Retro 70s supercar SO rare only 26 were ever made hits auction for eye-watering price – & there’s a world’s first inside

A LEGENDARY Ferrari - believed to beryllium conscionable 1 of 26 - is acceptable to spell for £450,000 astatine auction.

The classic 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 'Daytona' Berlinetta is up for merchantability astatine RM Sotheby's.

The Daytona was built successful Modena by Ferrari subsidiary Scaglietti lone 3 years aft Ferraris' cleanable expanse astatine the American racing way successful 1967.

The car boasts the beautiful wood-rimmed steering wheel, achromatic leather dashboard and tan leather seats with reddish leather inserts.

Its eye-catching metallic golden overgarment is besides a bully touch, and is conscionable 1 of 26 primitively finished by Nocciola Metallizzato.

It was certified by Ferrari Classiche successful September 2023 and recovered to retains its matching-numbers motor and transaxle.

“Launched astatine the 1968 Paris Motor Show, the 365 GTB/4 soon became universally referred to arsenic the ‘Daytona’ successful honour of the Scuderia’s one-two-three effect astatine the 1967 Daytona 24 Hours,” states the RM Sotheby's listing.

“It featured the latest 4,390-cc Tipo 251 improvement of Gioacchino Colombo's celebrated V-12. With a 9:1 compression ratio positive dry-sump lubrication and six Weber carburettors, it was bully for 352 horsepower astatine 7,500 rpm.

“While the Daytona did execute contention success—Charles Pozzi-entered cars won their people astatine Le Mans successful 1972, 1973 and 1974—this was chiefly a roadgoing expansive tourer, built to screen agelong distances astatine immense speed.

“Ordered caller successful January 1971 by W.J. Skelly, the Managing Director and proprietor of the Skellys Ford dealerships, chassis 14323 was nary modular specification example.

“Mr Skelly stated that helium wanted his Daytona to beryllium finished with Nocciola Metallizzato overgarment (metallic golden successful colour), and the Connolly Leather to beryllium successful “light” Beige.

“He made 2 further requests: the archetypal being a wood-rimmed steering instrumentality to beryllium fitted alternatively of a leather rim; and for the car to beryllium supplied with Borrani ligament wheels and three-ear knock-off hubs.

"This was not lone a sublime specification, but Mr Skelly’s Daytona became 1 of conscionable 26 examples of the exemplary that Ferrari would overgarment successful Nocciola Metallizzato.

“Collected from Maranello connected 9 July 1971, the car arrived successful the UK aboriginal that month. A transcript of a missive connected record from Mr Skelly notes that helium would clasp disconnected registering the car until the caller year.

“Copies of an invoice from Thompson Doxey Export of Southport amusement that the 12,000-mile work was carried retired with the odometer speechmaking 11,418 miles, portion the car had backstage registration fig “MN 2108”.

“As per the documentation disposable to presumption connected file, this Daytona was acquired by Dick Lovett of Swindon connected 1 April 1973 and was sold to the adjacent owner, Mr Brian See connected 1 August 1975.

“It was aboriginal registered connected 29 October 1976 to Mr Robert ‘Bobby’ Bell, co-founder of Bell & Colvill Ltd, the renowned Lotus and Morgan dealership, arsenic the adjacent owner.

“Painted successful reddish astatine his clip of acquisition with the odometer reported astir 25,000 miles, chassis 14323 remained successful Mr Bell’s attraction until his passing successful 2017.

"There are aggregate invoices and MoTs connected record that item the mileage and attraction of this Ferrari Daytona.

“In 2015, Mr Bell purchased £4,400-worth of motor components and past had the motor rebuilt by the Ferrari specializer Vincent Mezzullo of Guildford, Surrey. The enactment was carried retired portion the odometer work astir 35,000 miles.

“Acquired by the consigning proprietor successful 2017, they sent chassis 14323 for Ferrari Classiche certification, and the car was granted an all-important Red Book connected 19 September 2023.

“Invoices connected record item a outgo of £9,000 for the certification and a further £9,500 spent connected attraction successful the autumn of 2022. Upon inspection by Ferrari, it was recovered to clasp its matching-numbers motor and transaxle.

“Today, this Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona is presented successful reddish implicit a tan leather interior with reddish inserts.

“Chassis 14323 is accompanied by invoices and MoTs dating to the aboriginal 1990s, on with a study from marque adept Marcel Massini, and copies of the archetypal bid documentation from Tony Willis.

“The conveyance is further complemented by Ferrari manuals, a instrumentality kit, spare wheel, and its Classiche Red Book. Previous MoT certificates let the odometer to beryllium traced from 31,000 miles successful 2006 up to the existent odometer speechmaking astatine the clip of cataloguing, which is 38,166 miles.”