It’s certainly easy to adopt a doomsday approach to the collector car hobby, projecting that all of the special cars have been found and put up for sale. But we still see plenty of evidence that exceedingly rare and valuable machines are hiding in plain sight, even if they’re not exactly parked at the local bodega. This 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 listed here on Gooding & Co. website will go up for auction at the annual Amelia Island Auctions and has supposedly been holed up with one owner for the last 50 years.
The projected sale price of this Ferrari is staggering, with Gooding predicting a final number in the range of $3M-$3.5M. That’s a nice payday for the individual who had the foresight to keep this DOHC, V12-powered exotic in unrestored, original condition for all of these years. The shape is perhaps one of the most recognizable Ferraris, easily in the top 10, with its enclosed headlights up front and the single circular lenses out back. The seller notes this Ferrari has been repainted from its stunning original color of Blue Chiaro and you can see traces of that factory paint job in some of the listing photos.
That, to me, is the most compelling feature of this 275, outside of its impressive rarity. The condition is as authentic as it gets, with plenty of paint flaws visible in the photos along with pitting on the wheels, creases on the bucket seats, and surface rust on the mufflers. This is a driver-quality Ferrari if there ever was one, and the fact that we’re seeing this car in unrestored condition is a treat. However, even as an unrestored car, the condition of the interior still speaks to this Ferrari being well-loved by previous caretakers, with the first – and last – American owner being Donald Miller, Jr. of Lincoln, Massachusetts, who owned this and several other desirable vintage Ferraris.
Before that, this 275 was owned by Jo Siffert, a Swiss racing driver, adding to the car’s impressive provenance. The V12 offers an impressive 300 horsepower routed through a 5-speed manual box. Like almost every exotic, the level of performance equipment relative to the year it was made is impressive, incorporating four-wheel disc brakes, independent suspension, and six Weber 40 DCN carburetors. Even better than those details, however, is that the Ferrari retains its numbers-matching drivetrain, along with other original details such as factory glass and knock-off spinners still present. All in all, the final bid estimate is hardly a surprise given the impressive original condition on display here.
Photos Copyright and Courtesy of Gooding & Company, Images by Joshua Sweeney.
Man what a find, I wish I made a purchase like this just have to travel back 40 years XD!
Just set the Wayback Machine to December 14, 1970. A couple of years ago I was having my Lotus worked on at a shop near me. The owner had worked at the local Ferrari dealer in the 60s and 70s. We were talking about the crazy prices of collector cars. He showed me an invoice from 1970 for the sale of 4 used Ferraris to another dealer. Included in the sale were 2 – 1967 275 GTB/4s, 1 – 1965 275 GTS, and 1 – 1963 250 GTO. They were sold for between $6,500 and $7,700 for the GTO. As he said, they were just used cars at the time.
Living in Chicago in the ’70s, I remember a red ’63 GTO in an alley behind North Pine Grove with a for sale sign for $5,000 … making minimum wage at the Jewel I could only sigh in resignation as I got in my ’59 Bel Air …
275 GTB4s were about $10k new.
Is 1970 that far back? That is about the time I “thought” that some of the really cool 250s would come down to my price range in a couple of years or so. They were expensive to repair used cars that were depreciating and I wouldn’t have pay for labor. I’m trying to remember the asking price when Augie Pabst was selling a 250 TR in an ad in the back of Road and Track. It was a used, older race car then.
I remember seeing ads like that in the back of Road & Track in the early 1970’s when I was in my teens. Even then I knew it was an amazing opportunity. I also knew that that was as close as I would ever get. No regrets though. Keeping one of these cars properly was likely a full time job in itself.
They say that the Jaguar E-Type is the most beautiful car in the world. I beg to differ. This Ferrari 275 GTB-4 is the all-time best, at least in my eyes.
I agree!
I agree. This has always been my dream Ferrari if I could afford one. Maybe I’ll find one in a Barn someday.
