PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS CAR IS A NEW ARRIVAL AND WE WILL BE VERIFYING THE BELOW INFORMATION FOR ACCURACY PRIOR TO STARTING THE LISTING IN DUE COURSE.
West Coast Classics are proud to present one of only 954 250 GTE 2+2s Series built during Ferrari's first three years of four-seat production and the marque's first wind-tunnel-developed model. Styled by Pininfarina, featuring a longer stance to accommodate rear seating, classic side vents, and Borrani wire wheels.
This is a rare period-modified example and according to Ferrari factory records, Chassis number 4221 GT is a verified 1963 Ferrari 250 GT/E 2+2 Series III variant and a documented, left-hand-drive (LHD) European-delivery vehicle.
Chassis number 4221 represents the genuine Ferrari chassis serial number, it identifies a 1963 Ferrari 250 GTE 2+2 Series III by Pininfarina.
Factory Specs:
Reportedly according to the original factory build sheets, chassis 4221GT was built in early 1963 and left the Maranello factory finished in a Grigio Argento (Silver Grey) exterior over a Rosso (Red) Connolly leather interior.
Ferrari's classic Pininfarina-designed four-seater grand tourer, featuring distinct Series III updates like relocated driving lights and updated taillights, authentic 2+2 layout with bucket-style front seats, a compact rear bench, leather upholstery, and a classic wooden steering wheel.
The 250 GTE 2+2 Series III had a production run spanning just 300 cars.
Factory Specifications & Original Colors:
Ferrari 250 GTE 2+2 Series III (Chassis 4221GT) was completed by the Maranello factory in early 1963.
While it is one of the 300 Series III models built, exact private build-sheet specifics for this specific hull number—such as its original delivered paint code and interior hide—remain tightly held in private historical archives or within Ferrari's own Classiche database.
Typically, business-oriented 2+2 models of this era left the factory in classic period tones like Grigio Argento (Silver Grey), Grigio Fumo (Smoke Grey), Blu Chiaro (Light Blue), or Nero (Black).
Historical Ownership Registry:
Because chassis 4221GT has spent decades moving quietly through private collections rather than headlining prominent public auction events, its complete step-by-step chain of custody is not a matter of open public record.
Original Factory Build Specifications:
Chassis Number: 4221GT
Model Type: 250 GTE 2+2 (Series III)
Chassis Type: 508E steel tubular frame
Engine Type: 3.0-liter Tipo 128/F Colombo V12 engine
Historical Registry & Documentation:
According to the Barchetta Ferrari Serial Number Registry 4221GT marks an important production milestone as one of the very first cars cataloged in Part II of the Series III production sequence.
Unlike several other 250 GTE chassis numbers nearby in the registry that were stripped or rebodied into GTO or Testa Rossa replicas later in life, 4221GT is tracked historically as an authentic, original-bodied Series III configuration.
Factory Build Specifications for 4221 GT:
It was born from Maranello with a 3.0-liter Tipo 128E Colombo V12. It would not have left the factory with a Tipo 22 3.3-liter 330 V12 Columbo engine or a 5-speed transmission which are currently installed.
Aesthetic Configuration:
As a late Series III car, it left the production line featuring the updated Pininfarina styling, which moved the auxiliary driving lights to the outside of the front grille (unlike Series I cars, which had them inside the grille mesh). It was built as a left-hand drive (LHD) model
Barchetta Registry:
The car was reportedly sold at the legendary Los Angeles dealership ‘Otto Zipper Motors’, Ferrari Representatives of Hollywood, located on Wilshire Blvd., in Santa Monica, CA, USA, according to the ‘Barchetta’ history timeline docs.
Key Valuation Factors:
Series Breakdown: The 1963 model year represents the late-stage production run, primarily consisting of Series III builds. These variants feature distinctive design evolutions including fog lights positioned outside the front grille rather than integrated within.
To scale the architecture up to a 4.0-liter displacement (3,967 cc) for the 330 series, Ferrari engineers had to make significant modifications to the physical 300 engine block.
Increased Bore Spacing:
In 1963, Ferrari internally redesigned the classic Colombo block, widening the spacing between the cylinder bore centers from 90 mm to 94 mm. This structural stretch gave engineers the necessary physical room to bore out the block for larger displacements.
Longer Stroke: The engine moved away from the short 58.8 mm stroke used in the 250 series to a longer 71 mm stroke coupled with a 77 mm bore.
Modern Electricals: This version of the engine (often designated as the Tipo 209) also replaced the older, traditional generator with a modern alternator.
This highly versatile block would continue to be bored out even further for later iterations, ultimately powering cars like the 4.4-liter 365 GTB/4 Daytona and remaining in production until 1989
This car has a very rare Tipo 226 330 3.3L Columbo V12 engine matched to a 5 spd transmission reportedly gone thru by Patrick Ottis, one of the most elite and internationally renowned vintage Ferrari restoration specialists and mechanics in the United States.
