This Concours-Winning Ferrari 330 GTC Took Three Years To Restore

Oct. 29, 2022 7:00 PM ET by Sebastian Cenizo Classic Cars / 10 Comments

Bell Sport & Classic spent a month stripping the suspension alone.

Ferrari is arguably the world's most iconic automaker, and that reputation comes from producing some of the finest sports cars with unrivaled beauty and performance.

Over the years, more and more technology has made its way into Maranello's products, and as the hybrid SF90 Stradale proves, progress is worth embracing. But sometimes, you just can't beat the classics. Unfortunately, many of Ferrari's creations from the last century have been poorly cared for, but that's part of what makes it so satisfying to see an old Fezza returned to its former glory.

Naturally, this can take a lot of effort, and in the case of the Ferrari 330 GTC we're covering here, it took three years.

The project was undertaken by Bell Sport & Classic, whose work is exemplary, and no corners were cut anywhere; the unseen elements of the car got the same exacting attention that the original 14-inch cast magnesium wheels did.

Matt Wilton, who oversaw the project, explains: "Several of the imperfections were relatively minor and would most likely never be seen by a customer, but for a Bell Sport & Classic restoration, everything matters. Yes, it's highly time-consuming, but it gives our customers complete confidence that a car they receive from us is perfect in every detail."

A month was dedicated to stripping the suspension down and sandblasting the components before each was meticulously repainted or replated as required. The original shock absorbers, suspension arms, and springs were all retained.

"Absolutely everything on this car is in the same condition, or better, as the day it left the factory," says Wilton.

Sandblasting was ruled out for the body as this can put heat into the steel and cause distortion. The solution? Walnut blasting. On arrival, it was a pale blue color and had obviously been painted several times. In doing its due diligence, the company obtained the original build sheets and confirmed that Chassis No. 9069 left Maranello in an unusual pale green finish. But before the body was restored to its original metallic Verde Chiaro Metallizato hue, the car was rebuilt without paint, otherwise known as a dry build. Once the team was certain that everything fit perfectly, the car was disassembled again, and only then was the paint applied.

Even the painting had to be carefully managed, as Elliot East explains: "If you have too much paint on the window frames, it could prevent the glass from fitting, or if there is too much in the guttering on the roof, it could prevent the door seal from fitting properly. We're only talking points of a millimeter, but often that's all it takes to make the difference."

Even the paint finish inside the small circular demister vent in the C-pillar matches that of the body - a real 'tell' for those in the know. "As soon as we unveiled the car at Salon Prive, that was one of the areas that the judges and aficionados who really know this model went to straight away," smiles Matt Wilton. "And it was the same with the satin black paint inside the wheel arches and engine bay. It took three attempts before we were certain we got exactly the correct and original degree of shine and tonality."

The body, the interior with its original Beck Europa radio, and the Colombo V12 engine were all given outstanding attention, with the power plant overseen by Attilio Romano, a former member of the Ferrari technical team in Maranello who ran H.R. Owen's Ferrari technical department for 22 years.

All of this added up to a Salon Prive Concours win and a Ferrari Classiche Certificate, making those three years of exacting dedication well worth the effort.

This Concours-Winning Ferrari 330 GTC Took Three Years To Restore

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This Concours-Winning Ferrari 330 GTC Took Three Years To Restore

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