Unveiled at the 1968 Paris Motor Show, the 365 GTB/4 marked the final front-engine V-12 gran turismo developed before Fiat assumed control of Ferrari road car production. Although never officially named by the factory, the model quickly became known as the “Daytona,” a nickname honoring Ferrari’s stunning 1-2-3 victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1967.

With modern styling, race-bred performance, and impeccable road manners, the Daytona was celebrated as the ultimate high-speed GT of its era. Designed by Leonardo Fioravanti at Pininfarina and bodied by Carrozzeria Scaglietti, it was a dramatic evolution from the 275 GTB/4. Beneath its long, low nose, a 4.4-liter, quad-cam V-12 – fed by six Weber carburetors – produced 352 bhp, propelling the Daytona to over 170 mph and from 0–100 km/h in just 5.4 seconds. Car and Driver called it “blindingly fast,” while Le Mans winner Paul Frère praised it as “a Grand Touring car par excellence.”

While the production Daytona was a masterpiece in its own right, Ferrari developed a small number of competition variants – just 15 factory-built cars, divided into three distinct series – between 1971 and 1973. Constructed by Ferrari’s Assistenza Clienti department in Modena, these were no mere modified road cars. Each was purpose-built to contest long-distance endurance events at the highest level.

Mechanical enhancements included high-compression pistons, high-lift cams, a cold air intake, and a side-exit exhaust system. Larger brakes, enhanced cooling, and revised fuel systems further improved reliability. Ferrari’s racing department evolved the formula with each series: The Series I cars (1971) featured aluminum bodies, flared arches, and produced around 435 hp; Series II cars (1972) had hybrid steel/aluminum bodies, upgraded wheels, and prioritized durability with about 400 hp. The final Series III cars, including chassis 16407 offered here, were built for the 1973 season with subtle body revisions but significant mechanical upgrades, raising output to an impressive 450 hp at 8,500 rpm.

Trusted to top privateer teams like Chinetti’s North American Racing Team (NART), Ecurie Francorchamps, Charles Pozzi SA, Scuderia Filipinetti, and Maranello Concessionaires, the Daytona Competizione quickly proved its worth. Ferrari’s prototype, chassis 12467, placed 5th Overall at the 1971 24 Hours of Le Mans – a remarkable debut. Once officially homologated for FIA Group 4, Comp Daytonas won the 1972 Tour de France Automobile and claimed GT class wins at Le Mans in 1972, 1973, and 1974, and at Daytona in 1973, 1975, and 1979 – an extraordinary record for a traditional front-engine GT racing against increasingly sophisticated competition.

The Daytona Competizione presented here, chassis 16407, was among the last examples built and is one of the ultimate Series III examples that was equipped, per Ferrari records, with “motore speciale.”

Completed in June 1973, chassis 16407 was delivered new to Luigi Chinetti’s North American Racing Team for immediate use at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Entered as car no. 6, it was driven by Milt Minter and Sam Posey. Despite a strong early pace – running as high as 6th Overall – a cracked piston ended their effort in the 21st hour. The Daytona’s potential, however, was undeniable.

Just weeks later, 16407 appeared at the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen, where Posey and François Migault drove it to a 6th place GT class finish and 14th Overall – a respectable result against fierce factory-backed rivals.

The car returned to Le Mans in 1974, again with NART, now wearing race no. 56 and driven by Jean-Claude Guitteny and Jean-Pierre Ethuin. This time, the Daytona reached the checkered flag, placing 11th Overall and 5th in Class. It was entered again in 1975, but withdrawn before the start along with all other NART entries.

In 1976, chassis 16407 passed into the hands of actor Robert Reed Carradine, who – alongside his racing partner, Dan Ward – continued the Ferrari’s competition career. In 1977, the duo entered the car in the 24 Hours of Daytona for Carradine and John Morton, though the car was damaged during night practice and did not start.

A month later, at the 12 Hours of Sebring, Carradine and Morton drove 16407 to a solid 17th Overall and 10th in Class, entered by Otto Zipper’s Modena Sports Cars. In 1978, the team returned to Daytona and delivered an impressive 3rd in Class, 8th Overall – strong results for a car that was now five years old.

Later that year, Carradine sold the car to Southern California Ferrari enthusiasts Bill Nicholas and Jim McRoberts, who recognized both the historical significance and the potential of the aging warrior. With encouragement from their Ferrari peers, the new owners decided to prepare the car for the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1979.

Knowing 16407 was nearing the end of its competitive lifespan, Mr. Nicholas and Mr. McRoberts committed to a full mechanical and cosmetic overhaul. Once completed, the car was entered once again under the Modena Sports Cars banner with veteran drivers Tony Adamowicz and John Morton.

Though underpowered compared to the dominant Porsche 935s, 16407 qualified 24th Overall. Then, on race morning, tragedy struck: team manager Otto Zipper was found dead in his hotel room. Shaken but determined to carry on, the team raced in his honor, adding a black diagonal stripe across the Daytona’s hood.

The race unfolded as a testament to perseverance. As faster cars fell by the wayside, the Ferrari ran flawlessly. Adamowicz and Morton drove without relief, keeping a steady pace that gradually moved the car up the order. By Sunday afternoon, against all odds, the six-year-old Daytona stood 2nd Overall and 1st in Class – its finest result.

After one final outing at Daytona in 1980, 16407 entered the world of historic motor sports. In 1983, it was acquired by John Giordano, a respected collector with a stable of significant competition Ferraris including a 512 S and a 275 GTB/C. Giordano raced 16407 extensively at events including the Monterey Historics, Sebring Vintage Races, and Shell Ferrari Maserati Historic Challenge.

Giordano owned the car for nearly 40 years before selling it to the current owner in 2020. Soon after, a concours-level restoration was undertaken by the renowned Ferrari experts at Motion Products Inc. in Neenah, Wisconsin. The goal: to return 16407 to its original 1973 Le Mans configuration, down to the smallest detail. The no-expense-spared restoration effort is extensively documented, with an impressive dossier of photos and invoices on file. The engine was rebuilt and dyno-tested, the body restored to period-correct finish and livery, and all systems brought to factory-correct specification.

Upon its August 2024 debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®, 16407 received the coveted Enzo Ferrari Trophy, a special award given to the most significant Ferrari present. At the FCA National Meet in Elkhart Lake, it received a Platinum Award. It remains in pristine, show-quality condition.

Accompanying 16407 is a correct tool kit, handbook folio, spare wheels, and an extensive documentation binder. Highlights include factory build records, the 1973 Le Mans Carnet de Pesage, period photographs, magazine features, and a report by Ferrari historian Marcel Massini.

As a genuine Series III factory competition car with a known, continuous history, 16407 is among the most desirable 365 GTB/4s in existence. It was delivered new to NART, raced at Le Mans in 1973 and 1974, and later captured a GT class win and 2nd Overall at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1979 – a remarkable swan song for Ferrari’s last front-engine GT racer. Cherished by two knowledgeable collectors for the past four decades and painstakingly restored to the highest standards by one of the foremost marque specialists, its presentation is beyond reproach.