Ferrari 365 GT4 BB Review – Video

 

The Ferrari 365 GT4 BB is, in essence, Ferrari’s first mid-engined car. The Dino may have come beforehand, but this was the first to wear a Ferrari badge.

The engine was the first flat-12 cylinder configuration fitted in a Ferrari road car, but maintained the same cubic capacity of 4390cc, and 81mm x 71mm bore and stroke, of the 365 GTB4 model, and had factory type reference F 102 AB 000.

It had twin overhead camshafts per bank of cylinders, although these were now belt driven, instead of by chain as on earlier Ferrari 12-cylinder engines. This had the effect of simplifying the engine castings, and reducing mechanical noise, more important now that the engine was right behind the occupant’s ears.

The engine was longitudinally mounted in unit with the five speed transmission, which was below the crankshaft, raising the centre of gravity of the complete unit, but making it compact lengthwise.

Although part of the engine and gearbox casings used the same casting, internally the two were entirely separate relative to their oil systems, the engine featuring a wet sump lubrication system.

It was fitted with two banks of two triple choke Weber 40 IF 3C carburettors, with a single distributor, driven off the left rear inlet camshaft and an electronic ignition system, to produce a claimed 380 hp.