Dear esteemed Ferraristi, I had an interesting visit to a local classic Ferrari shop today and we were admiring a spectacular 330 GTC. The shop owner told me that the underpinnings are the same as the 275 GTB and that it really is a very racy car to drive - nothing like the 330 GT 2+2 SII that I've driven before. Whilst I'm very happy to believe the latter statement, I've also heard from people in the know that the 330 GTC is more of a touring Ferrari and can't be compared with the 275 GTB. More like a vintage 550 Maranello if you will - sporting but not racy. What are people's opinions? Is it a (much?) more sedate car than the 275 GTB? I'm very keen to hear your informed assessments. Interesting in this regard is perhaps Paul Frere's assessment: "The greatest surprise is the silence of the engine. In handling, the 330 GTC is exactly like all the other Ferraris I've driven before. But the most impressive feature of the handling is the solidness with which it changes direction, particularly in the S bends, where it tracks with the same precision as a modern race car". Onno
I've only once had the opportunity for a short drive (as a passenger) in a short-nose 275, within city limits, but I have been privileged to ride in a friend's 330 GTC on many occasions, most notably a 135-mph run to Lime Rock on the NY Thruway. While I am in no position to compare the performance of the 275 GTB and the 330 GTC, I can attest that the 330 is a truly high-performance vehicle. Most importantly, it corners quite flatly, and without any drama. Fred
Proving, once again, how much a car's appearance influences it's popularity. I have had all varieties of GTB's and GTC's and have found their driveabilty equally enjoyable. Of course the seats in the GTB are much better suited to fast driving, and I have found that, with my short legs, I needed a pillow behind me in a GTC. So for me personally the GTB is a better fit.
I previously owned a short-nose 275GTB and currently have a 365GTC (extra 20hp on the 330GTC, but same overall). I thought them both a blast to drive, found the GTB a tighter but nicer fit (I'm 5'10") and a great handling car. I only bought the 365 after a spirited drive, and was shocked at how well it handled and ran. Now it's one of my favorite cars to drive anywhere.
Never driven a 275 so can't comment on those but I have driven a 330GTC and more recently a 330GTS, both are as sporty as you would want a 60's Ferrari to be. Would like to drive a 365GTC sometime Properly (I did have a short drive round the block in one once) the extra grunt should make it a real hot rod in a dinner jacket.
I've never driven or spent any time in a 275 GTB but I have spent some time behind the wheel of both GTCs (330 and 365). They are great driving cars and are much sportier than they appear - far more so than the Ferrari 2+2s of the same era.
Onno, You already know my opinion: I think the 330 GTC is the pick of the bunch. The 275 looks sportier and the interior is a little more 'confined', but I'd love to see how they compare in laptimes on a racetrack. Apart from the comparison, how could you say no to a classic 4 litre V-12 in such a sexy suit?
Having just redone the suspension on my 330GTS, I can say that, near as I can tell, the suspension appears identical to the suspension found on the 275GTB. (There may be subtle differences between the various iterations of GTB, but I'm not knowledgeable enough to spot them offhand). Incidentally, the suspension setup is totally different on a 330 GT2+2, which has a live rear axle. The shared component between them is the 330 engine, hence the confusion. I've found that the 365GTC feels like a much faster car when driven back to back with a 330GTC. It's essentially the same car with slightly bigger everything - engine, brakes, gearbox. In terms of which is the desirable car - the market says 275GTB, but not all 275 GTBs are created equal and/or drive the same, so in some cases I personally think it's a matter of the properly engineered examples of the 275 propping up the ones with faults.
The 330 GTC is a delightful and "affordable" condensation of 60's Ferrari desirability. You can use it a tourer with grunt or drive it into the bends with full abandon: it sings and pulls for ever. If only it didn't have that horrid plastic-polluted woodish dashboard staring at the driver it would be the PERFECT Ferrari. Mine also benefits from powerful "modern" A/C and music equipment (seldom used, but great at times). I could live with it as a daily driver. It's really a perfect balance. Cheers, Julio
As an owner I've had quite a bit of seat time in a 330GTC. I am always impressed with it. The car feels stable in all conditions; the engine pulls like a turbine; I'm comfortable in the car and like the fact that outward visibility is excellent. My only experience with a 275GTB was on a tour with another forum member. I drove it briefly and gingerly, not wanting to take chances with somebody else's treasure. The engine seemed to be more responsive than the 4 liter and liked to rev more. The handling seemed more nervous and less planted than the GTC, but that could be down to chassis setup or tires. I enjoy both cars immensely, and, if money were no object I'd have the GTB, because it's just SO DAMN SEXY!! Jack.
Definately more towards racy than "wafty". I have the pleasure of owning a 330 GTC and can say it is a suprisingly good handling car, regardless of its age. It's rather quick as well. At 2,866 lbs and 300 hp, its 9.5 lbs/HP. I have not had the pleasure of driving a 275 GTB but based on power to weight and it's higher reving engine I would expect it to feel a bit quicker and sportier. A 275 GTB/4 is 2663 lbs & 300 HP = 8.87 lbs/HP. Bonus points for 6 carbs as well!
