400 stripped ready for one-off rebody

Interesting!

1. What did you do with the old body? I'll bet several here could use the parts!

2. I like the design of your new body, I hope it scales well.

3.Tom Shaunessey may be willing to sell the modified Devon body that 202A (340 America) was wearing when he bought it - it might be worth checking out, especially since the body has real '50s-'60s race history.

Regards,

Art S.

 

Colin

That sounds like an interesting project. The 400 chassis looks very sturdy. The models are nice. Something super-streamlined with an alloy cover over the passenger seat would be nice.

Looks like a Lotus Seven chassis on stands behind the 400.

Aidan

 

This is going to be a very interesting thread to watch

 

Do you intend changing the wheels to something more period & to get away from what appear to be TRX ?

 

Colin
Please confirm that this is a complete new chassis and not just a shortened 400 chassis. From what I see of my chassis it is not like that at all. How have you adapted the suspension to fit the chassis? It looks like you have used some of the 400 bits in the rear.
Ken

 

Describe how you shortened the driveline assembly, please. I would be very interested in a detailed description,

Thnx,

Howard Musolf
1981 308gtsi
1982 400i Cabriolet
Maserati Spider
2 many brass era cars.

 

Interesting project!
Having done one myself (there's a thread here called 575GTO) I think you will struggle to get to 1000kg unless you remake most of the suspension and everything else that can be changed. My first attempt was near 1300 kg from memory and we're still at 1190kg - now using the lighter 575 engine & transmission.
Surely you aren't going to keep the automatic transmission?

 

Hi Howard

It's not difficult: You just shorten the torque tube and reweld, having made a jig to keep it square. Then then get a new driveshaft made which I did the first time for my 365 engine/transmission.
We had the drive shaft shortened for my 575 engine/transmission by a company who cut and shortened it, inserted a threaded stud into the 2 halves and welded them back together. It has handled the 600bhp on the race track every since. Admittedly it is running at engine speed to the transaxle and has to deliver less torque than the shaft between the gearbox and diff on the 365/400 layout.

By the way, did you get sorted out with Tom S for your splined hubs? Maybe you got a set of used Borranis from him too...

Best wishes
Will

 

If the rear glass is available and intact, I'd be interested in purchasing it.

 

Dear Colin
Waw that will go fast and I am sure it will look like a sexy bird but sorry for being a boring old git it will only ever be a meer shadow of what was pininfarinas class design masterwork of understatement the 400 series.
It looks like your going for overstatement exactly the opposite of what the concept was.

All said if you really couldnt have saved the beauty why not and please excuse me for being an original car fan.
Good luck with it in any case.
Regards
Alastair

 

Wow...Very nice design. I haven't seen a clay prototype looking that fast since cassius.

 

Please tell me you'll be exchanging that slushbox.

 

great project, looking forward to photos and updates as the project progresses.

 

Understand the old had to go. So now you have a pretty awesome mechanical and unmatchable soundscape carbueretted V12 and a chassis.

having that as a blank canvass is I imagine for a body specialist a dream come true. I like your thoughts about the GTO and I see from your models the idea there, also considering the US market is thoughtfull from a designer.

I have a friend who ownes an other US icon an AC Cobra which lines are truly gorgeous I also thought about that when looking at your models. An understated cross of the GTO and Cobra! now I am wishing I was in your shoes!

Regards
Alastair

 

I find your design to be perhaps a bit more aggressive than that of the 400, but certainly not obnoxious. (It's okay for a Ferrari to look a bit aggressive. While I respect those who appreciate the understated elegance of the 400, I also find it a bit bland for a Ferrari.)

It also appears to be in keeping with some of Ferrari's early designs; I find it reminiscent of the 250 GTO and the original California. Tell us, do you plan to keep this as an open seater? A one off body on a 400 platform - with that marvelous V12 - is appealing!

Please keep us all posted as the project develops! All the best.

 

All aluminum might be doable......

Talk to those guys in the old MIG Factory that are doing Cobras.....

You'd have to make a wooden buck, that's all.....

 

have you seen the one-off that Sir Bamford had created I believe also on a 400? The concept is the same as yours; a design exercise that does not seek to literally re-create an icon of the 50s-60s but something that could have been penned in that period.
I'll try to find pictures.

 

here you go, from this forum in 2005 . . .

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46538

 

front wind screen. i have pete townsends car. the glass was damaged in shipping

 

Colin- On your clay model, it looks very professional and period, and not like a copy of anything. One thing you could try would be to only have one headrest on the driver's side vs two. A bit different and would facilitate covering the passenger side with a plate, as someone suggested earlier. Will also help rearwards vision.

Taz
Terry Phillips