330 LMB Gets Major Attention at the Cavallino Classic

The 330 LM Berlinetta, often known as the 330 LMB, was a special series of 4 cars created to contest the experiment GT category during the 1963 sports car racing season. After a season of pure domination by the 250 GTO in the GT class during 1962, Ferrari was hoping to stay ahead of the competition as they developed the 330 LM. Fitted with an upgraded 4 liter motor (Tipo 163/566) derived directly from the 330 TRi/LM which won Le Mans in 1962, the 330 LM produced around 400 bhp at 7500 rpm. The 330 LM used a lengthened 2500 mm chassis, similar to the 400 Superamerica, and bodywork inspired by the 250 GT Lusso, which evolved to include the triple-cutouts in the front nose made famous by the previous year’s 250 GTO.

The first of the four, chassis 4381 SA, recently made an appearance at the 2017 Cavallino Classic. This was the only one of the four to be an official Scuderia Ferrari entry when Michael Parkes and Lorenzo Bandini drove it in the 1963 12 Hours of Sebring (did not finish). It was later entered at the 1963 24 Hours of Le Mans, along with two of the sister cars, 4453 SA (NART) and 4725 SA (Maranello Concessionaires). 4381 SA again failed to finish, but 4725 SA (featured in Cavallino #114) managed to come home 5th overall and 1st in class.

Following the conclusion of its racing career, s/n 4381 SA led a colorful life as it was rebodied for a brief time with a special Fantuzzi body and featured in Federico Fellini's movie Spirits of the Dead starring Jane Fonda, Terence Stamp and Brigitte Bardot. It was then reunited with its original body and spent many years in the famous Maranello Rosso Collection in San Marino, Italy before joining several prominent collections in Europe and more recently its current owner in the U.S.

Information from Jarrett Rothmeier. Images from Michael Gregg.

A full history of the car by noted Ferrari historian Alan Boe will be in an upcoming issue of Cavallino magazine. Subscribe here.