Here you go:...
Here you go: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1985-Ferarri-400i-see-description_W0QQitemZ330014894687QQihZ014QQcategoryZ6212QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
It is in California. That one is too far gone to repair right. You could fix it but it would be a bondo bucket. Most of the parts it needs are no longer available. Try to find a front windshield, once you get finished choking over the price you'll understand. It, I'm sad to say, is nothing more than a parts car.
Absolute hogwash. Put that thing in a barn for 10 years, drag it back out, and people will be fighting over it. I've heard the "part it out" mantra so many times that one would think that people would learn by now. If this COMPLETELY intact car is deemed by some to be UNrepairable, then please show me the condition of the car that is going to be repaired by the parts from this so called UNrepairable car? "Parting it out" implies that the parts are going to be used elsewhere. But any car that needs parts from THIS car is undoubtedly in WORSE shape that this one that is deemed UNrepairable. Therefore, those OTHER cars would also be PARTS cars themselves.
Windshield Passenger side glass Gaskets and trim Plus whatever I'm missing Plus whatever might have been vandalized or nicked while sitting since Is all that sheetmetal usable? Looks pretty banged up, but maybe some shops can do it. plus - a full paint job afterwards. ... yikes! DStacy should know - how much are windshields, anyway?
As a car it is toast. However, if the engine is in decent shape that alone is worth 10-20K. Might take a while to find a buyer, but that price for a decent engine is less than the cost of a complete rebuild. John
Sorry about that. I saw the Canada in the shipping line and mistook it for the location. I have friends in the body shop industry that could help me out quite a bit if I could find a replacement roof....or just make it a convertible like someone else mentioned.
The issue is fixing it RIGHT. All of the body panels are NLA so you'll need to find a true craftsman who can hand hammer the panels, or make new ones. The seams will need to be leaded in. A quote of $5,000 to $10,000 for just the body work wouldn't surprise me at all. It is going to take a real expert to ever get the door, hood, & roofline to all line up and not rattle or have wind noise problems. The twist in the "A" pillar is really bad. Add a Ferrari quality paint job at another $5,000. The stainless steel mldgs are NLA so you'll have to have those fabricated. Another grand or 2. For those of you who don't know, they are stainless, don't use alum. or chrome polish on them. The windshield is NLA as a new part, I'd figure in excess of a couple of grand if you can find one, and that is a BIG if. For those of you that own 400's make sure you have glass coverage on your insurance policy. I can't tell if the passanger door glass is down or broken. Same story as the windshield if it is smashed, and I'll bet it is. While I respect horsfly's opinion, I happen not to agree with it. Again to fix the car RIGHT you'll far exceed the value of the vehicle. And lets remember we haven't even touched the fact that this car is probably being sold with a salvage title which will make the re-sale value drop big time. Just my humble opinion.
It really is not that bad. If you could buy it for a reasonable price and wait to find another one in similar shape with the needed parts it would be repairable. I have fixed several cars this bad and worse.
Ahhhh!! Finaly!! My Ferrari engine coffee table! Or maybe a ferrari powered Ford 3 window coupe??..Hmmm wait..Ferrari powered riding lawn mower?...Ahhhh I'll throw that engine into my little 190E Benz..oh the possiabilites are endless...I'm gonna bid...
Here is my take on the whole parts car vs. repairable car debate: 99% of "project" cars (Ferrari or otherwise) are not automatically a parts car and nothing more. Although if your definition of parts car is "a car that, if repaired, would not be able to be sold again for a profit" then, yes, a lot of project Ferraris are parts cars. In most any other circle of car guys, their idea of a parts car is one that is so far gone that it is near impossible to repair it at all. It is usually a given that they will end up sinking more money into the car that it is "worth". They restore the car because the love the model or marque, and feel a sense of pride in saving one and putting it back on the street to be able to be enjoyed for many more years. Plus buying a project car and restoring it over time allows one to purchace the car for a relatively small amount, and add value to it at your own pace. Not that different from financing a car, in that you end up paying a higher total amount for the car. However with the project if you need the extra money one month, you don't have to spend it. You can go at your own pace. Restore cars for love....they shouldn't be seen as only investments. Oh, and I second the motion for a 400i Barchetta!!
Interesting info, at least the glass isn't unavailable. Interesting that the trim is stainless. Who knows how well it was kept. I wouldn't be surprised if the past few owners were just beating the car and deferring maintenance. Babied by the first 2 owners, abused by the next, something like that. Like valve adjustments. What if the motor hasn't had one in 45k miles?
For a Barchetta, how would one handle the side line? With the trunk tapering from the roof C pillar, it seems it would be tough to get a nice profile. What about the rear quarter windows? Are they fixed? Ditch them?
Haha....not me! I've gone that route with some British stuff before, and I am sure I will do so again once I am done with residency and have something resembling actual free time. 80 hour work weeks don't leave much time for doing body work in one's garage, you know! At some point in the future, I am sure I will do a Ferrari project of some sort. In the meantime I am looking for a very nice, needs-nothing Mondial that I can just drive, wash, and occasionally change the oil.
I was thinking the same thing....I don't know that the lines of the 400 make for an easy conversion to topless form. Obviously it wasn't designed with this in mind. Perhaps you could fabricate a piece that sort of "flowed" down into the area around the rear seats, sort of like the top cover on convertible c5 vettes?
See the following for how to do the transition: http://www.fantasyjunction.com/used-cars.php?id=e10e9de40c8569a6a0e59032acb57b61
I hope I didn't offend anyone with the transition remark. I found a very good thread on this site, whith photos of many different conversion types for 400i. They certainly look good. This vehicle on eBay has a non-repairable title. I believe this means it can't be made road-worthy and ownership can only be transferred twice. I believe it's been transferred once, so this buyer can't sell it. This is just my understanding. In addition, there appears to be damage to the driver side A-pillar and trim, the hood and passenger side front fender. As expected, it's difficult to roll a 400i and have only small dent on top (though I did see a Saab 96 that way once, rolled end over end. All glass in place and no injuries or problems driving). I can only assume the bidders are looking for parts or for a car to part out - otherwise, wouldn't the 15k silver car in LA be a better deal? - Ian
It went for 8 grand http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=330014894687&ih=014&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT
I own Ferrari cars out of a passion for where they come from, how they are hand built, and that they drive like nothing else on the road....very much like the 512M I raced a long time ago..... I bought this car because I can build it again like new... The window glass, and many other parts, are available from Ferrari UK, are ordered and on the way... CA will retitle the car once it is restored with a Specialty Car Title, (it's all in the DMV Regulations)and plates.... Nothing sounds like a Ferrari V12 at full song....
Scott, We all wish you the best on this project. None of us want to see another one head for the scrap yard. You've got a huge amount of work ahead of you. We want a step by step report with pictures. Let us know what we can do to help.
