'84-400iA Blk/Tan #50327 Up For Grabs

I wonder what else it needs....?

Pretty good price for the right buyer.

 

There are many problems that could have been wrongly diagnosed as "Needs new fuel pump," some of which could be major. But unless the engine needs a rebuild this is a great price for a low mileage 12-cyl Ferrari. I'd guess you could sink $8,000 to $10,000 into this car, to take care of the inevitable list of "needs," before you'd be underwater. Not being underwater would be a unique distinction among 400i owners.

 

I see $12k in parts alone. Who wants in on a parts car?

 

I was thinking the same thing GT Jones. Only, I don't have a 400 to use the parts on yet! I could find a good use for the engine, however.

 

You guys are amazing. While it will take a thorough inspection to understand what condition this car is in, I am not seeing a "parts car" by any stretch of the imagination.

For a BIN of $13K, there is a lot of room to invest money in bringing this car up to a good standard before there is any danger of being "underwater" and that is assuming that the seller won't budge on the price.

Let's suppose that it checks out okay and you spend some money on the FI, the exhaust, new tires (a given), a matching front corner light lens and various and sundry other things that inevitably will need to be done, and let's say all of that work adds up to, oh, $15K.

What will you have after a total investment of $28K in this car? You will have a sorted and reliable car that should give you a lot of pleasure for many years. You might be $5K "underwater" in terms of immediate resale value but that will be minimal depreciation if you keep the car for a few years.

It is not unusual for someone to spend in the low-mid 20's for a car in not much better apparent condition and then they start spending $10-15K to bring it up to snuff. By then they have $35K-40K in the car and, while it will be sorted and reliable, they will still be seriously "underwater".

Unless you guys are seeing something that I am missing totally or you have talked to the seller and inspected the car, I am not seeing a parts car here. There is just not enough information.

 

Ashman, I'm with you---this is nowhere near a parts car...this is a car that needed the same maintenance we've given our own cars. If I only needed another project...Lee

 

Its a very good deal for a 'fixer upper' for sure. This car has great potential.

 

That is a needs some TLC driver! There is nothing in the photos suggesting otherwise. Buy it. Put a bit of love into it and have the most fun for the Ferrari Dollar possible!

The interior is fully functional and with the headlamps and glass intact some of the ugly surprises do not need addressing.
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+1 -- the "new" (and incorrect?) WURs might be another clue that someone's been struggling with a CIS injection problem that they can't figure out. Still, if the engine internals are OK, the Sellers asking price doesn't seem crazy (but being non-running should be used heavily against the Seller's price -- i.e., it IS a parts car unless the Seller, at the Seller's expense, proves otherwise -- JMO).

 

What's one of these engines worth?

Pull & sell the engine/trans, put in a GM LSx drivetrain and enjoy all your newfound free time with a simple, reliable, powerful drivetrain and after getting banned from Fchat for said project!

 

You could put in the GM engine and then take your time rebuilding the V12 and swap it back when finished.

 

Someone saw value in it.

It's listed as "Sold For: US $12,900.00"

 

I wouldn't argue the value in investing $15k in that car, I was just intrigued by the selfish idea of stashing a complete car up in the rafters to pick from over the years.

 

I have been calculating the benefits of that strategy since buying my 400i. The parts value works out fine in my mind. Time saved in having all the part right there to sang wins in my book.

Having my wife then be able to say she is entitled to buy backups and parts jewlery though make the idea of stashing a 400i like that a no go in my universe.

 

...most parts on Ebay don't sell, I've even tried to sell small maintenance parts and the market for these is between zero and 1 (usually closer to zero...). Think of most the parts that you are tempted to need, assume the typical 2k miles per year that a Ferrari is driven (and discount much threat of collision damage that needs replacement sheet metal), discount components that would need some kind of rebuild equal to your old parts (like the WURs here), or seats that are a little dirty or a dash that is probably wrinkled as well....Much better for this car to be running and enjoyed.

Curiosity got to me, the seller said the car has been parked for only a couple years...Congrats to the new purchaser---Lee

 

Ok just a very quick observation. There is no way that car has 21,000 miles on it. The speedo has been replaced and that engine will not rust like that in just 21,000 miles.
Now having said that I don't see a parts car either. A car that will cost another $20,000? Yes; but not a parts car.
Heck man they ALL cost another $20k after you buy them. Some of them are just a lot nicer than others.

 

Dave, not quibbling about the mileage as that is as much an unknown as it is for any gray market car but I don't think that the mileage shown has anywhere near the effect for rust on the engine or a dirty engine bay as much as the simple passage of time. This is a 30 year old car and there is more than enough time for the rust to form, particularly if it hasn't been driven or maintained for a couple of years.

Remember how awful the Leake cars looked a few years ago after being left out in the Houston sun for a couple of years? They could have had zero miles and they would have looked the same. They went for bargain basement prices and some of them have been gussied up and put back on the market for much higher prices. I shudder to think what the new buyers found underneath the buffed out paint, the patched up dash leather and in the steam cleaned engine bays.

Knowing the history of these cars and how they have been stored and maintained over so many years can make a huge difference in what they are really worth.

 

Well you are correct about the Leake cars. So I might be incorrect.

 

1984 Ferrari 400i

I was the one who purchased the car and now have it back to a great running car. The miles are real, as the car sat in a garage for many years due to a messy divorce. I would like to sell it to move on to another project. It does have original paint, but a few dings and dents are present. The leather inside is in decent shape, a little color change from age. Underside is clean, no rust. Wheels were chromed by a prior owner. Have owners manual too. All reasonable offers entertained. There are just a few last small repairs needed that I am hopeful to have completed this weekend, then a nice detail should make this car stand out. Please feel free to PM me or have a PPI performed.

 

It's always great to see a car brought back to life, Dave. Can you tell us a little about what you found when you bought the car, what you have done to it during your time of ownership and any future near term needs that an owner would want to prepare for?

 

Sorry for the late reply but have been traveling. The main issue was the wiring which was completely messed up and the car would not start. Once this was sorted out, oil change, fresh gasoline and spark plugs, the car came to life. Some hoses were replaced, and while it still needs some tweaking, it is a running weekend car. The black/tan combo really stands out, and while some purists may shudder, I really like the chromed wheels.

 

I need to correct misstatements that I may have made and to let everyone know I will be listing the car on eBay tomorrow night. First, I purchased the car with no prior records and was misinformed about areas of prior painting and possible body repair, which became very obvious during the first detailing. The car does run and drive well now, but will need work if one would like to make it more than just a driver. I will have pictures with the areas of cracks and dings, along with the pictures showing its good points. I apologize if I have mislead anyone, and will make sure the listing will be 100% accurate.

 

is there anyone in South Florida near Naples who can give an independant review of this cars condition? I'm interested but its hard to tell the condition based on a few photos. This review along with a PPI would go a long way toward valuing this car. Any suggestions about where to take the car locally for a PPI, or someone who can do it at the owners location?