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

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

Discussion in '365 GT4 2+2/400/412' started by aidanparte, Aug 8, 2008.

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  1. Ashman

    Ashman Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Interesting car, although a "growling 1st gear" can't be a cheap fix. When this car was advertised for sale in 2006, the ad mentioned a sunroof but there is no mention or evidence of that from these photos.

    Also, with yellow flasher lights and a Charles Pozzi plate indicating importation to France, I sort of doubt that the car was "delivered new in California."
     
  2. Devilsolsi

    Devilsolsi F1 Veteran
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    I love that color combo!
     
  3. blkprlz

    blkprlz Formula 3

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    That fuel inj. has been man-handled!
     
  4. bjwhite

    bjwhite F1 Rookie

    Mar 17, 2006
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    Hey hey! This is my car from Stanford Auto from back in 2006. (Not really my car, but one I was seriously considering. But by the time I got to Stanford Auto in person, the car was long gone. Tried to contact the owner who had consigned it, but by then it was consigned to Checquered Flag and sold.)

    Maybe I'll go look at it again.

    What do you mean about the man-handled FI?
     
  5. aidanparte

    aidanparte Formula 3

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    Its got Brian White all over it!
     
  6. bjwhite

    bjwhite F1 Rookie

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    #7 bjwhite, Aug 15, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Just looking back at the old photos from Stanford European taken in March of 2006, the car had 70136 miles on it. The new seller, a little over two years later, shows that it has 72000 miles on it.

    (BUT ACTUALLY! This speedo could be a sticker application, which means it may have 72000km on it, which isn't bad at all. Can anyone verify if this is a sticker or not? It looks sticker-ish to me.)

    So at least someone drove it 1000 miles a year.

    Too bad it's in LA now and not the Bay Area. I leave for the Bay Area in a couple of hours and will be there until Tuesday.

    Anyone want to go check it out in LA?
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  7. blkprlz

    blkprlz Formula 3

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    Over amp'd injector extraction/out of line distributor piping. B
     
  8. blkprlz

    blkprlz Formula 3

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    Looks like a sticker to me, aren't those odometers changed out @ federalization? B
     
  9. dstacy

    dstacy F1 World Champ
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    It is a sticker. And no a speedo change was not required to meet fereral regs.

    If you look real close you can see the sunroof.
     
  10. bjwhite

    bjwhite F1 Rookie

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    Oh snap! Grigio! Series II! 5-speed! SUNROOF! This is getting more and more to be total Brian White isn't it? Red interior is tolerable due to black dash...and maybe worth changing to total black. And the price is right.

    HMMMMMMmmmmm. Jeez people. I'm just not QUITE ready for this. But wow. This seems to be my second chance at this car.
     
  11. aidanparte

    aidanparte Formula 3

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    Carpe diem.
     
  12. ProCoach

    ProCoach F1 Veteran
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    Auction removed by eBay...
     
  13. bjwhite

    bjwhite F1 Rookie

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  14. rebirthauto

    rebirthauto Karting

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  15. dstacy

    dstacy F1 World Champ
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    Have you priced a manual gearbox rebuild on a 400i? I have and 9 grand won't get you there even IF you can find the parts :eek:
     
  16. bjwhite

    bjwhite F1 Rookie

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    #17 bjwhite, Oct 9, 2008
    Last edited: Oct 9, 2008
    I've been back and forth with myself. I just sold a car, which puts me in a position to buy....but I'm working on a race car finish and am just done rebuilding my 540i6. I'd love to know more about their transmission comments....Dave has warned me about transmission rebuild....but I'd love to know more about what is up with their "1st gear growl" description.

    Are 400i manuals notorious for needing rebuilds? What commonly fails? Of all my reading on this forum, I haven't really heard of many transmission issues...then again, the cars are rare and the owners may not post about problems...
     
  17. Ashman

    Ashman Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Dave and maybe others might know more about the repair costs and parts availability. Without being burdened by any facts whatsoever, it does seem to me that this transmission was in a fairly large number of cars by Ferrari standards for the time and that parts should be available. The cost of those parts might be a horse of a different ballpark, to mangle a phrase!

