365 GTB4 Daytona - by Hooper?

In the course of researching a lot of old Ferraris via period classifieds and details, I came across the advert shown in the pic within an October 1975 issue of 'The Motor' magazine from the UK.

Text from the advert is reproduced below for ease of reading. The car on offer is a Daytona, which was modified in period by 'Hoopers' (I assume the ad refers to what would have then been Hooper Motor Services Limited, previously of Rolls-Royce and Bentley coachbuilding fame):

"1972 Ferrari Daytona. 20,000 miles from new, full service history, special metallic brown paintwork, special interior with walnut dash, executed by Hoopers (M reg.), unique and beautiful, £5,450. Phone, Bucklow Hill 830423."

The Bucklow Hill address and those six digits of the phone number give away that this car was at Brian Classic Ltd in the UK. I've been in touch with those working there now, and the second pic in this post is of the car that they believe was the one referred to in the ad. Unfortunately, no other info or pics available.

So the question is, does anyone have any other records of this car? Has anyone ever seen it 'in the flesh'?

My gut feeling is that a Daytona found to have a walnut dash probably still has it as each owner must have been told that it was a special (and very early) mod.

Would love to find out the chassis number of this Daytona and dig up more information about who commissioned the work by Hooper, and how soon after delivery, etc etc.
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I believe that colour is referred to as "creme brulee".....

 

Intriguing. A full reg. would help

 

Might be this one?
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Sorry Grant, but that is #14111 which went to Aus from new and only came to the UK for the first time in the last couple of years or so.

Mark

 

Thanks Mark.
If its M reg that would make it a 73 car would it not?
The photo looks like a 72 car to me, with the side lights on the front bumpers.

 

1972 would be a 'K' or an 'L' reg. plate.

Unfortunately I've found no other info on the car. Haven't stumbled across another 'for sale' ad that matches it yet, and I'm up to 1985 going through my old mags.

 

Very good point Grant. Perhaps we have to now assume the car in the picture is not the one described in the advert.

Mark

 

The car is also listed with Brian Classic in the November 1975 issue of MotorSport magazine.
The black and white photo with the car show it fitted with Cromadora wheels as opposed to the Borrani wheels as above.

Paul
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Shot in the dark...does anyone show a Daytona ever being owned by Sir Richard Prince Smith?

Paul

 

Yes, I completely skipped over the part that clearly says 'M reg.' in the pic of the ad that *I* posted. D'oh!

 

No doubt the description references the very same car, but... a Plexiglas-nose MY1972 car (with a 1973/74 'M' plate)? Surely it would have been a pop-up headlight example?

My money's on that being either the wrong photo by mistake, or a library photo because the car hadn't been photographed yet.

Thoughts?

 

Right... looking at the photo again, it probably is a pop-up headlight example.

There's a tiny white spot/feature of some sort near the front headlight above the bumper, but while I originally thought this was a reflection from a side light, it probably isn't.

The band that looks like a Plexi nose on the front is most likely just a shadow from surrounding buildings.

The M-reg thing is a red herring as far as the year of the car goes. It is listed as a 1972 example, and the M-plate would have been issued between mid-73 and mid-74. We can assume that it was re-registered because it was on a cherished plate or even delivered outside the UK.

Now... does anyone know where chassis 15847 currently resides?

-Ed

 

Is s/n 14323 still alive?

-Ed

 

Very much so.

Mark

 

OK, so the car in the photo at the top of the thread is 14323, no? Was there another UK Daytona in this colour?

I'm certainly NOT saying that 14323 is the car in the ad, but more that the person who sent me that photo is mistaken in thinking that it was the special 'Hooper' Daytona described.

-Ed

 

So we need a picture of this special interior!

 

I have very little info on this, no idea where it is now, or colour, but it looks to be a 72 car and for some reason VLK 35M reg.!
I have the last owner as THE RT HON THE VISCOUNT CROSS
It might be worth tracking down the family to see if they know anything re the car?

 

Assheton Henry Cross, 3rd Viscount Cross (1920–2004)

The third Viscount had two daughters but no sons and on his death the vicountcy became extinct.

So, the challenge is finding the daughters.

 

There is no Ferrari with that reg listed on the DVLA M.O.T. Database although as it was Ed that pointed me in the direction of this tool I suspect he's already checked that.


https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/

 

There was no other RHD UK supplied Daytona in Nocciola. I agree the car at the head of this thread is #14323, which was incidentally sold new on wire wheels.

As for #15847, it is clearly the car in Brian Classic's advert. It was sold new to an S. Frank of 87 Winnington Road, London, N2 0TT. It was originally on EE plates from the factory which would easily explain the later "M" registration. In fact the VLK...M numbers were issued in central London between March & May 1974.

S. Frank also ordered it with a wood rim steering wheel. Perhaps he was the one with a penchant for wood, hence the dash !

Viscount Cross listed himself as the previous owner of the car in the 1980 FOC UK Register.

Mark Shannon

 

Contacted both the sisters via respective families. Will see what responses I get.

-Ed

 

Excellent news - walnut-dash Daytona in the ad is confirmed as 15847.

One of his daughters has been immensely helpful; I'm just hoping there's a photo of the interior somewhere!

-Ed

 

More good news - there are photos, including the all-important one showing the interior (anyone with pics of Silverstone club racing in 1977, or Mas du Clos from mid 1970s might have photos of it too...).

Perhaps unsurprisingly (given that Hooper did the work), the dashboard has similarities to a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow from the same period. I'm checking whether I can publish the pics here or not.

-Ed