Well, there is so much subjectivity in a discussion like this that it is hard to know where to go. I owned a 365GTC and I loved it, as fast as a Daytona to 100MPH or so, I like the way it looks, the AC worked good and as an extra bonus blew the cold air on the driver instead of the windshield. It was a very sweet car, but as a five foot 8 inch tall person with short legs, I could never really get comfortable in it. It is perfect for taller people, but after 67 years of being this tall, I suspect changing cars is the answer. It sold it after I bought a 275GTB, the one JTL is afraid to drive, and the 275 revs quicker than the 365, and definitely quicker than the 330, although I confess to never driving a 330 GTC since GTL is afraid to offer up. The 365 motor just feels more spirited. I think the suspension is essentially the same, and I bet the same drivers could post very similar times over the same course with either car. AC is definitely better in the 330 or 365. Malcolm bJTL is correct about handling, at least with my car. It is planted and stable with a little throttle, if you lift it seems a little loose, guess how I control that.
I weighed my 330GTC at a track event at Charlotte Motor Speedway......3,180 lbs with 1/2 tank of gas.
Most critical for a true comparison is not the comparative state of the body and seats, but the comparative state of the suspension and drive train. Too often a particular car is assessed based on a single drive in an example with old tires, mis balanced shocks and springs, bad bushings etc, then that review is read and absorbed on this site as tribal knowledge. There are about 250 surviving 330GT Series IIs, anyone want to guess what portion of those are really set up right? Who out there is really driven one that was? There are a higher portion of the 200 produced 275 GTSs that survive, but again a fair portion are badly neglected underneath, and handle poorly. Who out there has driven a truely well set up one with fresh rubber and bushings? The GTBs much higher price today has generally kept them in better suspension tune, why? Because the guys that plop down one million for a car typically have their PPI insure a nearly new example and the cost of all the fresh suspension is immaterial where as it is a material portion of those models just mentioned. Never forget that in 1967 when these cars were new, and the guys who bought them could buy anything in the Ferrari showroom, the 330GT 2+2 cost MORE than a 275GTB yet the 330GT 2+2 consistently outsold the 275GTB. M
Good point here, the best thing I did for the 275GTB was rebuilding the suspension, shocks, brakes and wheels. It drives like a new car, light steering, lots of suspension movement, no rattles or crashing sounds, a really good investment. Did the same for the Daytona with equally good results, except for the light steering part. Malcolm
I guess I can make a few comments here, as I have done in the past. I bought my GTC, #10795, in November, 1975. Having put well over 110,000 miles on it, I can truthfully say that I really know the car, perhaps better than most. I have repainted the car, rebuilt the transaxle, replaced various bearings and suspension components, done a valve job on the right cylinder head and many little odds and ends that are not immediately apparent. I upgraded the cooling fans (FIAT), alternator (GM) and coils (Bosche) for better reliability. I installed a modern stereo (JVC) and designed a relay reversing ciruit to allow the use of permanent magnet DC motors for the power windows. I designed and built my own exhaust systen, as described in another post. I do all my own work on the car. Although it has garnered its share of show trophies, it is not nor have I ever intended it to be a show car - it's an everyday driver, PERIOD. In South Carolina, where I now reside, the GTC is often seen parked in front of the local post office, hardware store, supermarket, Walmart or any of a number of local restaurants. When I had my auto repair business, I often used it to pick up a load of tires, filling both the trunk and interior. It might have also been seen at Lowes or Home Depot with a couple of bags of mulch in the trunk or a small tree sticking out the window. My Siamese cat, Enzo (RIP) loved to ride on the rear parcel shelf, enjoying the sun. He left gray cat hair all over the black interior but that was easy to clean. When living in the Northheast, I attended many FCA track events and ran the car hard on the track. Then I usually drove it to work the next day. Although a bit uncomfortable in city traffic due to a Daytona clutch, it is still a magnificent road car. It's comfortable, as the stereo, heat and air conditioning work perfectly. I have taken it on a variety of long trips with only a few minor incidents. When I bought it (sight unseen!!!) in Georgia, I drove it home to Rochester, NY, approximately 950 miles. When I moved to South Carolina, everyone said to have it transported. Nope, I drove it - around 600 miles. At times, I was criticized for painting it a non-original color as well as for installing non-factory components. Many said that doing so as well as driving it daily would destroy the resale value, ruining my investment. Truth be told, I have NEVER thought of the GTC as an investment. I bought it to drive and enjoy, which I have been doing for nearly thirty four years. Bottom line, it's just a car. There are a few inherent flaws, all easily overlooked. Every so often, I think about selling it. A spirited drive immediately erases those thoughts!!! When I depart this life, the car will go to a dear friend of mine, to do with as she pleases. For what it's worth, Bob Z.
It's very nice to hear stories about a car that is clearly so well loved. I would perhaps not have made the same decisions as you (e.g. modern stereo) but I think your car is a darn side luckier than a lot that are only polished and never driven. Thanks for the stories and keep enjoying your wondrous machine. Onno
Interesting Bob, and well done. I am a purist at heart and never intended to modify my GTC in any way, but little by little my attitude has changed with this particular car. It is just so useable and fun to drive that I have been using it much more than I intended, clocking up over 1500 miles every fair-weather month. Inevitably I have uprated the fans, the A/C, the alternator, other bits and pieces, and installed a hidden, IPod ready music system of high power and quality. I don't see having a 330 GTC as an investment; it demands to be used (and sometimes abused).
As a longtime friend of Bob Z. (and one on whose Ferraris he has worked his magic!), I can attest to the degree to which he enjoys his GTC, and to his ingenuity (he is, after all, an engineer!) in crafting long-term solutions to various Achilles heals of Ferraris in general and the 330 GTC in particular. Just as John Corbani epitomized the use and enjoyment of the Dino, Bob does the same for the 330 GTC. I once had the privilege of storing his GTC in my garage over the winter while he attended to one of my Dinos, and could not resist the occasional peak under the car cover to satisfy my winter Ferrari cravings. The GTC is definitely one sexy Ferrari! Fred