    In my experience and impression, the transmission has a reputation for being very strong and sturdy and doesn't cause many problems. They are not particularly fast shifting transmissions and it takes a firm and deliberate move, particularly between first and second to shift properly and ham handed shifting will produce some unpleasant graunches. If this transmission is going to develop a problem, that's where I would expect it to be. The upper gears move quite smoothly and with less concern, although "Speed shifting" is generally still not recommended!

    One of the 5 speeds that I looked at 10 years ago had a noticeably weak 2nd gear synchro even though the dealer said that there was nothing wrong with it. Later dealers that were selling the car were a bit more forthcoming about that and it was eventually reported "fixed".

    While it undoubtedly can be expensive to rebuild or replace an entire gearbox, it just may be possible that everything about the box is fine except for first gear and/or its synchros. This is where a very knowledgeable Ferrari mechanic should be consulted to look it over. And, without being able to actually get inside the box for inspection, even then there will be some risk of the unknown, so factor that into the value equation!

    John
     
  18. blkprlz

    blkprlz Formula 3

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    Principally, worn syncro rings from what I understand along w/other worn components once opened up.
     
  19. dstacy

    dstacy F1 World Champ
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    John, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you're wrong. I don't know if this is accurate but I seem to remember someone telling me the 5-speed box in the 400i isn't the same box as the others of the era. You know anything about that?

    Time Stanford told me a couple of years ago that getting gears and synchros for a 400i manual box was difficult at best. I seem to remember something like a grand a gear :eek:
     
  20. Ashman

    Ashman Three Time F1 World Champ
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    In terms of numbers, I was just thinking that the 365GT4/2+2/400/400i/412 probably all have basically the same box and that number adds up to a fair number of 5 speeds over the 14 years the series was produced.

    By my count, the number of 5 speed transmissions produced was:

    365GT4/2+2 470
    400 145
    400i 424
    412 270

    Total 1,309

    The 365GTC/4 had a transmission (as opposed to the transaxle that was in the contemporaneous Daytona) and was produced just before the 2+2 but I don't know if it is the same. If it is, that's another 500 or so examples to add into the population. A pretty large number of V12 manual transmissions compared to any other of the earlier cars. Other than that, Ferrari didn't produce any other front engine V12s during the period.

    A grand a gear wouldn't surprise me though!

    John
     
  21. ArtS

    ArtS F1 Veteran
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    A growling 1st gear is different (and probobly worse) than worn synchros. considering it will likely require a gear set, this is not a cheap fix if you want to do it right and keep it original.

    Regards,

    Art S.
     
  22. RMSI

    RMSI Karting

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    I had decided to pass on the black one with Borranis that was here in Tempe on ebay recently after posting about it and getting all of your feedback about how it had looked to be taken care of... and then it ended up relisted and sold for the BIN of 29.9... but this one is even more compelling!

    I agree that the black dash is a strong point, because I most likely would want to change out the rest of the red for black were the car mine... and I think Grigio is an absolutely stunning color on Ferraris - I think my dream garage would probably include all Nero and Grigio F-cars!

    Because I'm going to try to determine whether this 400i will be workable for my family, I emailed and asked about the "growl," and the response I got was that the car is currently at "Exotic Performance" in Marina del Rey having some work done, and I was advised to call Robert over there. If I get some time I will most certainly do so, but wanted to put that out there if anyone else is a prospective buyer... especially if the work doesn't increase the price, that might just sweeten the deal!

    Anyone know anything about that shop?
     
  23. bjwhite

    bjwhite F1 Rookie

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    Interesting. I've also watched this car when it was for sale in 2006 and now. I'd also love to convert it to black interior (and yes, the black dash is a bonus.)

    I also agree that grigio is a WONDERFUL color for a 400i.
     
  24. dstacy

    dstacy F1 World Champ
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    Yikes! Now there is an expensive project!
     

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