| Author | Message | ||
| thomas daniels (Castex)
Junior Member Username: Castex Post Number: 68 Registered: 6-2003 |
Great stuff Manu, and in that INIMITABLE style of yours  I took the 365 on a grand tour of Britain's frozen north and it never missed a beat. Carbs haven't given any trouble, which is more than could be said for the transmission. Comparitive fragility is the only reason I can fathom for the difference in values with Daytona...Regardless, best car ever, I'd say. I have a '76 copy of Road and Track which notes mods they made to legalise the 365 stateside. They're pretty ugly, with a stretched chin coming out from under the nose, and the requisite big bum; but they do exist. | ||
| Ben Cannon (Artherd)
Member Username: Artherd Post Number: 656 Registered: 6-2002 |
James- there are ways around the BS in CA... though none of it is particularily easy. I really want to drive a BB. The 365 is basically an F1 motor that snuck into the bonnet of a road car! Gotta love Ferrari! Would it be sacralige to fit a modern race individual velocity stack EFI setup to one of these cars? <ducks> Best! Ben. | ||
| will h (Willh)
Junior Member Username: Willh Post Number: 152 Registered: 3-2003 |
Was about to pull the trigger on a BBi at the local dealership, but somebody beat me to the punch. Still kicking myself. I know they are out there, I just prefer to deal with my regular salesman. They have a 512TR, but I love the Boxer look. Someday ... | ||
| Joel DeLuca (Trajan)
New member Username: Trajan Post Number: 2 Registered: 7-2003 |
I was 18 and my parents took me to Italy for high school graduation. On the road from Rome to Naples we were passed by a BB512. It was the most incredible thing I had ever seen. I never forgot it. Three years ago I got a BB512i. The car still impresses me driving or standing still. I have three other Ferraris, but to me, the Boxer is the last of the true race bred, handbuilt Ferraris. It is the last one built with a race engine tuned down for the street, and the last "legendary" Ferrari, follwing the 275GTB and the Daytona. My 360 is "soft"! Too easy to drive hard. You drive the Boxer hard and the sweatpouring off you and the tremble in your hands lets you know what your driving! | ||
| Doug meredith (Dougm)
Member Username: Dougm Post Number: 352 Registered: 2-2001 |
I owned my carbed Boxer for a few months this late winter/summer and drove it for @1000 miles with no mechanical problems. Never touched a carb the whole time. Started and ran great in 18 deg F as well as 95 deg. The guy that purchased it from me drove it home(with my pursuasion)900 miles with no problems. I will probably regret selling it for the rest of my life but I needed a car that didn't need 10 miles of low rpm driving just to get it warmed up. Most of my jaunts are less than 10 miles and with an 18 month old daughter, I can't just tell the wife "I'm sorry, but I need to just go and drive the car for a few hours." Once that car was warmed up....what music. | ||
| wm hart (Whart)
Intermediate Member Username: Whart Post Number: 1560 Registered: 12-2001 |
ELI: on reliability, i'd have to say my experience was great. As i've mentioned here before, i bought a queen and spent money on it to get it roadworthy; i then drove the hell out of it, including an impromtu road trip from NY to Fla. one day when i got cabin fever. Never had a problem with the car. Others here have mentioned that the less electronic, and more mechanical nature of the earlier cars makes them easier to work on and in some ways, less prone to break. Parts are probably not as easy, particularly for the 365 BB. I have not yet owned a Daytona, but i'm told quality, particularly on later boxers, is much higher. The early cars are really nice; there is a yellow one that used to show up in Phila. area car shows that had been well restored. There are conflicting reports on whether the car got less powerful or the figures got more honest. Allegedly, the 365 suffered from nose lift, and i'm of the impression that the engine was enlarged to put out more power at lower revs, but i may be wrong. I love seeing the triple exhaust on the early cars. As to differences in driveability between the 512 carb v. injected, dunno. I think its probably a tradeoff between carb'd style car vs. later, perhaps better built cars at the end of the run (injected) but i won't state that as a fact. (Also, the metric wheels suck, but i don't know what the earlier alternatives were, or what you can do now to use a more modern tire, which is probably the only drawback of the car, along with its relatively high center of gravity in the back). | ||
