550 model year range and pre-cat questions... | FerrariChat

550 model year range and pre-cat questions...

Discussion in '456/550/575' started by SSNISTR, Sep 16, 2014.

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  1. SSNISTR

    SSNISTR F1 Veteran

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    #1 SSNISTR, Sep 16, 2014
    Hello gents, two questions.

    1- What was the model year range for the 550? I always thought it was 1997-2001, but I have read in a few places 1996-2002?

    2- Pre-cats were added in 2000 correct? Did these have any real affect on performance?

    Thanks for any input.
     
  2. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #2 tazandjan, Sep 16, 2014
    Ryan- US 550s were MY 97-MY 01 and no 550 had precats.
     
  3. SSNISTR

    SSNISTR F1 Veteran

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    #3 SSNISTR, Sep 16, 2014
    Thanks.

    Was the ROW the same? Or was it a longer range? I thought I have seen MY 1996 and 2002 550's for sale overseas?

    So no pre-cats on any 550 huh? I read in another thread on here they were added for 2000 or something cat related was changed? Guess it was incorrect info, thanks.
     
  4. Redneck Slim

    Redneck Slim Formula 3
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    #4 Redneck Slim, Sep 16, 2014
    550s were made from 1996 through 2002,but I can't say what would show as the model year. If you are looking to buy one,contact Forza magazine and order issue # 123 (Feb 2013),which has a 550/575 buyer's guide.
     
  5. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #5 tazandjan, Sep 16, 2014
    Ryan- The 550 was available in 1996 in Europe and late 1996 as a 1997 model in the US. Some ROW 550s were delivered with no catalysts because unleaded fuel was not available in all locations. No ROW 550s had precats, either, those started with the 575M in late CY 2001. See the parts catalog for more info.

    Ferrari 550 Maranello Parts : Table 22 - EXHAUST SYSTEM

    Walt- As far as I can see, there were no CY 2002 550s. Production ended in late CY 2001 and was superceded by the 575M, which overlapped for a short period.
     
  6. SSNISTR

    SSNISTR F1 Veteran

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    #6 SSNISTR, Sep 17, 2014
    Thank you for clearing this up.

    So if I got this right...

    Model years 1996-2001 for ROW.
    Model years 1997-2001 for USA.

    So no pre-cats on any 550, but some ROW cars had no cats. Any way to find out what counties got those? Surprised that by this time some cars were still being made with no cats! Were these cars rated with any more power, or not?
     
  7. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #7 tazandjan, Sep 17, 2014
    Ryan- ROW (most of it) does not use model years, just date of manufacture. So under Euro rules, some of our MY 97s would be 1996 550s.
     
  8. SSNISTR

    SSNISTR F1 Veteran

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    #8 SSNISTR, Sep 17, 2014
    I got ya. Hence why you will see '96 550's for sale elsewhere.

    Still not sure on the cats though...I thought that 550's had cats in the headers, then another set after those. Which would be the ones some may change out to high flows or test pipes...maybe my calling them pre-cats was wrong, as the ones in the headers are the main cats and the ones after are secondary cats?
     
  9. SSNISTR

    SSNISTR F1 Veteran

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    #9 SSNISTR, Sep 18, 2014
    You have any links or proof that there were any 550's made in 2002? My research and tazandjan seem to think the last ones were made in 2001.

    Thanks.
     
  10. Redneck Slim

    Redneck Slim Formula 3
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    #10 Redneck Slim, Sep 18, 2014
    My source is the magazine referenced above;specifically,the section by Michael Sheehan. However,he also says that the 575 was only produced through 2005,and I have seen a Superamerica for sale with an early 2006 build date.
     
  11. SSNISTR

    SSNISTR F1 Veteran

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    #11 SSNISTR, Sep 18, 2014
    Humm, mistake or are there really 2002 550's...

    Anybody know a way to check? Pretty sure tazandjan's source said there were no 2002 550's.
     
  12. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #12 tazandjan, Sep 18, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Walt- Affirmative on the 06 build date for a Superamerica, but they were sold as MY 05s. See below for a December 05 SA 146142, and they were building them well after that.

    The last 550 I have a record of in Matthias Urban's book is 126807, a US spec 550 built in Fall 2001 as a MY 01. Part of the last batch of 550s I see from SN 126800-126807. Production of the 575M was pretty much fully underway beginning with SN 126896 in Fall 2001, even though there were several pre-production 575M models built much earlier.

    Sheehan is often wrong on details like that.
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  13. alex550575430

    alex550575430 Formula Junior

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    #13 alex550575430, Sep 19, 2014
    Taz,

    This Superamerica is younger than my F430 APR/05 Vin#142489...

    Alex
     
  14. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #14 tazandjan, Sep 19, 2014
    Alex- Quite a bit younger.
     
  15. Redneck Slim

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    #15 Redneck Slim, Sep 19, 2014
    I thought by the 1990s Ferrari had complete production records.

    You could post a thread "Anyone heard of a 550 produced in 2002?".
     
  16. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #16 tazandjan, Sep 19, 2014
    Walt- Having records and anybody getting access to them are separate things. Feel free to start another thread. Maranellos Concessionaires were the best at getting Ferrari data from the factory, but they broke up when Penske's parent company bought them in the 2006 timeframe and broke them up.

    Matthias Urban's site and books are the best info on individual Ferraris right now.
     
  17. Redneck Slim

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    #17 Redneck Slim, Sep 20, 2014
    In any case,if 575 production started in 2001 then I'm sure that no 550s were produced in 2002.
     
  18. SSNISTR

    SSNISTR F1 Veteran

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    #18 SSNISTR, Sep 20, 2014
    My thinking as well...
     

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