275 GTC

The word "mistery" might not be the right one here, but there are still unanswered questions. We are not sure about the actual number of cars that were stamped "GTC", we don't know specificaly if there are any differences between GTC and GTB, and some people here don't even believe it was purposedly stamped differently.

You're probably right, Classiche may answer all those questions, the point is my friend is curious about his car history, but has no will to sell his car, therefore the fee that may be considered as an investment in case you think it can ad value to your car becomes ridiculously high.

If Marcel is bored with answering questions for free, that's perfectly understandable. I was only refering to him since I saw many very interresting messages from him, and I thought he enjoyed sharing his knowledge. If it's not the case anymore, I will not blame him.

Now just to clear things up, there are two reasons why I started this thread. The first one is that I wanted to help a friend who wants to know as many things as possible about his beloved car. The second is that I thought Ferrari lovers (including myself) would be interrested in knowing the existence of 275 GTC stamped cars, and in learning as many details about those cars as possible. I think it's clear from the very beginning I have personaly no financial gain whatsoever on the outcome of this conversation. I have discovered the little world of vintage Ferrari through this friend I've been talking about, so pardon me if i'm not used to it. In this world I'm starting to feel the line between information that can be shared freely and information that bears potential profit is very thin and hard to define.

While I was writing this message, I got a call from my friend. I'll meet with him and his engine mechanic tomorrow, I'll let you know if I find out anything of interrest.

Cheers

 

I understand your point of views. It's true that not being able to post pictures of the car I'm mainly talking about is dissapointing to most of you. If you look closely at my posts, you may still see that I'm trying to share all I've got. You had a description of the car, which looks like any other 275 GTB series 3. You have the description of the stamping, and if you read carefully you can even guess its serial number that I didn't want to write so that it's not easily findable by a google search. I told you everything we know about its history, what we've heard from mechanics, and I know it's not a lot, but except pictures that I was specifically forbiden to post, I told you everything. It is clear that if it were my car, you would have many, many pictures, I would even be happy to make it its own website, but me and my friend are not from the same generation, and he has lived through experiences that made him a very secret person (in a small village, people get jealous easily, and you can find your animals killed in your garder for no reason at all...). Now I will try again tomorrow to convince him to share in a more pictural way, but I have to be honest, I don't think he'll accept.

About the single poster aspect, I understand that you can think that of me. I've been reading threads for a long time, but never had anything of interrest to share/ask with you, and to be franc, you're all quite intimidating! As I told you, I'm not an owner, and probably won't be one in the next 10 years. I did everything I could, I was good at school, gratuated one of the best business schools in my country, I go a good position an have a salary that many would envy me, yet I'm not even close to get my hands on one of the cars I'm dreaming of. This world, vintage Ferrari, is the priviledge of very few people, and I am always amazed when I check your profiles. Please understand that compared to you, to your experiences, I have very few to share and to give you. But if you let me stay around, on this thread or other ones, I will learn, and in 10 or 20 years, I may be able to help people with my knowledge too.

OK, I guess that was a little off-topic, but it felt good to tell you where I stand. Please be assured of my sincerity, and I'm sure you'll soon recognize my passion for Ferrari. I may not be able to touch it physicaly every day, but it's with me all the time.

 

I just remembered one thing I saw on a forum. It's a French thread about car meetings taking place every first Sunday of the month in my town. It may be of interest for those who really want pictures...;-) And I didn't post anything...
http://www.forum-auto.com/automobiles-mythiques-exception/section5/sujet379137-385.htm
Now it really doesn't help in finding answers, and I somehow doubt we'll ever be able to have everybody on this forum to believe 275GTC were no mistakes (or the contrary, I'm still not sure myself!).
More tomorrow about the engine and hopefully chassis, I hope. I'll share as much as I can, I can assure you of that.

 

As I wrote before, my friend changed the wheels to Boranis some years ago.

 

I actually had forgotten I had written those comments! You asked for pictures, and I remembered I had seen some that I technicaly didn't post myself, so I thought it was a good way to satisfy your curiosity, gain some people's trust without betraying my friend's directives...

About stamping pictures, I will probably not post a picture of my friend's car's, because he would not want me to for reasons I'm not here to judge. What I do have is pictures of 08457 stamping. I wanted to ask you guys, those pictures were sent to me by Mark K, who's currently selling the car. Do you think it's OK to post it, given that there are already many pictures on Mark K's website, including engine stamping, and that the picture of the GTC stamping is not on the website probably because he didn't want the site to be overloaded with pictures? I honnestly think it can do no harm to him, but I would really like to be sure. You're gonna tell me I should ask him directly, but to be perfectly honest, I don't think he wants to hear from me anymore, since I turned out to be just another "time waster", after my friend's friend would decide he was not interrested in the car.

Time to sleep in France, good night everybody, and thank you very much to those who argued in my favor, please know it meant a lot to me.

 

Hi everyone,

Sorry I didn't post any update before, but unfortunately I had nothing new / interesting to write. I went to my friend's on Friday, but his mechanic was unable to point out any difference with a "normal" 275 GTB. The only thing I learned is that originally the car had seats with horizontal stripes, when all the other 275 I've seen had vertical stripes.Given their worn out aspect when my friend bought the car in 1976, those were probably installed in the car when it was originally assembled. I don't know if it was an option or whatever.

For me, it was an occasion to get in the car for the first time and go to a small tour with my friend driving. Apart from the fact I am not used to cruise in a car with no seat belt on, I felt the car was quite comfortable, and the roar of the engine, even not going at higher speeds than 5000/min, was astonishing. Before Friday, I couldn't wait for that moment when I could actually run in this car. From now on, I can't wait for the next time i'll be able to accompany my friend in one of his cruises again!

My friend is still working on getting the build sheet of his car. Once he has it, we'll try to clear things up about the hypothetical differences that may or may not make this car special in any way. I'll keep you posted when I learn more about that. Again, thank you all for your inputs and views!

 

I think he finally sold the car, judging by the simple fact the ad is not on his site anymore.
Thanks for the pictures, do you know where those were taken? I know the car was, at some point, maintained in France before racing at Le Mans Classic, but those look much older to me.
For those who followed this thread 4 months ago, we still have not managed to get new information, in particular my friend has still not got his hands on the mounting sheet of his car, but it may be on its way... Anyway, I haven't forgotten my thread, and if I ever have new elements to share, I will keep you informed.