1967 Ferrari 330 P4 Driving - Source Alexandre Prevot from Nancy, France, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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History Of Ferrari 330 P4
The Ferrari P series was the racing prototype that garnered accolades throughout the 60s and the early 70s. Enzo Ferrari was not overly enthusiastic about the project in the initial stages despite one of the rivals dominating the F1 circuits. However, the brand ultimately started its production of prototype racing cars with Dino V6 engines in the early 60s.
There were a lot of different models including the 250 P, 250 LM, and 275 P and it was only after their immense success on the tracks, Ferrari started working on the 330 P models. The 250 LM and 330 P4 have also made it to out list of rarest Ferrari’s ever made. Even the 330 P has several variations with significant updates like the P2, P3, and finally, the P4 which was introduced in 1967. Since the Ferrari P3 was not a huge success, it increased the expectations from the 1967 330 P4 and it is safe to say that the latter incredibly lived up to it.
Related
Ferrari 300 P4 Iterations
The 1967 Ferrari 330 P4 is among the rarest cars from the brand as only four units with chassis numbers 0846, 0856, 0858, and 0860 were ever manufactured. Out of these, only the 0846 was built on an existing P3 chassis while the remaining three were built afresh. Those three were originally Berlinetta but the P3/P4 was designed as a Spyder due to the absence of its roof.
However, the Berlinettas were also converted into Spyders for the Brands Hatch Circuit and the 0858 and 0860 were ultimately converted into 350 Can-Ams. The 0856 chassis 330 P4 remained as the Spyder and it is the only one from the four that still survives. It has been transferred from one owner to another throughout the years and the record sale was $8.1 Million in 2009.
Design and Performance Of Ferrari 330 P4
The Ferrari P4 came with the same V12 engine as the P3 but it went through a rigorous redesign by Franco Rocchi. What made the 330 P4 so special was the formula one-inspired three-valve cylinder head that used two for the inlet and one for the exhaust. The Lucas injection ensured an impressive power output of 450 hp at 8,000 rpm. The 5-speed manual gearbox was as smooth as it should be and the top speed of 210 MPH was truly hard to match.
The tubular steel frame came with independent suspensions in the front and back alongside anti-roll bars and telescopic shock absorbers and coil springs for incredible ride quality. The rack and pinion steering delivered swift handling and the 15-inch wheels with disc brakes offered superior grip and stopping power. The wheelbase was slightly shorter than its predecessor and the two-seater sports car had an ideal weight with accurate balancing.
Ford vs Ferrari
Ferrari was already a popular name thanks to its performance on the tracks during the 50s and 60s and the brand soon found a rival in Ford. The latter wanted to buy Enzo’s company to establish its dominance in the automotive world but the negotiation did not go it’s way. Furious with the Failure, Ford built an incredible racing car that truly dominated the circuits igniting the rivalry between the two brands.
The 330 P4 was the answer from Ferrari that successfully buried the failures of the P3. The Ferrari 330 P4 in 1967 won the 1000 km Monza as did the P3 in 1966. In the 1967 24 Hours of Daytona, two P4s and one 412 P finished together for a photo finish. The cars, numbered 0846, 0856, and 0844, took first, second, and third place respectively, in a strategic move to counter Ford’s iconic photo of the Ford GT40 Mk II.
