400i Series 2 5-speed on eBay - s/n 50679

[Ashman]

Originally Posted by Frrarinut

Hi Alastair, I think I might have become the largest 400 collector if I had bought the black/black car as well, and I almost did, but in a fit of madness I didn't. I still regret it. You are certainly doing well with one 400. In my books people who appreciate the 400 for its smooth powerful V12, high speed dynamics, and understated good looks are on the right track. Yes both of my 400's are 400GT's with the 5 speed manual transmission. The serial number plate is marked 400GT while the chassis plate is marked 400i. In my opinion the manual shift completely transforms the car. I love to rev it up through the gears. As far as "lots of dough" that's not me, but thanks for "taste" and as far as "mad" I suppose I must be... ;-)

Still looking for a blue 365GT4 2+2 manual carb car...

Well, that first 400i GT with the tan interior and the inset rear side marker lights certainly looks familiar! Did you buy that from Stamford, CT and would you care to fill us in on your experience with the car, including the serial number and other tidbits?

[alastairhouston]

Originally Posted by Frrarinut

Hi Alastair, I think I might have become the largest 400 collector if I had bought the black/black car as well, and I almost did, but in a fit of madness I didn't. I still regret it. You are certainly doing well with one 400. In my books people who appreciate the 400 for its smooth powerful V12, high speed dynamics, and understated good looks are on the right track. Yes both of my 400's are 400GT's with the 5 speed manual transmission. The serial number plate is marked 400GT while the chassis plate is marked 400i. In my opinion the manual shift completely transforms the car. I love to rev it up through the gears. As far as "lots of dough" that's not me, but thanks for "taste" and as far as "mad" I suppose I must be... ;-)

Still looking for a blue 365GT4 2+2 manual carb car...

Good stuff
The silver and red looks great, coincidently mine is black on black though ime thinking of changing the colour to grigio ferro similar to yours on pic , Ithink it really compliments the brushed stainless pillars etc, any case well done on nice cars
On the detail are both cars carbbed or are they FI?
Regards
Alastair

[Frrarinut]

Yes, my Grigio/tan car was previously Chuck's in Stamford. I picked it up in Stamford and had a great drive bringing it back. It runs very well, shifts well, and its handling is super tight because all of the suspension bushings have been done. Both of my 400's are injected. Please do correct me if I am wrong but aren't all 400's injected and all 365's carb cars? I have seen a lot of references to the 5 speed cars as 400GT's and the automatics as 400i. My cars say 400GT on the VIN plates, and 400i on the chassis plates. What do the VIN and chassis plates on the automatic cars say?

[Ashman]

Originally Posted by Frrarinut

Yes, my Grigio/tan car was previously Chuck's in Stamford. I picked it up in Stamford and had a great drive bringing it back. It runs very well, shifts well, and its handling is super tight because all of the suspension bushings have been done. Both of my 400's are injected. Please do correct me if I am wrong but aren't all 400's injected and all 365's carb cars? I have seen a lot of references to the 5 speed cars as 400GT's and the automatics as 400i. My cars say 400GT on the VIN plates, and 400i on the chassis plates. What do the VIN and chassis plates on the automatic cars say?

Ha, I thought so! I think that you got a good buy on that car because of the work that Chuck had done to it.

As for the nomenclature, the 400 series cars have carbs and were produced from 1976-78 with 355 automatics and 145 5 speeds for a total production of 500 cars. Some sources say that 501 cars were produced. Typically they were called 400A or 400GT depending on the transmission type.

The switch to the Bosch fuel injection for the 400i series started in 1979 and ran until February 1985 during which 884 automatics and 424 5 speeds were produced for a total production of 1,308 cars. Some sources say that 1,294 cars were produced but they overlooked the fact that 14 400is were produced in the first two months of 1985, bringing the total to 1,308 before the 412 began production. As with the earlier versions, they were called 400iA or 400iGT.

As for the chassis numbers, I'm only familiar with those that have the 17 digit VINs that started around 1982 or so but the automatics started off with ZFFEB06 while the 5 speeds started off with ZFFEB07 in the first seven spots.

[alastairhouston]

Originally Posted by Ashman

Ha, I thought so! I think that you got a good buy on that car because of the work that Chuck had done to it.

As for the nomenclature, the 400 series cars have carbs and were produced from 1976-78 with 355 automatics and 145 5 speeds for a total production of 500 cars. Some sources say that 501 cars were produced. Typically they were called 400A or 400GT depending on the transmission type.

The switch to the Bosch fuel injection for the 400i series started in 1979 and ran until February 1985 during which 884 automatics and 424 5 speeds were produced for a total production of 1,308 cars. Some sources say that 1,294 cars were produced but they overlooked the fact that 14 400is were produced in the first two months of 1985, bringing the total to 1,308 before the 412 began production. As with the earlier versions, they were called 400iA or 400iGT.

As for the chassis numbers, I'm only familiar with those that have the 17 digit VINs that started around 1982 or so but the automatics started off with ZFFEB06 while the 5 speeds started off with ZFFEB07 in the first seven spots.

Spot on John
Good explanation of the subtle but important differences in models.

[Ashman]

Originally Posted by alastairhouston

Spot on John
Good explanation of the subtle but important differences in models.

And there are lots more subtle (and not so subtle) differences across the years, such as wheel sizes and the series 1 and series 2 versions of the 400i!

The 412 brought a list of several dozen differences as well, the more significant ones being an increase in hp to 340 and the first road going Ferrari to have ABS.

[alastairhouston]

Originally Posted by Ashman

And there are lots more subtle (and not so subtle) differences across the years, such as wheel sizes and the series 1 and series 2 versions of the 400i!

