The 15" rims and the 415 mm rims have a different shape inside. With the inside facing up, the 15" hub sits level with the spokes so the plastic tray will lock against the spokes and will not rotate inside the rim. With the inside facing up, the 415 mm hub sits higher than the spokes so the plastic tray will not lock against the spokes and will rotate inside the rim (in addition to be allowed to move sideways because the rim is too large for it). I have never come across a tray for 415 mm rims. The Ferrari documentation places the changeover to metric rims at the end of 1982 for the 400i (chassis 42705), along with the new rear suspension. The quote of 31727 in the Longstonetyre video refers to Michelin information (which I have not found). The accompanying text in the web page says In 1982 with the self-levelling rear suspension changed from Hydraulic to gas filled they changed onto the new 240/55VR415 Michelin TRX tyres A bit later in the video the Longstonetyres speaker quotes "1982 ish" / chassis 31727 for the changeover to TRX 415mm. The combination 31727 and 1982 is not correct. 31729 (Jody Sheckter's 400i) was delivered in 1980.
Ferrari began using TRXs on the 400i during early 1980. Jody Scheckter's 400i (31729) had them, as did 31727, However it is unlikely that 31727 was the first (or at any rate the earliest chassis number), though if you have a chassis number before 31XXX it is very likely you orginally had 15" rims. The switch to TRXs coincided with the launch of the 308 GTBi/GTSi and Mondial 8, which also used metric tyres. The Boxer followed suit a little later. The switch to TRXs was at the same time as the change from a Momo to Nardi steering wheel. If you have a Momo steering wheel, it is unlikely you had TRXs originally.
81 boxers had Nardi steering wheels and 15" rims. I don't think the rims and the steering wheels were connected in any way. My understanding was Ferrari had a disagreement with momo so they switched to Nardi.
Strange, why is there no mention of an early use of TRX in the 400i workshop manual 338 which came out in 1985? That would have been the correct place to publish this information.
The earliest photo I have seen of a 400i with TRXs is at the Turin Motor show, 23 April 1980 (see link). However, this is before TRXs were generally fitted - studying my records again, it seems that vehicles completed from late May 1980 began to be fitted with metric tyres. 31727 would have been completed close to this period. So it is quite possible that 31727 was the beginning of routinely fitting TRXs. http://erwin400.blogspot.com/2014/11/unknown-motorshow.html
Because Ferrari manuals are a guideline at best and even then they misguide you with wrong info, torque specs, clearances and so on. The parts books use outdated images of carb'd parts for injected cars. Even a 360 manual gives you the incorrect crank journal sizes which I discovered when I started putting 360 cranks in 308 blocks. There's no workshop manual for a BBi, you're supposed to refer to the 400i manual when diagnosing CIS issues on an injected boxer.
Ive never seen one new in a ferrari box before so I thought I would share. It came by mail just now. I was going to rip the covering off and recover it as the later plain version and silk screen a yellow horse on it but now Im not sure I should. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
412 come with this or 456? The part number crosses up to something that goes nowhere. I take that back, bullet fuses means older cars....
My 412 came with a leather roll toolkit. It seems 101509 is the part number shown for briefcase toolkits whatever their style. The toolkit you received looks like original equipment and tools in a newly made briefcase and trays. Quite nice actually. Would you have the external dimensions of the briefcase?
Thanks, indeed this new toolkit looks like a "variation 3" type (as per the 365GTC4.com classification entry) with a modern surface. Because it is slightly larger than the double circled (variation 2), it should fit into the 415mm rim with less place for movements. It would be nice to know which toolkit variation came with the 400i pre-42705 and equipped with 415mm TRX wheels. I believe the holding tray specific for these remains a mystery, assuming it ever existed.
rovexienus I have a Series 1, 400i, #40555 that has the original plastic tray and briefcase tool kit. I'll take some photos tomorrow or this weekend so you can compare.
Thanks for the pics, can you post a pic of the holder in the spare please? Funny how the kits come with a carb tool in injected cars.
I know this set available, including the cover. But wondering if it is for a 400 or what? Image Unavailable, Please Login
Here are some photos of the plastic tray that I have. It is completely flocked in black. Some of it has worn off. I do have TRX tires and metric wheels. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I looked for any markings on the tray and could find none. Is anyone else's flocked with a mousehair-type coating?