The Ferrari 330 LMB: Rarity, Racing Heritage, and Restoration

The Ferrari 330 LMB is one of Maranello’s rarest competition cars. Developed in 1963 as a high-powered evolution of the 250 GTO, only four examples were built. Among them, chassis #4381SA holds a premier position, being the specific vehicle most directly tied to the factory's official racing operations (SEFAC Ferrari) during the 1963 season.

This historic journey began with a March 1963 debut at Monza, revealing unique factory details like adjustable nose vents and asymmetric louvers. Immediately after, the car made its competitive debut at the 12 Hours of Sebring with Mike Parkes and Lorenzo Bandini. After climbing to 6th place, a high-speed crash damaged the fuel tank, forcing a retirement. Sent back to Italy, the chassis was rebuilt for the 24 Heures du Mans. Upgraded with a ducktail spoiler and single wiper, it ran strong in the top ten until a fractured oil line caused a nighttime retirement.

Decades later, chassis #4381SA arrived at Carrozzeria Bacchelli e Villa for a meticulous restoration. This ambitious project was guided by extensive historical and photographic research to ensure every detail perfectly matched the car's 1963 configuration. The physical process began by documenting and disassembling every component. To protect the vintage metal, the team used water-based paint stripping. Master artisans then performed the delicate metalwork (lastratura) using traditional hand tools, intentionally preserving the manual asymmetries that define a hand-built 1960s racer.

Finally, the car was painted in its 1963 Le Mans livery (Red with number 9). The formulation avoided modern gloss to recreate the softer sheen of the era.

The V12 engine was overhauled to factory tolerances, while specialists restored the authentic interior and electrical systems, bringing this irreplaceable motorsport legend back to life.