1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 “Daytona”
H
is collection’s most valuable car is this 1972 Ferrari. Tymkiw took me for a ride in this special
machine. This is the predecessor to the BB, but in the past few years as the economic recovery
has bolstered demand for rare cars, its value has nearly doubled, to roughly 800 large.
This car’s performance was incredible for the time, with its 4.4-liter V-12 producing 0-60 numbers in just
over five seconds, and topping out at 170 mph. Tymkiw has certainly enjoyed its capabilities, putting around
3,000 miles on it in the dozen years he’s owned it. That may not seem like a lot, but many owners take a car this
valuable and lock it up hermetically. He likes to drive it about once a month and had been on a bit of a Daytona
kick when we met up for an outing.
For our drive, Tymkiw started the car and warmed it up before setting off. The car’s lumpy idle settled
down to a low rumble. From inside the car, at lower revs the noise is mostly mechanical, with the exhaust note
becoming apparent at higher ranges, along with its phenomenal pull.
“The BB growls, while this engine howls,” he says, proclaiming the Daytona’s wail to be “one of the best
sounds in the Ferrari brand.”
The driving experience can be a bit challenging due to the car’s weight and lack of power steering, along
with its heavy clutch and delicate gearbox. Tymkiw tends to avoid busy streets and even passed a gas station
because it would involve a left across traffic. But as a true grand tourer, it comes into its own above 80 mph. He
calls it an Italian muscle car, but marvels at its overall sense of balance, helped by the even-weight distribution
dictated by its rear transaxle.
Like most other Ferraris, including the cars he owns that hail from its factory, the Daytona was styled by
Pininfarina. He has a great deal of affinity for the emotive design that has emanated from this and other Italian
design houses, especially in the 1960s and ‘70s. A stunning work of art from any angle, the Daytona would be
the pride and joy of nearly any collection.
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