The 412 brought a list of several dozen differences as well, the more significant ones being an increase in hp to 340 and the first road going Ferrari to have ABS.

Would be interesting to know how many 400GT (Carbueretted, Manual) cars are left.
Not many from the 21 UK RHD imports I guess maybe 3??? and worldwide RHD cars cant be many.???
The carbueretted cars were 340hp before intro of FI
Regards

[dstacy]

Originally Posted by alastairhouston

Would be interesting to know how many 400GT (Carbueretted, Manual) cars are left.
Not many from the 21 UK RHD imports I guess maybe 3??? and worldwide RHD cars cant be many.???
The carbueretted cars were 340hp before intro of FI
Regards

Well I can help with that info just a little...
For cars in the US there are:
12 original 400's still on the road
116 400i autos
and
36 400i 5-speeds

[alastairhouston]

Originally Posted by dstacy

Well I can help with that info just a little...
For cars in the US there are:
12 original 400's still on the road
116 400i autos
and
36 400i 5-speeds

Any idea how many of the 12 originals 400s are auto/manual? ie 400GT/400A
Regards from Scotland
Alastair

[Frrarinut]

My Grigio/red car is now in licensed (titled) in Ontario, Canada so I guess that would make only 35 400i manual 5 speeds and when my Grigio/tan car comes across that will make 34. Endangered species...? I am focused on making them right and putting them back on the road, so guess I am trying to maintain the species, even if the US population seems to be dropping.

Still looking for a 365GT4 2+2...or 400GT 2+2 manual transmission carb car....

QUOTE=dstacy;141422927]Well I can help with that info just a little...
For cars in the US there are:
12 original 400's still on the road
116 400i autos
and
36 400i 5-speeds[/QUOTE]

[Frrarinut]

I was just wondering; does anyone know of a chassis number registry or list for 365Gt4/400Gt/400i/412 cars?

[Ashman]

Originally Posted by dstacy

Well I can help with that info just a little...
For cars in the US there are:
12 original 400's still on the road
116 400i autos
and
36 400i 5-speeds

Originally Posted by alastairhouston

Any idea how many of the 12 originals 400s are auto/manual? ie 400GT/400A
Regards from Scotland
Alastair

Not to quibble with Dave's database,which is quite comprehensive, but my latest numbers show that there are 51 400i 5 speeds in the U.S., no, make that 50 as Chuck Queener's 5 speed went up to Canada a couple of months ago. There is one 5 speed (40557) that I am counting as in the U.S. but it has bounced back and forth between the U.S. and Canada over the past few years so I don't really know for sure where it is today. edit: Right, forgot that Frrarinut's grigio/red 5 speed also migrated from California to Canada, so my count would be 49 in the U.S.

My database counts on the 400 versions is as follows:

400 5 speeds: 8 in the U.S., probably only 3 on the road.

400A: 14 in the U.S., probably 12 on the road.

Bear in mind that several of the s/n data could be several years old and that a car that was on the road in 1998 in the U.S. might no longer be on the road in 2012 or could have been sold overseas since then.

[dstacy]

Originally Posted by alastairhouston

Any idea how many of the 12 originals 400s are auto/manual? ie 400GT/400A
Regards from Scotland
Alastair

Sorry Alistar I don't have that info

[dstacy]

Originally Posted by Ashman

Not to quibble with Dave's database,.

Yeah I think between the two of us John we're pretty damm close.
The bottom line answer is, "not many"

[Ashman]

Originally Posted by dstacy

Yeah I think between the two of us John we're pretty damm close.
The bottom line answer is, "not many"

Very true. The numbers of these cars out there and available is actually very few and much fewer than some of the more mainstream, popular models. Heck there was just about the same number of 365GT4 2+2/400/400i/412 5 speeds made (1,360) over the 1973-1990 time period as there were 365GTB/4 Daytona coupes (1,284) made between 1968-73.

[alastairhouston]

Originally Posted by dstacy

Yeah I think between the two of us John we're pretty damm close.
The bottom line answer is, "not many"

I reckon that is a good asumption, good work from your side (US) that you keep a good record of the cars as they get rarer and rarer interesting to piece together where they all are. Thanks to the likes of yourselves
Regards
Alastair

[Schumi]

I can tell you that #40555, which I owned and sold, is now in Canada.

P.S. I wish I still had it....

[bjwhite]

So I'd love to know why 50679 keeps changing hands......

Fundamentally, is it a bad apple?

[Frrarinut]

No, it is absolutely NOT a bad apple! I cannot speak for the previous owners but it is now fully sorted and I am using it as my daily driver, and enjoying it tremendously. I have two almost identical 5 speed 400i's and also a really very nice 1969 365GT2+2, a 348 Spider and a mint 308GTB carb, and something has to go, as there are a couple of other older Ferraris that I want to buy. I would like to sell one of either this car, or my other grigio/tan 400i, and I would be happy to keep either one. This car is honestly in better shape than many of the other cars on here that are referred to as good cars. It is absolutely rust free, mostly original factory paint, makes all kinds of power, runs reliably, doesnt smoke or use oil, shifts well, brakes are all virtually new, the original leather is all in very good condition, The rubber seals are good, the original carpets are in excellent condition, it has a fresh set of TRX's on it. It has a complete service file going back many years, to the US import date. I bought this car because it was a solid car that needed some love, and I have provided that love. I advertised this one because I have done the work to sort it, and it is completely ready to enjoy. I invite any of you over for a coffee and a drive.

Originally Posted by bjwhite

So I'd love to know why 50679 keeps changing hands......

Fundamentally, is it a bad apple?

[dstacy]

Originally Posted by Frrarinut

........in better shape than many of the other cars on here that are referred to as good cars. ............

Oh boy, somebody is going to their back in an uproar over that comment.