Introduced by Ferrari in 1965 to combat the Shelby Cobra’s dominance of the GT race category, the competition versions of the 275 GTB were produced in two very small series (with the exception of the prototype and three ‘speciale’ models).
The first was a series of ten cars, each with the ‘short-nose’ configuration, manufactured in 1965. The second series was produced in 1966, comprising 12 cars, all with a ‘long-nose’ design to counteract front-end lift at high speed. The factory referred to the first series simply as 275 GTB, with the /C suffix officially applied only to the second series of cars. To the untrained eye a Series II 275 GTB/C may look similar to a regular long-nose Berlinetta, but its steel chassis frame is lighter and stiffer, the lascivious body is made of waferthin 20-gauge aluminium that is half the regular
thickness, and the two-cam, 3.3-litre, V12 engine is race tuned, featuring a higher compression ratio, special internals and a dry sump. Behind the outer-laced Borrani wire wheels lies fully race-developed independent suspension.
A grand touring car this may technically have been, but a Series II 275 GTB ‘Competizione’was a thoroughbred racer, intended for those who took their motorsport very seriously. They were also the last GT cars to be constructed in the competition department at Maranello.
The existence of the 275 GTB competition cars is courtesy of a snub by the FIA in 1964, when GT category homologation for the mid-engined 250 LM was refused. Forced to race the LM as a prototype (very successfully so, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans outright in 1965), Ferrari decided to submit the 275 GTB
for homologation in the GT category. In a typically antagonistic feud between Ferrari and the FIA, however, the papers submitted noted a dry weight considerably below that
given in the sales literature for the street model, and the application was rejected in April 1965.
After the unsavoury situation with the 250 LM, Ferrari offered to accept homologation
at the weight stated in the sales literature, but the FIA turned the offer down. In pique, Ferrari stated that it would not enter any cars in the GT class that season, but media pressure brought both sides back to the negotiating table. A further submission was made and accepted in June 1965, with a homologated weight virtually midway between the two figures. However, by
this time the season was well advanced, and Ferrari’s chances of winning the title had all
but gone out of the window.The short-nose examples belatedly approved for homologation that year were very similar to the standard road versions, although all were fitted with aluminium bodies and
a six-carburettor set-up, both of which were options on the road car. Mechanically, the motor retained its wet sump, and the transmission was virtually unchanged.
For 1966, however, Ferrari ‘breathed upon’ the car to a greater degree with the introduction of the long-nose Series II. Apart from the aforementioned super-light aluminium body, the engine was provided with dry-sump lubrication. Oddly, another error in the submission of the homologation forms for the
new car omitted to mention the readily available six-carburettor option, thus the cars had to run with a triple-carburettor assembly. Specific to this series, a glorious trio of twin-choke Weber 40 DFI models were crowned with sculptural, rearward-facing, curved inlet trumpets.The compression ratio in the Tipo 213
competition engine was raised from the standard 9.2:1 to 9.3:1 using special pistons,
connecting rods and crankshaft, whilst Nimonic steel inlet and exhaust valves were fitted, the latter being sodium filled to aid heat dissipation. A larger-bore exhaust system, with two separate pairs of free-flow manifolds per bank, aided hasty exhaust-gas passage. The dry-sump catch tank was mounted in the front fender on the opposite side to the steering, with a flap on the fender to access the filler cap and dipstick, and an oil cooler was mounted forward of the water radiator. The transaxle was provided with a magnesium alloy casing, close-ratio gears and a strengthened limited-slip differential. To further reduce weight, the sump cover, bellhousing, timing chain and camshaft covers were also cast in magnesium alloy.Both 14in- and 15in-diameter road wheels were homologated, with a commensurate
increase in width to a maximum of 7in at the front and 7.5in at the rear, the latter
being available only in 15in diameter. These competition models were fitted with the largest homologated size, and this increased the track and necessitated slightly more bulbous front and rear fenders to provide adequate clearance for the Dunlop racing tyres. Another homologation feature was twin fuel tanks fitted low in the trunk, providing the same 140-litre capacity as before, with a gap between them for the then-mandatory suitcase space, the spare wheel being mounted horizontally above them.Naturally the car was devoid of any sounddeadening material, and further weight saving was achieved by drilling the hood, trunk and door-support frames. Inside, the floor pan was thin aluminium with the special lightweight seat frames bolted through the floor to extra brackets provided on the chassis frame. Also, Plexiglass replaced the glass of the standard model in all but the front screen. Although the interior looked fairly stock, the door panels were thin coverings with a simple pull, the standard
arm rests having been dispensed with, as had the heater and its fan. However, the cabin was fully trimmed and carpeted to maintain a relatively ‘standard’ appearance. The quest for this standard appearance also meant that the cars were fitted with bumpers, but these were lighter than standard. Instead of being fitted to the chassis frame through holes in the body as on the street car, they were attached directly to the body panels – so don’t push or lean on them, as the body will distort.Despite the days of the dual-purpose street/track car coming to an end, 275 GTB/Cs acquitted themselves extremely well on the international stage, taking class wins at the highest level – including Le Mans, the Targa Florio and in the most prestigious hillclimbs and rallies on the circuits.