has anyone chopped the top off a 599? | FerrariChat

has anyone chopped the top off a 599?

Discussion in '612/599' started by ross, Dec 16, 2012.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. ross

    ross Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Mar 25, 2002
    36,208
    houston/geneva
    Full Name:
    Ross
    with aperta's so rare and expensive, and 599's getting pretty cheap....just wondering whether anybody had the idea to take the top off yet?
     
  2. open roads

    open roads F1 Rookie

    Jan 28, 2007
    3,798
    Sarasota, Fl.
    Full Name:
    Stan
    I'd guess not. Probably a combination of real Apertas availability (rare I know), stigma of a chop top and a plethora of other convertibles available.

    I've been wondering if another 550 will be chopped. Thus far I believe mine is one of two in the US, with perhaps three others around the world.

    There are other pretty attractive options, so someone will have to need it now. Then they need the shop and patience. This sounds like an unlikely scenario. But, you never know.


    There are no chopped 575s to my knowledge.
     
  3. ross

    ross Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Mar 25, 2002
    36,208
    houston/geneva
    Full Name:
    Ross
    stigma schmigma. :) there are 599's going for around 130k now, and straman would probably charge about 40k to do the chop, so for less than 200k you could have something really unique. worth considering !!
     
  4. ross

    ross Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Mar 25, 2002
    36,208
    houston/geneva
    Full Name:
    Ross
    how about a photoshop stab at it? i would do it but am technologically handicapped.
     
  5. ross

    ross Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Mar 25, 2002
    36,208
    houston/geneva
    Full Name:
    Ross
    anybody done one for real???
     
  6. 4th_gear

    4th_gear F1 Rookie

    Jan 18, 2013
    4,425
    Full Name:
    Michael
    So which bottle are you emptying? Have you lost your mind? :eek:
     
  7. ross

    ross Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Mar 25, 2002
    36,208
    houston/geneva
    Full Name:
    Ross
    no i haven't. and what is so outrageous about that concept?
    you can buy early examples now for about 120k. add 80k for the chop and you have 200k in the car. it is not sacrilege because they made like 5000 of these. so why not?

    besides that, surely there is a wreck out there that somebody is looking to salvage instead of part out, and it would make a good project.
     
  8. Ryan...

    Ryan... Karting

    Nov 9, 2012
    182
    WI
    Where are you finding $120k 599s? Legit question, I'm curious as to mileage/condition because the cheapest I seem to find are in the $150-160k range.
     
  9. Bas

    Bas Four Time F1 World Champ

    Mar 24, 2008
    41,299
    ESP
    Full Name:
    Bas
    Check his location...

    There are some mid 80k euro around in Europe.
     
  10. ross

    ross Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Mar 25, 2002
    36,208
    houston/geneva
    Full Name:
    Ross
    i live in switzerland. there are 55 for sale online right now. 9 of which are offered at 130k or below.
    in italy there are 67 for sale, 15 of which offered at 130k or less.
    in germany there are 79 for sale online, 9 of which are at 130k or less.
    in france there are 43 for sale online and 2 below 130k.

    so there are many here that are in the right price range.
     
  11. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Jan 5, 2002
    23,988
    Portland, Oregon
    Full Name:
    Don
    Ross, you are talking euros, correct?
     
  12. ross

    ross Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Mar 25, 2002
    36,208
    houston/geneva
    Full Name:
    Ross
    No I gave all these figures in USD!
    Look it up. Try autoscout.it for example
     
  13. Ryan...

    Ryan... Karting

    Nov 9, 2012
    182
    WI
    Wow, that's incredible! It will probably be another 5 years before they reach those prices here in the States.
     
  14. Joe@Fabspeed

    Joe@Fabspeed Karting
    Sponsor

    Jul 1, 2005
    240
    Philadelphia
    Full Name:
    Joe Fabiani
    A 599 Spider would be absolutely stunning in every way shape or form.

    You could have someone make a barchetta out of it. You do not need a fully insulated electric convertible top.

    Some kind of Porsche boxster Spyder top full manual operation put up for occasional rain or shower would be optimal ans simple to design and engineer.

    A couple Porsche 1980s 911 convertible snaps recessed into the rear 599 decklind and and attachment into the windshield header would crate a bikini top and with side windows up the car could be weather resistant. Locate some convertible top experts refinishersin your hometown and see what they think.

    It's a shame Ferrari did not offer 599 spiders

    Good luck on your project . Would love to assist.
     
  15. crinoid

    crinoid F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Apr 2, 2005
    9,414
    Full Name:
    LaCrinoid
    I always thought Ferrari were going to release not a spider but a glass top version of the 599. The design of the A pillars flowing into the wonderful flying buttress seemed to lend itself to this idea. I was actually surprised at the SA Aperta's release.
     
  16. 4th_gear

    4th_gear F1 Rookie

    Jan 18, 2013
    4,425
    Full Name:
    Michael
    Have you already located a coachworks shop for such a conversion? I agree it wouldn't be a sacrilege if done well but most conversions seem to end up with a ragtop tucked under a vinyl cover. IMO, that would look yuck on a 599.

    I also think a full roof conversion would require significant reinforcements that would most likely need to be in aluminium, which further complicates matters. if it were readily doable, someone would probably have done one by now. I think the cost of such a project would not have been a deterrent.
     
  17. ross

    ross Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Mar 25, 2002
    36,208
    houston/geneva
    Full Name:
    Ross
    to be clear, i am not engaging in this project. i posted this to find out if anybody had yet done so, and then we got onto the feasibility aspects.

    i think for the 599, the best bet would be no working top, just a barchetta type deal. reinforcement of the A pillar would be key, and some kind of roll hoops over the seats as well.
     
  18. 4th_gear

    4th_gear F1 Rookie

    Jan 18, 2013
    4,425
    Full Name:
    Michael
    A-pillar reinforcements and seat hoops would probably provide some protection for rollover but the doors would be subjected to increased torsional flexing which may cause operational issues.

    I think it might be better to install a single hoop at the B-pillars to connect the 2 sides of the car chassis running over both seats and also not completely remove the top and do a targa instead. The hoop will act like a roll-bar and together with the vestiges of the roof provides torsional rigidity as well as protection. A black CF targa cover would also preserve the car's profile. The roof should look great open or closed in a manner like the 355 GTS.
     
  19. soucorp

    soucorp F1 Rookie

    Sep 20, 2011
    4,814
    Old Dominion
    Full Name:
    Mike
    #19 soucorp, Jul 5, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  20. ross

    ross Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Mar 25, 2002
    36,208
    houston/geneva
    Full Name:
    Ross
    are those real or photoshopped?
     
  21. soucorp

    soucorp F1 Rookie

    Sep 20, 2011
    4,814
    Old Dominion
    Full Name:
    Mike
  22. ross

    ross Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Mar 25, 2002
    36,208
    houston/geneva
    Full Name:
    Ross
    great thanks !!
     
  23. NYC Fred

    NYC Fred F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 28, 2010
    9,474
    Fort Lauderdale, FL
    Full Name:
    Fred C
  24. ross

    ross Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Mar 25, 2002
    36,208
    houston/geneva
    Full Name:
    Ross
    these vandenbrink guys are amazing. truly fantastic ! anybody have any ideas on costs of these conversions from them?
     
  25. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Jan 5, 2002
    23,988
    Portland, Oregon
    Full Name:
    Don
    I'm sure they would be expensive. I wonder how much one of their 612 converted to an FF costs?

     

Share This Page