the lawn in the first place...

Here's what I have narrowed the list down to:

330 2+2
330 GTC
365 GTC
365 GTC/4

Of the group, I have really been giving some serious thought to a Series 2 330 2+2. At a glance, a sharp 2+2 looks like a GTC. The entry price is right. I don't have to worry about the Ferrari Police coming unglued if I update the car.

So here's my question to you, is a transaxle worth $40k. That's roughly the difference between a 2+2 and a GTC, yes/no/maybe?

Your thoughts? Dale

 

Dale, tax time has confused you with all those numbers to remember...The car you want is 365GTB4...

 

LOL, no I haven't forgotten the true beast. Jus checking out my options. I drove the Maranello 500 miles on Sunday as sort of a shakedown crusie. I'll post more on this later. Man, I'm getting dem ole road dawg blues bad.

Dr "Crusing down the road" Tax

 

330 GTCs moved from the hydraulic clutch (note the 2 brake and 1 clutch bottles) to the cable activated clutch late in 330 GTC production (after s/n 10539 sometime). All 365 GTCs would have the cable clutch and would not have the third bottle shown in the upper left of the photo.

Chuck
67GTC

 

Boy, you guys do know yer stuff. Heck, I even missed the question!

 

ooops, sorry! I didn't mean to scare anyone.....these are not modern "electronic" cars!!

Starting with a really good car with excellent (probably rebuilt) mechanicals, I think $5k per year (assuming an independent shop does the work) would be VERY generous. If you can/want-to do some of the work yourself, cut that in half. Depends a bit on mileage......few track events (the car is just a bit soft for b*lls to the wall tracking).....staying out of trouble.....(the favorite myth: avoid 2nd gear for the first xxx miles!).

Find a technician who has a depth of experience with old V-12's (this person likely will not be at a dealership). Finding this 'right' person can be one of the very most important things in keeping this whole thing fun.

Try to avoid 'discount' repair bits - they are often shoddy.

Be prepared that some things may get 'fixed' more than one time before they're done.

Counter to all this, one F-Chatter has put >150,000 miles on his 330 GTC, and done (I think - correct me Bob) almost all the repairs himself.

James

PS Imagine me doing all this on an island without a bridge!

 

That's the thought process that I went through.

For me, the 365GTC/4 wasn't a contender. Although it's an excellent car, I imagined that I would always feel like I hadn't spent enough for a 365GTB.

I also considered a GTE, and was really interested finding a 330 America, but I never did find an example of either that had already been fully sorted.

Dale makes a good point: you do pay a lot more for an independent rear end. About the only time you'll notice the difference is when you accelerate hard out of a tight bend over an uneven surface. The rear end will step out sooner, but will also do so more progressively and predictably, which I definitely prefer for the street.

The rear suspension of the 2+2 is nothing short of a revelation. I had originally thought that it was such a strange setup: where else do you find leaf springs AND coil overs? But it's remarkably smooth at speed, surprisingly soft over bumps, yet still rolls very little through turns. It's a live axle, yes, but it's a really well engineered live axle.

Beyond the rear transaxle, the biggest difference between a 2+2 and a GTC is the sweep of the roofline. I actually prefer the 2+2. The roof and trunk lines seem more harmonious to me than the notch-back of the GTC.

Here's my car from the day it arrived: s/n 9453.

--Matt

 

Beautiful car and great points. One other thing that I have heard is that an in-line tranny shifts easier than a transaxle.

For generations, the story has been that if it doesn't have a drop top and two seats, it ain't a Ferrari. Compare the price of a 330 GTS to a GTC. Now compare the prices of a 330 2+2 to a GTC.

This is acutally good news for me because I don't care for drop tops anyway and the extra room in the 2+2s makes for a better GT car.

We'll see, eh?

 

Another way to distinguish between the 330 and 365 GTC without opening up the hood are the side vents. The 330 GTC has a vent on each front fender side (near the wheels) whereas the 365 GTC has a vent on top of each front fender adjacent to the windshield.

 

Like they say..... Candy is dandy but Liquor is quicker. Buy a Daytona and be done with it. I mean really, do you actually think your going to be happy/satisfied until a Daytona is in your garage?


Terry

 

my vote is for the 365, but then again that was what i told my dad in 1978 when he was torn between buying a mint 365 silver over tan, vs a 1977 porsche 930 turbo. he didn't listen and bought the 930. nice car then, still nice today, still fast, and somewhat of a collector since they only made about 1200 of them, but not $150k nice !!!!!! oh if you could only go back.......

 

I hear both you and Malcolmb. Only problem is that I already have a almost 500 hp beast in the Shark, and the Shark's teeth are pearly white....

 

Terry,

Isn't the 365 GTC quicker than the Daytona? I think it has the same drivetrain but in a lighter car.

Just curious.

Art S.

 

You would think so, but the GTC is rated at 320 horsepower, the Daytona at 352.

However, I think the biggest difference is that 365GTB/4s were fitted with various higher-ratio final drives, which can lead to significantly faster acceleration. I personally believe that the low 5-second 0-60 times that have been printed for the past 30 years should give credit to the 4.71 ratio (of some cars) versus the 3.44 of the GTC.

--Matt

 

Hello, I do not know where Franklin,N.C. is,but I have a(not for sale) 365 GTC in Lexington,Va. that you may wish to examine as a comparison.It is the same color combination,but not in concours condition,as M.Sheehan's.I particularly like the understated elegance of the 330/365 series although prefer the 330's side vents.As an investment,150 examples vs. nearly 600 330GTC's argue favorably for the 365 ,plus the refinements already mentioned.(although we are NEVER supposed to consider Ferarris as anything other than an extension of childhood whimsy)However,please refer to my posts of about 1 month ago concerning fuel/exhaust odors in the cockpit.I got some excellent suggestions to cure problems that seem common in these models and am still working on them.Also make sure you get the books/tools.If not included,it takes a minimum of $5,000 IF you can find them.I do know of excellent non-originals available,though.
Lastly, I have been lusting for a fly yellow/tan/black insert Daytona for several years now,but the right car and financial timing have not coincided just yet.The best of luck in your pursuit of an outstanding model I have enjoyed over the past 9 years.Please let me know if I can help.