Enzo himself said the E type was the most beautiful car ever.
Maybe he did; maybe he didn’t. Does that really seem like the kind of thing he’d say?
If he said it, it was in 1961, and he was probably right for that year, but time marches on.
I respect your opinion, John H., because beauty is in the eye of the beholder. However, when I look at the frontal view of this Ferrari, I see a fish. As for the profile, I see nothing special–only something mundane. From the back it looks alright to me, but nothing special. To my eye the original length wheelbase E Type is a beautiful sculpture. Even a 1970 Corvette Stingray with the base 300 horsepower engine looks way nicer. To each his/her own.
Just Enzo’s opinion wasn’t it?
Pretty nice, obviously, but why sit on an only five year old car? Sit on it for 50 years? Even then, there were people who didn’t have to worry where the next meal was coming from.
Like to see the untouchable cars but it just loses some points being unobtainable in my blue collar mind . Want to see me get on a soap & preach how wonderful a car is ? Show the 1970 Corvette 454 & yes regardless of what the peanut gallery says a a solid lifter 350 or even the scared Camaro 302 would be getting a curtain when the big bad Rat showed them his heels ! Just because a hater says something doesn’t make it true just examine the facts.
“Doomsday approach”? Right here, and for good reason. We all know, and I mean no disrespect to the site, but GENERALLY, not many here are Ferrari bound. A car of this magnitude shouldn’t be found in a barn, and “barn” could mean many things. SIX Webers, what’s the worst that can happen, sorry, fun stuff, makes the site what it is, but I don’t see many “BarnFinders” tooling around in a Ferrari. An AMC Hornet, yes, a Ferrari, no.
BTW, some research showed, the jury is still out on what Ferrari said about the XKE. Some say he said that, others claim he had too much wine, and never confirmed he actually said that.
While many “BarnFinders” may not be candidates for buying a Ferrari (new or vintage), that does not preclude them from appreciating or critiquing the marque. Barn Finds members appear to have eclectic taste in automobiles, why deny them the opportunity to view and read about an out of the ordinary
and very valuable survivor? It would be interesting to see a survey of members’ past and current car ownership.
BTW, the auxiliary driving lamps on the seller’s Ferrari look out of place. I much prefer the looks of the 1959-61 Ferrari GT swb Berlinetta that has better placement of the driving lights.
Bingo! It’s why I’m here. We all have Ferrari taste on an Escort budget.
I have to disagree. No, I’m never going to own a Ferrari. But I still like to look at them and read about them.
I’m at the stage, that I don’t even read about 1st gen Camaros or Mustangs. I don’t even read 356 or 911 articles anymore. And I can’t remember the last time I read a Jaguar article. I love them all, but I’ve lost interest.
I do read 924, 944, 928, Fox body Mustangs, AMX, Javelin, hot rods, Lotus, Jensen, MG, Triumph, TVR, Alfa, Lancia.
If you don’t think this car should be here. Don’t read the article. And don’t comment. No one is harmed.
I agree wholeheartedly with several other readers in that we read Barn Finds because we share a love for all classic cars – from Ferraris to Fiats. Whether this is or is not a genuine ‘barn find’, I really don’t care, it´s still a sight to behold. Incidentally, my compadre Alvin Acevedo from Venezuela recently pulled a Ferrari 275 GTB/4 out of the living room of a house in the Caracas Country Club. They’re still hiding away out there, most of them in barns.
I have driven an alloy bodied 275 long nose once and they are truly specular especially in the day. I have also seen in the shop I work at a 275 and a E-Type side by side. To me the 275GTB look heavy and even fat compared to the E-Type. And that applies to both the convertible and coupe versions. HOWEVER the Ferrari is in many ways a much easier car to work on.
That big hood on the E-Type is part of it’s beauty but if you ever have to remove it, it is a massive pain to put back on right. Oh and have a team of 5 to 6 people helping you to fit it. Been there and done that too often. Now as one that has driven both I love the extra power of the Ferrari but I love the feel of the Jag better. I think I would rather have the Jag as a car to live with and even as a show car. Sir Lyon got it right the first time. That man had an excellent eye for shape and form.
