The 330 LMB offered here is the very car shown at the March 1963 Ferrari conference to launch the
Scuderia’s latest 4.0-liter prototype racing Berlinetta. It is one of just four examples of the 330 LMB produced;
and in today’s crowded classic Ferrari market, 4381 SA is a truly historic and electrifying find for collectors of
the rarest classic V12 Ferrari racing cars. Designed to compete in the 4-liter experimental prototype class in
FIA-sanctioned international racing for the 1963 season, the car’s epic 400 hp SOHC dry-sump V12 made the
330 LMB the first car ever to hit 300 km/h on Le Mans’ Mulsanne straight. S/n 4381 SA is the very car
featured at the March 1963 Ferrari Press Conference and was also used in a 1960’s Federico Fellini film.
Amazingly, taking into account the history of significant racing cars, s/n 4381 SA still sports its original body,
chassis, differential, engine and gearbox, which was Ferrari Classiche Red Book-certified in 2010. The 330
LMB is arguably superior and technically more advanced than the 250 GTO and also far rarer. 4381 SA was
raced at Sebring and Le Mans in 1963 and driven during that period by legends such as Michael Parkes,
Lorenzo Bandini, Jean Guichet and Pierre Noblet. 4381 SA was also prolific and successful in vintage racing,
driven by (among others) Le Mans champions Derek Bell and Tom Kristensen. This car presents an
unrepeatable opportunity to acquire one of Ferrari's most important, rare and sought-after racing cars.
While Ferrari’s competitors struggled to meet the demands of the new FIA rules for 1962, switching the World
Constructors’ championship from prototypes to 3.0-liter GT cars, Ferrari was ready with a wide array of
chassis, engines and complete cars, including the soon-to-become legendary 250 GTO. While the monstrous
sports racers were still allowed to compete as prototypes with a 4.0-liter displacement limit, and would
certainly continue to draw spectators to races, they were not eligible for championship points. Ferrari’s new
250 GTO met the GT rules for 1962 and, with its sleek bodywork, was measurably faster than any Ferrari race
car before it. These cars, which would quickly assume legendary status, were placed as quickly as they
could be produced into the hands of Ferrari privateer racing teams entrusted with scoring championship
points.
Nevertheless, Ferrari still felt it essential to field four-liter prototypes, given the intention of its longstanding
archrivals, Aston Martin and Maserati, to do the same. However, this strategy was not clear at first, since
Ferrari had not announced any four-liter prototypes at its annual press conferences and none were entered
into the first two championship rounds of the 1962 season, at Sebring and the Targa Florio, which Ferrari won
with a TRI/61 V12 and 246 SP V6 respectively. However, for the next race at Germany’s Nürburgring, Ferrari
brought a new four-liter prototype berlinetta styled quite similarly to the 250 GTO. Driven by Michael Parkes
and Willy Mairesse, this new car finished second behind Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien in a Ferrari 246 SP.
At Le Mans, Parkes put the 4.0-liter prototype into a sand bank on the first lap and he and Bandini eventually
retired in the seventh hour of the race. According to analysis by Michael T. Lynch, it is likely that chassis
3765 (2,400 mm wheelbase) was the 4.0-liter Ferrari berlinetta in both races. This car, plus chassis 0808, a
revised TRI sports racer with 4.0-liter V12 that won Le Mans with Hill/Gendebien, were the first 4.0-liter Ferrari
prototypes for 1962.
The 4.0-liter V12 (Tipo 163/566) featured dry-sump lubrication, a single overhead camshaft per cylinder bank
and six Weber 42 downdraft carburetors with open intake trumpets. Virtually identical to the engine used by
the 1962 Le Mans-winning 330 TRI, the engine produced roughly 400 horsepower at 7,000 rpm. Thanks to its
strong low-end torque, Ferrari engineers could mate this V12 to a four-speed gearbox. This new prototype
racer was designated the 330 LM Berlinetta, alternatively known as the 330 LMB. Just four were built – this
car, 4381 SA, 4453 SA, 4725 SA and 4619 SA. British driver and engineer Mike Parkes performed a great
deal of the development work to prepare the new car for its racing debut at Le Mans. A strong hint as to its
potential was realized on a Sunday morning test run on public roads from Modena to Bologna and back, with
Parkes at one point reaching 176 mph!
The 330 LMB offered here, 4381 SA, is the very car shown at the March 1963 Ferrari conference to launch the
Scuderia’s latest 4.0-liter prototype racing Berlinetta. It is one of just four examples of the 330 LMB produced
and in today’s crowded classic Ferrari market, 4381SA is a truly historic and electrifying find for collectors of
the rarest classic V12 Ferrari racing cars. The first race outing for the 330 LMB was at Sebring, where it ran
as number 19 with Mike Parkes and Lorenzo Bandini driving. There, a spin with Parkes at the wheel damaged
the fuel tank and forced the car’s retirement. Next, on the April 1963 Le Mans test days, Parkes and 4381SA
reached 300 km/h (186.4 mph) for the first time on the legendary Mulsanne Straight. 4381SA went on to
qualify second for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where it was entered for Pierre Noblet and Jean Guichet, and
retired. Sister cars there were 4725, entered by Maranello Concessionaires and driven by Sears/Salmon to a
fifth-place finish, and 4453, entered by NART for Gurney/Hall, who also retired.
Following its front-line factory racing career, 4381 SA was purchased in November 1963 by Cronograph Srl. of
Rome, a film production company, which had the car rebodied as a Spyder by Carrozzeria Fantuzzi in
Modena. Painted gold/black, 4381SA was used during the mid-1960s in the movie “Histoires Extraordinaires”
by legendary Italian producer Federico Fellini, released in 1968. While out of the public eye for the next
decade, 4381SA was eventually reunited with its original body by Fantuzzi in 1978 for its next owner, noted
collector Fabrizio Violati of “Collezione Maranello Rosso” renown. Next, 4381SA passed through David
Morrison of the UK to Harry Leventis and, during his tenure, the 330 LMB graced the world’s top vintage
racing events. These included the Ferrari Maserati Historic Challenge at Brands Hatch, Goodwood Festival of
Speed, Goodwood Revival Meeting, Le Mans Classic, the Dijon, Nürburgring, Spa Ferrari Days, Tour de
France Auto, Coys International Historic Festival at Silverstone and Tutte le Ferrari at Mugello and Vallelunga.
In addition to Mr. Leventis, many top-name racing drivers logged seat time in 4381 SA, including Derek Bell,
Tony Dron, Peter Hardman, Tom Kristensen, Emanuele Pirro, Bobby Rahal and Bobby Verdon-Roe. With
numerous podiums to its credit, 4381SA was driven by Hardman and Verdon-Roe to 1st Overall at the RAC
TT Celebration during the 2008 Goodwood Revival Meeting. In 2011, 4381SA was acquired by German
collector Friedhelm Loh and, most recently, acquired by the Consignor.
Certified by Ferrari Classiche in 2010 and accompanied by its all-important “Red Book”, 4381SA is
exceedingly rare as one of four examples of the potent 330 LMB racing cars ever produced. The interior
retains the original upholstery and, importantly, the aggressive and purposeful body remains undamaged.
Arguably superior to even the mighty and more numerous 250 GTO, this original Scuderia Ferrari factory
racing car simply represents an uncommon opportunity for the top echelon of today’s Ferrari collectors.
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