| Manu (Manu)
Member Username: Manu Post Number: 798 Registered: 2-2002 |
Guys - I also want to know how the 512BB compares with the 365BB... Are the non-injected models significantly different? I have heard they are even more raw and aggressive - particularly that they are noisier (woohoo )!!! I KNOW that they ARE less tractable and require even more mechanical sympathy to drive well/smoothly. I have reliably informed that the non-injected BB models need their carburettors adjusted after almost EVERY run? Is this true? Now THESE are supercars. | ||
| William H (Countachxx)
Advanced Member Username: Countachxx Post Number: 2834 Registered: 2-2001 |
Steve, If I were you I would tade the Challenge car or the SPyder in on a BBLM Bob Coates was going to buy an F40, I told him to get a BBLM, he did & he is very happy with his decision | ||
| James Selevan (Jselevan)
Member Username: Jselevan Post Number: 682 Registered: 6-2002 |
Manu - you really said it well using the word "visceral". For those that argue over the 365/512/512i, it is somewhat academic for those of us in California. The only Boxer that can be certified with a B.A.R. (Bureau of Automotive Repair) sticker, necessary for registration, is the injected version. The others simply will not pass emissions test - this despite adding cats and pumps. Jim S. | ||
| V.Z. (Ama328)
Junior Member Username: Ama328 Post Number: 216 Registered: 11-2002 |
David Feinberg, do you prefer a 365BB over the 512BB? I've always liked the looks of the 365 a bit more, but having never owned either, never quite knew which was the more practical/drivable/maintainable, etc. | ||
| Martin - Cavallino Motors (Miami348ts)
Senior Member Username: Miami348ts Post Number: 5468 Registered: 5-2001 |
Solly, get the Sport Seats and you will get that "Ferrari"-feeling! | ||
| William H (Countachxx)
Advanced Member Username: Countachxx Post Number: 2831 Registered: 2-2001 |
Steve, you can sit in my 512TR it will give you an idea of the dimensions of the BB as they are not too far apart. You might have to take the seat out and upholster the floor & rear bulkhead to fit I remember once back in the 90s I got a ride in Joe Rosen's BBLM, he was the Pres of the FCA NER back then. We were racing a BMW M1 around Pocono & we were Seriously flying, probably near 200 mph on the back straight, what a ride that was | ||
| ELI (Titanium360)
Member Username: Titanium360 Post Number: 540 Registered: 4-2002 |
WM, is the boxer as reliable as let say the 360 or the 550? | ||
| Peter S�derlund /328 GTB -88 (Corsa)
Member Username: Corsa Post Number: 346 Registered: 4-2001 |
Hell... Was that necessary, now I got that disease again. David, your BB locoks fantastic!!! Ciao Peter | ||
| Steven J. Solomon (Solly)
Member Username: Solly Post Number: 535 Registered: 6-2001 |
I have been giving serious consideration to selling my 360 spider for exactly the reasons you state above. A little too cushy, too plush, not what i always thought a Ferrari should be. My Dino still thrills me every time I take it out, although I long for a 12 cylinder (never had one). I have always loved the look of the Boxer. So, If I sell the spider and want a boxer: 1) I'm 6'4", will I fit? 2) Which boxer to get- the 365 (which I've heard is the more raw of the 2), or the 512? Any special problems to look for besides a comprehensive service history? Any other info on boxers anyone wants to share? | ||
| wm hart (Whart)
Intermediate Member Username: Whart Post Number: 1552 Registered: 12-2001 |