Yes, Sir Lyon deserves much credit for the E-type, but it was Malcom Sayer who actually created the design.
It’s been over 50 years since I drove a 275 long nose but I have fond memories of it. The Jag doesn’t have a bad sound till you compare it to the Ferrari.
Back in about 1975 my gal and I went to a gas station in Hollywood that served as a place where owners would bring their cars to sell when it was closed on Sundays. We went to look at a Jaguar XK-150. While there, we looked at two Ferraris owned by one guy . A 275 GTB and a 275 GTS! He wanted $13,000 each or $25,000 for both! I loved the GTB. I think they’re beautiful, but liked convertible back then. I couldn’t decide, so never even thought about how to come up with the Money! We didn’t buy the Jaguar either. Bought another XK150 Still own it.
Oh, and I still have the “Gal” I married her too!
Bob
Not my favorite Ferrari from that era. Still a heck of a barn find. I wouldn’t kick it out of bed for eating crackers.
This one made me sit up and take notice. Why? My first mechanics job was in 1973 in a small independent garage in Toughkenamon Pa. The owners brother owned a 67 Ferrari red with black interior, v12 with 6 webers. First thought was wow could it be the same car? I did get to work on it, don’t remember getting to drive it. One you don’t soon forget.
Having driven and worked on a 275 4cam and a couple Dino’s both 246 & 308 and XKE’s although they all have their own feel. I think the 246 Dino was the best driving of them. But did like the robust drivetrain of the Jag.
my brother in law had an aluminum 4 cam, fly yellow. sold it in 1993 I think for $275,000, a record at the time. my guess is that he’s kicking himself for not holding on to it.
What an era the 60’s were. E-types, Split window’s, Fastback Mustangs and then the 250’s and 275 Ferrari’s. All stunning and all so different. Amazing that the alloy body version of this car (275GTB/C) weighed 600 pounds less than the Z06 Corvette and 300lbs less than even the Corvette Grand sport. All while sporting V12’s.
In 1967 when I was 13 my father took me on a business trip to Rome. We visited the Ferrari dealer and looked at this car and the 330 GTC. I still have the Ferrari sales brochures for both cars. In 1965 he had purchased, a new loaded Corvette, coupe for 1/3 the price of the Ferrari, and that’s all he could afford at that time. He had raced TCs with Dick Thompson after the war. Corvettes came later.
We also stopped by the Lotus dealer to check out the new Renault powered Europa for the fun of it. What a trip.
I love the way you say unrestored, original condition and repainted from Blue in the same paragraph.
To me calling this a “Garage Find” is stretching the truth quite a bit. Not a single person will ever “forget” that they have a red vintage Ferrari sitting in their garage, just to accidently “find” it one day.
The article even mentions that it was driven sparingly since 1974.
I don’t think the driving lamps were put there by Ferrari. It’s the only 275 that I’ve seen with them. They block the turn signals too.
If Jo Siffert put them there, it may add to the value.
Off the top of my head I can think of three celebrities who owned Ferrari 275 GTBs like this one. Hollywood’s two “coolest” ever: Steve McQueen (a red one) and Clint Eastwood. (a silver one). Also, in 1966 Roger Vadim bought a blue one for his then new bride–Jane Fonda. She got to hang on to hers for close to six decades–until very recently, when she sold it at auction in Milan for a cool fistful of dollars: $ 2.715.000.
Peter Morris
Wasn’t Peter Morris the name of the gentleman that started importing parts and accessories shortly after WWII? The same magazines had ads into the 70s with him in white racing coveralls. “Here’s Peter”
Are you related?
I expect to be sure of his name and the name of the business that was in New York at about 3am.
I haven’t heard from or of him in 30 years.
February 29, 2024
SOLD $2,920,000