Type A Daytona

There was a discussion of this on the old board; search in archives. I seem to recall that it really meant flip up headlights, rather than the plexi-nose, but has been misinterpreted to mean that the engine is hotter. G. Rousch has discussed this on the old board; i'd have to check if he addresses it in his now out of print book, which i have a copy of somewhere. Anybody else?

 

My understanding is that it simply means a Euro spec car produced after the flip up headlamps became standard. To my knowledge, its that simple. I have heard of people saying the A code cars had specials engines or more power.... but I dont think there is any basis in fact for that.

Terry

 

I remember reading something that the A was added in the first few series. Like 365 GTB/4A, Don't know what it meant, Maybe I can look it up.

 

I have done extensive research into this, and determined the following. The type A designation was used during the changeover to electrically operated headlamps. As the US cars could not be fitted with the plexiglass cover, they had the "pop-ups" instead. Eventually all production went this route, but during the transition the A designation was used to identify such cars. I have searched all the Parts Manuals and Shop Manual on the Daytona looking for listings of other pistons and cams, but nothing is published. Consequently, to my knowledge there is no engine differentiation. The factory "Comp Daytonas" (15) used stock engines initially, and eventually the last batch had higher compression and more radical "P6" cams with a little more lift and duration. There was also an ultra-rare 3.90:1 final drive gearset available. However these parts were not used on production cars, including the "Type A".