Convertibles and Sunroofs | Page 2 | FerrariChat

Convertibles and Sunroofs

Discussion in '365 GT4 2+2/400/412' started by dinopaul, Mar 5, 2010.

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  1. dinopaul

    dinopaul Formula Junior

    Jan 27, 2010
    443
    Paris, FRANCE
    Full Name:
    Paul
    I know this car. Has been recently bought by a member of my club, FerrariClub400, France.
    This car had been left by his owner to a mecanician. Several months ago the mecanician decided to sell his garage and so he sold the rest of the cars abandoned. This 400 is one of them. But we suspect that the original owner couldn't pay the bills and the mecanician decided, on his own and against the law, to sell parts of the car.
    The member who bought the car found it without bumpers, engine, and one or two wheels. I'm not sure it's a right-hand-drive but it's registered in the UK so must be RHD. Anyway, it's impossible to put back this car on the road, and this is a perfect way to get second-hand parts...
     
  2. bundas

    bundas F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Dec 31, 2005
    7,090
    lexington ky usa
    Full Name:
    mitchell barnes
    just a little joke. i was referring to the large mound of dirt or mulch if you have a garden. my family are from Barnesville near Cherbourg
     
  3. dinopaul

    dinopaul Formula Junior

    Jan 27, 2010
    443
    Paris, FRANCE
    Full Name:
    Paul
    Ok !! Sorry, but my poor english couldn't permit me to understand this kind of vocabulary !
    I have ever been in Cherbourg. But I'm from Reims, Champagne area.
     
  4. 300man

    300man Karting

    Mar 19, 2010
    122
    #29 300man, Apr 1, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Hi Paul!
    Didnt understand the joke either, and I.ve lived in the UK for at least 25 years!
    Poor car! However, I wouldn't mind buying Right-Hand Drive specific bits off the car if the owner is interested. RH drive 400 are pretty rare... By the way, the sunroof switch is the little square chromed one on the far right of the panel, just by the door. Does anyone know if there is a closing panel underneath the igition switch area. Cause if there is, I ain't got it!!
    As an aside, I'm taking the car for a little French holiday late this month, initially to my uncle's near Sochaux, then down to the Haute Loire where'I'm from. Should be fun!
    Regards
    Eric
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  5. dinopaul

    dinopaul Formula Junior

    Jan 27, 2010
    443
    Paris, FRANCE
    Full Name:
    Paul
    Dear Eric,

    Thanks for your support to the joke. Apologies Bundas !
    I can't answer for the sunroof. I've just created this thread to get informations, but I can see that's a pain to get them, because the bills of the transformation may be lost, or It's never the same transformer.
    If you're interested in getting parts of the RHD you can contact me ([email protected]) or David EMIN. We'll give you the adress of the new owner. We are proud of him, he's our youngest member, only 19 years-old !! He bought a abandoned 400i 5 speed and restore it with patience and the money he can get with little jobs...he's still studying...you can get photos of his car on the website of the club...ferrariclub400.com.
    Don't hesitate to call David about your holiday in France !

    Paul
     
  6. sebackman

    sebackman Karting

    May 19, 2010
    138
    Europe
    Hi Paul and others,

    I own the Chiarro Blue 400i Spyder on some of you pictures. It's a 1980 series I 400i automatic converted by R Straman in Costa Mesa California from new (1980). Well, not entirely true. It was sold new in Belgium by Franchorchamps and shipped to the US as "gray imports" as 400's were never sold new in the US. We think it had some mishap during the transport and was sent to Straman for conversion more or less direct. It was then sold new to its first owner in Beverly Hills, LA. They kept it until 1999 when I bought it from them. I have the paper trail of the car and the original Blue colored Beverly Hills number plates (old California).

    I have talked to Mr Straman him selves, I lived in the US for a few years, and he confirmed that it may be one of their cars and that they did 36 of them all-in-all.

    Originally the top was manual but it was converted to hydraulic in the middle of the 90’s as the top was rebuilt by Ferrari in Atlanta.

    There were a number of converters back in the day. Most of the conversions are very poor and not really worth the money. Remember that taking of the roof implies making a completely new and stronger sub-frame to keep rigidity and also to re-do the doors to coop with the fact that there is no roof to support. I have seen a few horror examples of cars where the doors were difficult to open and the entire car felt very twitchy on acceleration and braking. I would estimate the total number of convertibles to be less than 60, as the only one who actually made a series of them was Straman. Most of the Straman cars have manual tops.

    There are 2 or possibly 3 365GT4 cars (easily spotted with knock-off’s) converted that I know of, I have seen at least 4 400GT’s, most of them are 400i’s and there seem to have been a a very low number of 412’s converted (2-4). Ferrari actually made 2 themselves to please important clients. One was built to an important Spanish customer and I think it is still in Europe in a collection (Maroon). The other one was commissioned by Ferrari and built by a coachbuilder in Italy for them. I think it is Silver and resides in the US now. Please check the web-site of the US Ferrari Club.

    I have a pretty good idea of who-did-what of the convertibles. I can probably identify some of the cars if you want and certainly share my 10 years ownership experience if you want.

    There is a number of signs that can reveal the version of the donor and where it was made (and by whom). From you pictures I think the only Lois&Rankel car is the Red one in the garage as they had a Mercedes style cover over the top. All the others had soft covers like a Modial. You can see from the rims what donor it had (series I, II or III), mirrors is also a give-away unless changed. So is front and rear bumbers and position lights. Also the design of the top and the rear side windows can give some information.

    The car is now in Sweden. I’m the second owner and it has covered about 35.000km from new.

    Hope some of this is useful.

    Best regards
    Robert
     
  7. dinopaul

    dinopaul Formula Junior

    Jan 27, 2010
    443
    Paris, FRANCE
    Full Name:
    Paul
    #32 dinopaul, May 20, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Dear Robert,


    Thanks a lot for these useful informations. I've got a lot of pictures of convertibles, more than posted on F-chat. Really hard to identifiate each car, because I don't now the details to.
    If you're interested in helping me, please contact me on [email protected], and I'll transfer you my pictures.
    A french owner has contacted my Club recently, in order to get informations. Only things he knows : three cars included his car, were commanded to Ferrari for the german market. But who did the conversion ? Scaglietti ? Campana in Modena ? The cars arrived "converted" in Dusseldorf. His car is a 400 GT Manual Gearbox. I join you a picture.
    He bought his car in 2003 at a Bonhams Auction.
    Could you post a picture of your car, I don't find it in my posted pictures.

    Regards

    Paul
    FerrariClub400 (France)

    PS : our website is in maintenance, but I'll give you a link when It's ok.
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  8. sebackman

    sebackman Karting

    May 19, 2010
    138
    Europe
    #33 sebackman, May 25, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Paul,

    The car in the pictures is most likely a Lois & Rankel car. I have a picture from back then and it looks just like your car. It is even red.

    Regards
    //Robert

    PS
    I added a picture of my 400 Spyder at the Ferrari 60 year anniversary. The convertibles look smaller than the standard 400's
    DS
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  9. slimwhitman

    slimwhitman Rookie

    Jul 21, 2009
    4
    Robert, I have been trying to understand how many Straman convertibles have been built. Thanks for verifying that 36 of the 400i's were built. Do you know what other model Ferraris his company converted and the total build counts for them?

    Thanks for your help, Robert (also)
     

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