If you had a 2012 653bhp Ferrari V12 FF engine in your garage?

I now own my first Ferrari, well an engine anyway (have to start somewhere :0). I have picked up a beautiful 2012 FF V12 engine with ancilliries and manifolds, that following an attempt by the previous owner to drive through deep water sucked some water up into the engine and bent the conrods in cylinders 5 & 6, which i then aquired direct from the insurance company once it was swapped out by Egham Ferrari, UK.

Up close the FF V12 is a beautiful piece of engineering. Amazingly simple in layout but oozing quality, that clearly shows Ferrari's intentions to build a robust power source for the FF. The unique dual drive from both front and back of the engine has filled me with grand ideas of how this might be utilised (e.g Supercharger) but the engineering involved in adapting an aftermarket flywheel, clutch and bell housing means it is unlikely to be me that will find a home for this piece of engineering art and have it fired up again.

So to my question, what do i do with it, or where might i find a new home for it.... With FF's still in warranty its significant value as a replacement engine is a few years away, leaving only specials, horsepower junky upgraders and it has even been suggested powerboat builders that might be able to follow the small child in themselves to build this into a project.... (Please don't mention the Coffee Table scenario its just not right for something with so much pleasure still to give...)

I have loved just owning it, even in its inanimate form, but any ideas of who might be interested in it or places to advertise it would be really helpful and greatly appreciated before going down the perhaps inevitable ebay route...

Thanks in advance for your advice...

David M
(GF04RCE)

 

I have been planning on doing a proper photo set for it as there are few up and close photos of this engine on the net yet....

David M

 

Actually an Ultima is a really good suggestion if its not too long. The front gear box is already removed and not required to run the engine... A rear mounted solution could be a fun engineering exercise for someone....

David M

 

I have attached a few photos (hopefully) and the following link will take you to a few more if you are interested in seeing an FF GDI V12 out of its traditional environment...

https://plus.google.com/photos/114095680497205822760/albums/5960558885826216801?banner=pwa


David Martin
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Having traced the history and spoken to the technicians at Ferrari who replaced the engine, the story goes that the FF driver got caught in a downpour and tried to drive out of deep water in third from stationary when it seized. From inspection it only seems as though pistons 5&6 are out of position with closed valves, the rest are as they should be which would imply it shut down pretty quick and the rods bent. It is very unlikely the crankshaft is damaged and with very little travel this should have saved the cylinder walls. But I accept this is conjecture and would need the bottom end opening up and a full inspection, along with the replacement of the rods. All of which would be taken into consideration if anyone makes an offer.

There was a similar engine and scenario on the west coast of the US, that replaced rods following a suck up of water... but in my view this was overpriced as a new engine can be bought for £50k, I think they wanted $70-100k for it without manifolds etc. My expectations are a quarter of that... but as a truly specialist buy its only worth what someone is prepared/comfortable to pay for it based on the work that needs doing vs the rarity of these coming up.... I am actually expecting the person who buys it to be someone who just wants to put it to one side for a future project, and/or wait for them to come out of warranty to be used as a replacement.

This is still very much the beginning of this engines journey to 4wd drifting sidewaysdom again ..

David Martin

 

Hi William, send me a name or pass on my details and i would be happy to talk to them about shipping it to the states.... especially as it might mean I can claim some of our local VAT taxes back if i ship it out of he country.... :0)

David