The heart of every Ferrari is the engine and the 365 GTC/4 is no different. Enzo was famously quoted as saying "I build engines and attach wheels to them" and his small-displacement, flexible, and high-revving V-12s are what his company's reputation is built upon.
Designated Tipo F101 AC 000, the GTC/4's powerplant was derived from the "Columbo" V12 originally designed by Gioacchino Colombo for Ferrari in 1947. It began life displacing 1,500cc and producing about 75 horsepower but in the 365 GTC/4 it displaced 4,390cc and made well over 300 bhp and would rev past 7,000 rpm. The 365 GTC/4 version was similar to the DOHC Tipo 251 60 degree V12 engine already used in the Daytona. Displacement of both these units was 4390cc thanks to a bore and stroke of 81mm x 71mm respectively. However, the F101 featured new heads, wet sump lubrication, a lower compression ratio of 8.8:1 and six side draught Weber 38 DCOE carburetors. Power for the European version was 340bhp at 7000rpm while Ferrari's North American version fitted with emissions equipment lost around 20bhp. But as a result of fitting side-draft carburetors, the Tipo F101's dimensions were wider and lower than with downdraught's, this allowing the GTC/4 to use a noticeably more shallow hood than the Daytona.
The engine block, sump, heads and auxiliary housings are all alloy castings made at the Ferrari factory in Maranello. Centrifugally cast steel cylinder liners are shrunk into the block and incline towards the heart of the engine, a 52-pound crankshaft, machined to close tolerances by stages from a 300-pound billet of steel.
In the GTC/4, the heads have horizontal intake porting and breathe straight in from each Weber carburetor throat, an arrangement that is actually more conducive to making power than the centrally located intake in the Daytona. The DOHC heads utilize two valves per cylinder at 45° included angle. Valve timing is 43-38-38-34, relatively mild for a Ferrari engine, and allows excellent torque delivery through a wide rpm range. The cams are driven directly via a very long roller chain. The wet-sump lubrication system holds 17 quarts of oil.
Outside the USA, the engines had no smog equipment and made 340 bhp.
US motors had two distributors, thermo flaps in the air cleaners, different igition, an air pump, vapor recovery, etc. and made 320 bhp.
US ignition used two capacitive discharge units from Magetti Marelli, mounted on each inner fender well.
Non-US motors had a single distributor feeding all 12 cylinders.
The engine block itself is not that large or complex.
The cylinder heads are massive, housing 2 overhead cams each. Intake is directly from each carb throat.
All cars had A/C, power steering and alternator mounted with pulleys facing the engine. US cars also had an air pump located below the alternator.
A complete euro engine showing single distributor is a sight to behold, and to hear.
The lovely 4.4 liter V-12 engine provides great power and torque and the exhaust system on the 365 GTC/4 makes a deep throaty rumble which is much more aggressive sounding than even that of the Daytona. Opening the hood always impresses. Everything comes in multiples with this car. The six side-draft carburetors necessitated by the low hoodline sit flat atop the motor, making it appear big and wide, which it is. In the center of the 4 camshafts are two oil filters to clean the 17 quarts of oil required by the engine, along with the complex throttle linkage required to open the 12 throats of those 38DCOE Webers. Tucked under the cowl is the spark distribution (two distributors on US models). In US models, each dizzy houses two sets of points and is sparked by a "Dinoplex" electronic coil unit mounted on each of the fender wells.
The 365 GTC/4's 5-speed gearbox is mounted conventionally behind the engine, rather than as a rear transaxle on the Daytona. The unit is built by Ferrari and has a more conventional (a.k.a. "normal") five-speed shift pattern rather than the Daytona's awkward dog-leg first gear, and an easier 9 1/2" Borg & Beck clutch. Shifting is direct and effortless but it lacks the traditional Ferrari gated shifter plate.
The rear axle has limited-slip with a ratio of 4.09:1. A closed driveline couples the transmission directly to the alloy differential housing, providing additional rigidity to the chassis. The engine, transmission, and transaxle are actually one rigid unit, coupled by a torque tube and mounted on four Silentbloc pads into the frame. Two of these are located on either side of the engine block, while the other pair are located on either side of the differential housing. Fore-and-aft movement is restricted by a longitudinal steady rod bolted to the transmission and the frame.
Photos from Ferrari Sales Brochure 55/71.
The GTC/4 used a welded tubular steel chassis designated Tipo F101 AC 100, this itself being clearly developed from Ferrari's Tipo 591 frame seen previously on the 365 GT 2+2, the model this new car was replacing. But Ferrari wanted the C/4 to appeal to buyers of both two-seat Coupes and larger 2+2s, so they cut 150mm from the wheelbase to give more sporting than touring characteristics. Having become familiar practice on all Ferrari's since the 1964 275 GTB, there was independent suspension all round and again, much like the 365 2+2, power steering as standard with hydraulic self-leveling rear ride height control.
Front suspension uses Koni shocks with coil-over springs and ATE disc brakes.
The chassis is a steel oval frame with independent suspension on all four corners.
