Chassis No. 18127 Though the first production Ferrari to make use of a mid-engine configuration didnât appear until 1971, its aesthetic and mechanical origins took shape as early as the mid-1960s in the form of Pininfarinaâs 365 P Berlinetta Speciale. The experimental three-seat Berlinetta featured a mid-mounted V12 engine and stunned audiences at the 1966 Paris Salon, followed almost two years later by the shark-nosed P6 concept at the 1968 Turin Salon. Meanwhile, Ferrari had been perfecting its 180-degree âflatâ 12-cylinder engine since September 1964 in the Monoposto 512 Formula One. In 2.0-liter form, the engine propelled the 212 E to the marqueâs first European Hillclimb Championship, and later in 3.0-liter configuration, powered the 312 PB to a World Championship for Makes in 1972. Thus, the decision to employ a mid-mounted, 180-degree V12 in a series production Ferrari was not made in haste. The presentation of the GT4 BB, or Berlinetta Boxer, took place at the 1971 Turin Salon, with the production version debuting three years later in 1973. Certain lines echoed those of the P6âparticularly the front sectionâwhile the 12-cylinder engine shared much in common with the 365 GTB/4 Daytonaâs four-cam, 4.4-liter V12 flattened out to 180-degrees. The Berlinetta Boxer presented here hails from the latter half of production before the introduction of the 5.0-liter 512 BB in 1976. A left-hand drive example, chassis number 18127 was completed on 16 September 1974 and according to Ferrari Historian Marcel Massini, was one of just 38 365 GT4 BBs finished in striking Giallo Fly from the factory. The Ferrari was sold later that year through Charles Pozzi SA in Paris to its first owner Robert McGeehan, an American temporarily living in France. Although the Berlinetta Boxer was never sold new in the United States, this did not prevent American Ferrari enthusiasts from importing the model and driving it stateside once equipped with federally required safety and emissions equipment. This very topic was the subject of Car and Driver magazineâs November 1976 issue with the title âFerrari Berlinetta Boxer: Legal at Last!â prominently featuring chassis 18127 on the cover. The publication describes the great lengths Dr. Norman D. Shutler, a Deputy Assistant Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, went to legalize the Boxer for American roads, and shows chassis 18127 in its federalized guise with a single driverâs-side mirror and large energy-absorbing front and rear bumpers. A plaque remains inside the driverâs side door jamb declaring that the Ferrari was federalized by Amerispec, and it is said to be the first of its kind imported into the United States. In 1984, the Boxer was acquired by Bruce Weiss of Melbourne Beach, Florida, with invoices on file showing that Weiss had the car serviced by Shelton Ferrari in Fort Lauderdale on a number of occasions from 1985-1986. The invoices resume in August 2002, still under the care of Weiss, when extensive work including a full engine rebuild was completed by British-Italian Motorworks totaling $30,575. Documentation continues in 2005, showing that Motorcar Gallery in Fort Lauderdale had assumed ownership of the Ferrari and had the car serviced at Foreign Cars Inc. Acquired by the consignor in January 2006, the car has been the subject of almost two decades of diligent maintenance that is documented in an exhaustive history file. From 2006 to 2014 alone, over $65,000 in service was lavished on the Ferrari including a major engine-out belt service in 2011. The extensive mechanical work conducted by Dew Motorcars Corporation in the summer of that year also encompassed rebuilding the clutch, replacing the CV joints and shocks, rebuilding the alternator, and more. In more recent times, the Ferrari was entrusted to Grand Touring Enterprises in March and April of 2024, which involved servicing the cooling and electrical systems, focusing on repairing the fan motors, alternator, and voltage regulator. The work also addressed steering column switch wiring issues, servicing the oil pressure sending unit, and performing a thorough interior and exterior detail. Today, the car remains in finely preserved condition, including its Nero hides with Daytona-style seat inserts and rare Giallo Fly finish. In the decades since it was depicted in Car and Driver magazine in its federalized guise, the car has desirably been returned closer to its factory-delivered, European specifications. This includes European specification-style front and rear valences and Cromodora five-spoke alloy wheels with chromed triple-ear knock-offs and Michelin XWX tires. As a further complement to its superb presentation, the car is accompanied by its Cromodora spare, tool kit, the November 1976 issue of Car and Driver magazine, extensive documentation, and the front and rear impact bumpers fitted during federalization. The Berlinetta Boxer represented a significant leap forward in design and technological advancement for Ferrari; as one of the rarest production Ferrari models of the modern era, this first series 365 BB would be deserving of a place in any collection of high-performance sports cars.
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- VIN Code18127