Operating out of a discreet facility at Patrick Ottis Co of Berkeley, CA, he has been a leading authority on classic Colombo V12 engines and vintage Italian sports cars for over four decades
Ottis began his mechanical career in 1972 as an apprentice to Alf Francis—the legendary grand prix racing mechanic for Sir Stirling Moss. He worked on early Ferrari and Alfa Romeo race cars before relocating to the San Francisco Bay Area.
Cars mechanically rebuilt or restored by Ottis routinely win and podium in the prestigious Ferrari Competition and Touring classes at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Ottis himself has served as a respected judge at Pebble Beach for nearly 30 years.
Having a 1963 Ferrari 250 GT/E modified with a Tipo 226 3.3-liter 330 engine and a 5-speed transmission obviously fundamentally changes how the car is valued, shifting it into the "Hot Rod" or "period-upgraded" non-matching numbers category; although having the Patrick Ottis Co. certification of the mechanical rebuild quality plus the fact that the car now boasts a very rare 275 GTB/3 Four Cam 3.3L Columbo V12 engine, will immediately validate the drivetrain's execution to future buyers, potentially recovering most of the value lost from the missing original numbers.
Also it noteworthy that although it still suffers a some financial penalty for losing its original 3.0L Colombo engine and 4-speed + overdrive gearbox, it avoids the deeper "empty engine bay" or "generic American V8 swap" discounts because the replacement parts are highly desirable, period-correct Ferrari components.
The 330 Engine Premium:
Replacing the original 3.0L engine with a 4.0L 330 Columbo V12 (which delivers 300 hp vs. the original 240 hp) is a historically common and highly respected upgrade. In fact, Ferrari did this exact swap from the factory at the very end of the 250 GTE production run, naming those rare transitional cars the 330 America.
The original 250 GT/E came with a 4-speed manual plus electronic overdrive. Upgrading to a true Ferrari 5-speed manual (likely sourced from a later 330 GT 2+2 Series II or a 365) significantly increases the drivability, reliability, and modern highway usability of the car. Collectors who want a vintage Ferrari for touring and rallies (like the Copperstate 1000) highly value this exact modification.
But importantly this particular cars engine designation 226/1016E (Tipo 226) refers directly to the ultimate evolution of the short-block Columbo V12 engine introduced at the 1966 Paris Auto Salon, this specific motor powered the legendary Ferrari 275 GTB/4.
The Architecture:
It was Ferrari's first production road car engine to feature four overhead camshafts (dual overhead cams per cylinder bank).
Displacement & Power:
It retained a 3.3-liter (3,285 cc) displacement with a 77mm bore and 58.8mm stroke, outputting a claimed 300 horsepower at 8,000 rpm.
Induction & Lubrication:
The engine breathed through a massive line of six Weber 40 DCN carburetors and utilized a specialized dry-sump lubrication system with an expansive external oil reservoir.
The stamping 226 / 1016E on this car's block reveals a fascinating piece of Ferrari factory history. It indicates that your engine is a specialized variant of the Ferrari Columbo engine family rather than a standard road-going 330 unit:
Tipo 226:
This is the factory code for a Ferrari 275 GTB/4 engine. It is a 3.3-liter, four-overhead-camshaft (six-carburetor) high-performance power unit. The Colombo V12 was substantially reworked for 1967’s 275 GTB/4 engine, it still used two valves per cylinder, but dual overhead cams were now used as well and in a departure from previous Ferrari designs, the valve angle was reduced three degrees to 54° for a more-compact head.
The dual camshafts also allowed the valves to be aligned "correctly" (perpendicular to the camshaft) instead of offset as in SOHC Ferraris. It was a dry-sump design with a huge 16 L (17 US qt) capacity.
The engine retained the bore and stroke dimensions of the 275 model for 3,286 cc (3.3 L; 200.5 cu in) of displacement. Output was 330 PS (325 hp; 243 kW) at 8000 rpm and 240 lb⋅ft (325 N⋅m) of torque at 6000 rpm with six 40 DCN 9 Weber carburetors.
1016E:
This is the individual internal factory build sequence number for that specific motor (not the chassis serial number of the car). The suffix letter "E" denotes Idraulico, meaning the engine was originally built by the factory using hydraulic valve lifters—a rare variant that Ferrari experimented with on later Tipo 226 builds to quiet down the four-cam valve train.
A standard Ferrari 330 road car (like a 330 GT 2+2 or 330 GTC) originally came with a Tipo 209 single-overhead-cam 4.0-liter engine. The engine stamped 226 / 1016E is a highly desirable, pure-bred 275 GTB/4 factory replacement engine or a vintage upgrade transplanted into a 330 chassis.
