The Ferrari 330 series, built between 1963 to 1968, consists of cars powered by V12 engines with a 330cc displacement which influenced the names of the automobiles in the series. Ferrari then produced the 330 GTS vehicles from 1966 to 1968.
With only a hundred such automobiles manufactured, the 330 GTS cars are two-seat Spiders designed by Pininfarina. This made these vintage cars extraordinarily exclusive and limited as well. Pininfarina assembled the cars at their factory in Turin, Italy, before sending them to Ferrari, who then installed their mechanical parts.
The 330 GTS is similar to the 330 GTC, being the sports car version of the latter, except for its foldable roof. The 330 GTS eventually evolved into the Ferrari 365 GTS series in 1968, with an upgrade in the engine and a couple of cosmetic changes.
Read on to find out what we love about the 1969 Ferrari 330 GTS Targa.
William Harrah customized the 1969 Ferrari 330 GTS Targa
William Harrah, a renowned American car collector, customized the 1969 Ferrari 330 GTS Targa with the serial number 10913. Aside from collecting cars, Harrah was also a businessman who built hotels and casinos. This later became Harrah’s Entertainment as we know today.
Based in Reno, Nevada, the 330 GTS Targa features a Targa top, which was unseen in prior models of Ferrari cars. On top of that, the model also featured a roll hoop with a stainless steel cover with a removable roof panel covered in black vinyl. It also featured a tinted Perspex rear screen that was long and sloping and a shorter boot lid than average.
Despite that, William Harrah did not keep the 330 GTS Targa for long. This was perhaps due to a short-lived marriage between him and country singer Bobbie Gentry, who allegedly enjoyed taking a drive in his 330 GTS Targa.
The Targa Ferrari Has A SOHC V12 Engine
A single overhead camshaft (SOHC) per bank, two valves per cylinder Colombo V12 engine with a wet sump lubrication system powers the 1969 Ferrari 330 GTS Targa. There is a longitudinal engine located at the front of the vehicle and is identical to the earlier Ferrari 275 GTS series. The engine had a displacement of 3967 ccs and a bore and stroke of 77 x 71 mm.
The V12 engine can produce a power of 221 kW at 7,000 revolutions per minute (rpm) with a compression ratio of 8.8:1. A single spark plug for each cylinder, with two coils, ignites the engine. The 330 GTS Targa can reach top speeds of up to 242 km/h, which is fast for its time.
With a five-speed transmission, the 330 GTS Targa featured a worm and roller steering with disc brakes. Both the front and rear suspensions are independent with wishbones of unequal length and anti-roll bars. Besides that, the suspensions also include coil springs placed on top of telescopic shock absorbers. The 330 GTS Targa also has 205VR14 Michelin XWX tires with a width/profile of 205/14. This is also similar to its predecessors, the 275 GTS series.
How The Two-Seater Spider Fits Into The Ferrari 330 Series
As the 1969 Ferrari 330 GTS Targa is a two-seater spider, it has an emphasis on its appearance and character as a sports car. That aside, the 330 Targa has a length of 4,430 mm, a width of 1,675 mm, and a height of 1,250 mm. A tubular steel frame has a dry weight of 1,200 kg. It also features a wheelbase of 2,400 mm.
With a customized Targa top, the 330 GTS Targa came with a removable roof section. It also came with a full-width roll bar located just behind the seats.
Aside from the 100 units of Ferrari 330 GTS models, Ferrari produced 598 units of the Ferrari 330 GTC. As mentioned earlier, the 330 GTS were the sports car versions of the 330 GTC, which are two-seater coupés.
For the other models in the Ferrari 330 series, there is also the Ferrari GT 2+2, with 1,099 units produced. Similarly, Pininfarina designed the models and manufactured them in the mid-1960s. The GT 2+2 featured a similar engine as the 330 GTS Targa.
However, it had a 4-speed transmission with overdrive and a slightly different rear suspension featuring a live axle with twin radius arms. It is also somewhat longer, wider, and taller than the 330 GTS Targa, making it heavier with a dry weight of 1,380 kg.
Another notable model of the Ferrari 330 series would be the Ferrari 330 P series, which were sports prototype racing cars. The same engine as the other 330 models powers the 330 P series, but at a higher power of 450 hp at 8,000 rpm. Together with a low weight of 792 kg, they can reach speeds of up to 320 km/h.