ATE disc brakes use two lines to each caliper. Suspension is mounted to frame via clevis and solid bushes.
Rear suspension uses a traditional Koni coilover shock and a Koni load leveling unit in tandem.
A-arms and other suspension parts freshly plated.
The bare chassis of 15333 with bonded fiberglass firewall, floorpan, etc. removed.
14923 on the track. Controlled body roll.
15183 on the track. Not all Ferrari are just trailer queens.
Cromodora with 3-eared knockoffs.
Cromodora with hex knockoffs.
Borrani wire wheel with 3-eared knockoffs.
Borrani wire wheel with hex knockoffs.
The fully independent suspension incorporates light, forged a-arms built up in front and rear sections and coupled by flat plates. A-arm bushings are a highly sophisticated design utilizing precisely engineered chrome-plated steel bushes with greased pivot plates instead of mushy rubber bushes. Each corner of the car is attached to the oval-tube frame via four clevis bolts. Koni coil over springs and shocks provide movement and dampening while anti-roll bars front and rear control body movement, of which there is still a fair amount.
The 365 GTC/4 is fitted with a ZF power steering box having a 15.7:1 ratio. The feel is quite lively with good feedback. 7.5 X 15 in. 5-spoke Cromodora wheels cast in light alloy were standard but Borrani polished aluminum wheels with chromed steel wire spokes were optionally available. In both cases the wheels are attached via single hub knock-off wheel nuts. Three-ear knock offs were optional worldwide except in the United States where safety laws dictated hexagonal nuts. Michelin XWX radial tires in 215/70R15 size were state of the art in the early 1970s and still perform well today (they have been remanufactured through Coker Tire).
Photos from Ferrari Sales Brochure 55/71. Note rear suspension has both coil-over Koni shock and Koni load-leveler unit. Disc brakes are fail-safe design by Ate with two lines per caliper. Stub axles are threaded for single knock-off lug.
| Manufacturer: | Ferrari |
| Model: | 365 GTC/4 |
| Body Design: | Pininfarina |
| Designer: | Filippo Sapino |
| Price (in 1972): | $27,500 |
| Years made: | 1971-1973 (serial #s 13143-16349) |
| Total made: | 500 (180 in US) |
| Exterior Colors: | 48 Available |
| Interior Colors: | 10 Available |
| Chassis: | Steel tube frame with steel panels |
| Configuration: | Front engine / rear drive |
| Seating: | 2 persons |
| Designer: | Pininfarina |
| Weight: | 1730 kg / 3,823 lb (dry) |
| Distribution: | 51/49 |
| Length: | 4550 mm / 179.1 in |
| Width: | 1780 mm / 70 in |
| Height: | 1270 mm / 50 in |
| Track: | 1480 mm / 58.2 in |
| Wheelbase: | 2500 mm / 98.5 in |
| Engine | |
| Engine type: | F101 AC |
| Cylinders: | 12, in 60° V |
| Bore: | 81 mm / 3.19 in |
| Stroke: | 71 mm / 2.79 in |
| Capacity: | 4390 cc / 268 cu in |
| Compression: | 8.8 to 1 |
| Horsepower: | 340 bhp @ 6200 rpm (320 in USA) |
| Torque: | 318 lb-ft. @ 4000 rpm |
| Camshafts: | 4, dual overhead |
| Valves: | 2 per cylinder |
| Ignition: | 2 Marelli distributors |
| Fuel system: | 6 Weber 38DCOE 2-barrel carburetors |
| Lubrication: | Wet sump |
| Cooling: | Water |
| Driveline | |
| Gearbox Type: | Manual, all synchromesh |
| Gears: | 5 forward, 1 reverse |
| Engagement Ratios: |
1st gear - 1:2.492 29x38/26x17
2nd gear - 1:1.674 29x33/26x22 3rd gear - 1:1.244 29x29/26x26 4th gear - 1:1 29x26/26x29 5th gear - 1:0.801 29x23/26x32 Reverse - 1:2.416 29x34/26x17 |
| Clutch: | Single dry plate, 241.3 mm |
| Differential: | Hypodial with pivoting half-shafts |
| Reduction Ratio: | 11/45 |
| Suspension | |
| Steering: | Rack and pinion, power assisted |
| Front: | Independent, unequal length A-arms, coil springs, hydraulic tube shock absorbers, anti-roll bar |
| Rear: | Independent, unequal length A-arms, helical springs, hydraulic tube shock absorbers, anti-roll bar, oil pneumatic self-leveling system |
| Brakes: |
Dual hydraulic system, vacuum assist
front: 11.3 in. ventilated disc rear: 11.7 in. ventilated disc |
| Tires: | Michelin XWX 215/70 VR 15 in. tubeless radials |
| Wheels: | 7.5 X 15 in. 5-spoke Cromodora cast in light alloy or Borrani chrome wire spokes with knock-off hubs |
| Performance | |
| Lb/bhp: | 12.9 |
| 0-60 mph: | 6.7 seconds |
| 0-120 mph: | 18.0 seconds |
| Top speed: | 163 mph @ 6850 rpm |