The stamping 226 / 1016E on this car’s block reveals a fascinating piece of Ferrari factory history. It indicates that this engine is a specialized variant of the Ferrari Colombo engine family rather than a standard road-going 330 unit.
According to Ferrari factory build logs, chassis 4221 GT is a verified 1963 Ferrari 250 GT/E 2+2 Series III. The fact that this car now carries engine stamping 226 / 1016E explains everything about its history and modifications.
The Original Car (4221 GT):
Pininfarina designed this car as a classic four-seater grand tourer. It left the factory in 1963 powered by a 3.0-liter, single-overhead-cam Tipo 128E Colombo V12 engine.
The "330" Misconception:
Visually, the standard 3.0L engine blocks from 250 GTEs and the later 4.0L blocks from the 330 series look incredibly similar to the untrained eye, which is why parts of the drivetrain may have been previously misidentified as a "330 engine.”
The Heart Transplant:
At some point in its life, 4221 GT underwent a massive period modification. Its original single-cam engine was removed and replaced with a vastly more powerful, race-bred Tipo 226 engine from a Ferrari 275 GTB/4 (internal factory build number 1016E).
This means that this 250 GT/E has been hot-rodded with a legendary 4-cam, 6-carburetor, 300-horsepower heart. Because it's documented as a rare, period-modified car with a highly coveted 275 GTB/4 engine package, it makes 4221 GT a fascinating anomaly in vintage Ferrari circles.
The transmission casting number reads 571-520482.
571 is the internal gearbox type code used by Ferrari during the 1960s. The exact casting combination 571/520482 is the historically correct gearbox case assembly for a 1963–1964 Ferrari 330 America and early Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Series I cars.
The Connection:
The 330 America was essentially built on the same Type 571 chassis and body as the late-series 250 GT/E 2+2, but it was upgraded with the larger 4.0-liter Tipo 209 Colombo V12 engine.
The Transmission:
This specific Tipo 571 gearbox housing accommodated the original 4-speed manual transmission equipped with an electronic Laycock de Normanville overdrive unit.
Evolution:
Ferrari quickly evolved this casing into the Tipo 575 gearbox for the mainstream production run of the 330 GT 2+2. While the internal components remained virtually identical, minor external adaptations were made to accommodate changes in the transmission tunnel and chassis mounting.
Bellhousing # 1Y02:
If you are looking at a 1960s vintage Ferrari gearbox case or bellhousing, 1Y02 is an internal foundry assembly date code.
Ferrari and their casting supplier, Campa (or the Ferrari internal foundry), routinely stamped or chalked production date tracking markers alongside the primary Tipo numbers on aluminum castings.
On these early-1960s Colombo V12 drivetrain casings (like our Tipo 571 box), the code follows a specific production tracking timeline:
1Y: This designates the year and production block inside the factory schedule. In the 1960–1964 sequence, "Y" or adjacent sequences indicate the later stage of production for that component run (aligning perfectly with a 1963 build window).
02: This indicates the month or specific batch sequence (February or second casting run of that block).
A transmission stamped 571 with a date-sequence marker like 1Y02 means the housing was cast in early 1963, making it the perfect historical match for a late Ferrari 250 GT/E Series III, a 330 America, or a very early 330 GT 2+2 Series I.
Trans Code LEYS:
If you are looking at a classic Ferrari manual gearbox housing, the code we are reading is almost certainly "LEY S" (with a space before the S), which is a common misreading of the famous manufacturer casting stamp: LAYCOCK DE NORMANVILLE OVERDRIVE SYSTEM.
On the rear tailhousing extension of the Tipo 571 (and Tipo 575) 4-speed gearboxes, Ferrari integrated a British-sourced Laycock de Normanville electronic overdrive unit to allow for comfortable high-speed highway cruising.
The Government Over-Stamp under the original factory chassis number 4221: 10M21260M
The secondary string 10M21260M is not a factory Ferrari number. Instead, this is a Motorizzazione Civile (Italian Department of Motor Vehicles) replacement chassis number format. When a vehicle in Italy underwent a chassis repair, or lost its original legal identity tag, or required re-homologation due to a state-enforced inspection, the Italian DMV would physically stamp an official internal registration sequence directly onto the frame next to (or over) the original Maranello sequence. The "M" designations inside the string are characteristic of these localized Italian regional transport authority stamps.
The mechanical or structural upgrades performed early in its life in Italy would have required the car to go through an official state review. Because the local DMV stamped its unique tracking code (10M21260M) without grinding away the original Maranello font with its original factory 4221 chassis number, it proves the regional inspector was intentionally validating the car's existing identity rather than re-titling a stolen or completely unidentifiable chassis
Finally, please note that this car was recently acquired out of long time storage from a collector and whilst it does run and drives well, it should still be considered being in need of recommissioning prior to any extensive road use.