Hello! Power steering, and all the improvements aren't really. I traded a boxer for a Maranello. After 1/2 dozen ferraris, the boxer is the only one i miss driving, and was probably the most interesting to look at too. It is a little too manly at the limit, but you've got to be pretty crazy to push the car that hard on the streets; it is a bit back heavy in a tall way that is so well disguised by suspension tricks that you don't notice it. It also sounds great, and the interior is tres funky. Every time i think about the next F car, images of a boxer keep popping up. | ||
| David Feinberg (Fastradio2)
Member Username: Fastradio2 Post Number: 258 Registered: 4-2002 |
Manu, This September will be 21 years that I've had my 365BB...Four Ferraris through the years, the BB being the only one really worth keeping...Always puts a smile on my face. If you're ever in Upstate NY, drop me a note...Between her looks and sounds, it's a ride you just can't forget. (Check my profile for a picture...) Regards, David | ||
| gary green (Minuke)
Junior Member Username: Minuke Post Number: 122 Registered: 7-2003 |
Manu, When I was 18 I got a ride in a boxer, I can still remember that day. It's funny, I can't remember what I did yesterday! | ||
| Sean F (Agracer)
Member Username: Agracer Post Number: 301 Registered: 2-2003 |
Which is why it's on my wish list!! | ||
| peter brinzey (Ferraripete)
Junior Member Username: Ferraripete Post Number: 99 Registered: 11-2002 |
as a boxer owner, i am glad to hear the excitement in your writting. i agree w/ all you say and would add that even going to the gas station and lifting the rear cowling to fill and check the oil is an experience. it never ceases to get a crowd when the engine and rear end are exposed...this is what people expect a ferrari to look like!! driving one is really a great thrill and as i say it really is the last great factory ferrari hot rod. the new ones are fast but lost is the passion. | ||
| William H (Countachxx)
Advanced Member Username: Countachxx Post Number: 2829 Registered: 2-2001 |
Boxers are nice, I'd have a BBLM. Didnt have the $300k to blow on a toy so I built my own based on a 512TR Its still a Boxer | ||
| Manu (Manu)
Member Username: Manu Post Number: 797 Registered: 2-2002 |
It was my first opportunity to drive a Berlinetta Boxer at length today and I was blown away!! Now I've driven quite a few Ferraris (and had 1 too) and the odd Lamborghini and Porsche all the way up to 575M/Murcielago and I have to say NONE of them were as *satisfying* to drive as this BB I drove today. It's certainly not easy - I've had HOURS of seat time in 355s, 360 and of course the 550 and after them this is a real MANS car. The clutch, the steering, the gearbox even the brakes require EFFORT.... but WHAT a machine.... Maybe it's the noise from the flat 12 (the car I drove is about to have a Tubi fitted so it will sound even better!!) or the weight of the controls but there is *something* absolutely brilliant about driving this car. It was just sooo SATISFYING... The performance is really satisfying too - it's STILL a real fast car even by todays standards and it FEELS it too which is what I love..... After driving this BB, I can't help but thinking that modern Ferraris are just too soft.. this car left me thrilled.... With all due respect they're just too easy to drive. In the modern cars, you don't soo much 'extract' performance as 'access' it and this kills the reward. They're too easy - these F1 'boxes, traction control, heavily silenced engines, electric seats, even the synthetic feel of assisted steering/brakes/clutch.... it's all surplus to requirements IMO. I'll have you know it was a customers car and for this reason I certainly did not BLAST up the road - it was just a very gentle mosey (at best)but it was enough to tell me what I needed to know.... It was a MANS car - a PROPER Ferrari and I LOVED IT. Either way, if the opportunity arise I WILL buy a 365BB/512BB/i etc... It's a shame they don't build 'em like they used to - that's for sure. Would love to hear the opinion of other Boxer owners about whether they agree! P.S. this was an injected 512BBi - I am now gagging to try the carb fed one or a 365 - they're meant to be even more visceral! |