Ferrari 166MM-53 Abarth for sale

[Boudewijn]

At the RM Monterey auction in August the restored 166MM-53 Abarth Spider #0262M wil be up for sale. The present owner had the car since 1979 and after a long restoration that just finished last year is now going to sell it. I think its amazing.

[vince308]

yes boudewijn amazing........as the price will be.

thanks for sharing the info on this beautiful car.

greetings, vincent

[Erik330]

I didn't know Chris Bangle ever designed a Ferrari.

[zjpj]

Looks like a Tucker.

Yeah, I saw that ad. in Forza - or was it Cavallino? Any, looks cool!

[vince308]

i love this car

[dretceterini]

I love oddball cars too. This car should make BIG bucks...unfortunately way out of my price range

[PSk]

Fancy selling the car after completing a long restoration. Does nobody enjoy driving their cars anymore?, is the only reason people restore cars now is to make a few bucks?

One day (hopefully) the world will wake up and realise that money is not everything and there are many experiences in life far more rewarding than a fat bank account.

This car should be immediately removed from this non-enthusiast, and the funds obtained by the auction donated to charity.

Gosh I really hope that you guys do not own a Ferrari just because of something to do with money ... so sad.

Waking up beside my wife everyday, receiving an impromptu hug and cuddle from one of my children, a solitary fast romp on a misty evening on a flowing windy road with the exhaust bark echoing of the gorge's chiselled rocky wall ... you guys can keep your money, I know I am rich where it counts.

Pete

[tbakowsky]

That car is amazing!! I guess it's a one off? I don't think I have ever seen that one before.

I agree with PSK...that car would be driven if I owned it..you damn right I'd drive it every chance I got and I would drive it hard!! That machne is just plain cool. I wonder what kind on money it will bring

[Peter]

Originally Posted by PSk

Fancy selling the car after completing a long restoration. Does nobody enjoy driving their cars anymore?, is the only reason people restore cars now is to make a few bucks?....Pete

Now, I can imagine anyone who owns a vintage V-12 Ferrari isn't in the poor-house, but I think with such a monumental restoration like this... I think he needs the money to pay for that restoration.

Otherwise, I agree with you. After going through all of that, wouldn't you want to enjoy it a little bit longer? S---, I just had a simple paint-job and I am happier with the car than before...

[vincent355]

Maybe he enjoyed the restoration and now that's it done he wants to move on to the next project. Whoever this is, thanks for bring a unique car back to life. Hope someone drives it.

[kare]

I can't help thinking that with just a little extra effort they could have made the lines right... Who built the body?

Best wishes, Kare

[Brian C. Stradale]

Originally Posted by PSk

This car should be immediately removed from this non-enthusiast, and the funds obtained by the auction donated to charity.

Pete, are you always so damned judgmental with so little info??

The guy has had the car since 1979! What makes you think that he hasn't been enjoying it since then? Just because the restoration was recently completed, doesn't mean the car hasn't been usable or enjoyable in the mean time.

Further, although to *me* Ferraris are all about driving them... I don't fault people who aren't into driving, but rather are into the art and the history of them... people who enjoy resurrecting a piece of automotive art and history... people who enjoy working with their hands... people who enjoy doing the historical research to faithfully restore it. Those are wonderful pursuits when talking about museum-suitable Ferraris. (Treating a 360 Modena like a museum-piece is a different story, of course... IMHO.)

After 25 years of ownership, I could understand if the owner has had his fill of that vehicle and is ready to move on to a different project. And to do that, he may NEED the money from this one to fund the purchase and restoration of the next one. Its NOT an inexpensive activity. For all you know, he's losing money on the whole project but does it simply out of the love of Ferraris.

And if that's what he's doing, then I'd judge him an enthusiast of a higher order... he's not only enjoying the vintage Ferraris, he's restoring them so that others of us can enjoy them even more.

How, Pete, do you know he didn't involve his kids or grandkids in the restoration project? A project like that can be the most bonding experience family members or friends will ever have. Why do you assume such a 25-year project was "just for the money"? Given it was a 25-year project, I'd wager it was a labor of love... not a get-rich-quick scheme.


With all that said, I know nothing of this particular car or its owner... but until I do, I choose to assume the best of him. It is, of course, your right to assume the worst, Pete. But for the sake of said owner, you might want to keep your negative assumptions to yourself OR at least note that you are speculating when you utter them.


(If that owner ever comes across this thread, on behalf of FerrariChat let me invite you to ignore the few naysayers in our crowd... the majority of us would love to hear about your restoration project, see before and after pics, and so on. If you'd need help scanning pictures or posting them, I'd be happy to do so as would many others here. Hopefully I'll get a chance to meet you at the RM auction.)

[kevfla]

"This car should be immediately removed from this non-enthusiast, and the funds obtained by the auction donated to charity." says Pete.

The seller/restorer, Wayne Sparling, is a former N.A.R.T. mechanic. That is, North American Racing Team, owned by Luigi Chinetti. I would say his Ferrari experiences go a little beyond mere "enthusiast." Pete, I suggest you learn about a topic a little more thoroughly before you start spouting-off at the keyboard with your opinions. Just because you post a lot doesn't mean instant credibility.

KevFla

[NNO]

The purists will bark and b!tch about this restoration, but if it weren't for Wayne, this car wouldn't exist...

Pete, i'm not sure why Mr. Sparling is selling this car, all i can do is guess... But from what i understand, his passion extends far beyond money; the stories i've heard paint Wayne Sparling as a true artist when it comes to repairing cars like 0262..

[PSk]

Originally Posted by kevfla

Pete, I suggest you learn about a topic a little more thoroughly before you start spouting-off at the keyboard with your opinions. Just because you post a lot doesn't mean instant credibility.

KevFla

What has anybody posting on an Internet forum got to do with credibility. I'm not after that at all ... could not give a damn.

I thought we were all here to discuss things and this involves peoples opinions. Please do not play American BS law on this great site (BTW that is my opinion, but from an outsiders point of view it appears as if America can think of nothing better to do than to sue somebody for something petty or because they did not agree with an opinion).

Now we know the facts and the owners history and Brians interesting comments give a possible different light on the subject ... thus that is cool.

The comments I made are unfortunately true of many and human nature and I am not even talking about money.

Let me explain. People live in okay houses for years and years accepting things as they are and muttering about one day they will fix that and do this. Funny thing is this never happens, until guess what!, they decide to sell. Then they pour money and time in to the house and make it how it should be. They do this ofcourse to get a good sale price.

Same thing happens with cars, you put up with all sorts of minor issues and live with them and then when you are thinking about selling you get the issues sorted ... I know, I've done it and watched my father do this, and many other people.

Isn't this just stupid! (IMO), wouldn't be better to fix the faults and then enjoy the house/car as it should be ???

Now please read my next statement carefully ... der.

I don't know if the owner of this interesting car ever drove it, he may have for years ... don't know, but now it is restored and every thing (hopefully ) working as it should. Somebody decided it needed a restoration ... thus again did the owner do as my father (and I) have done and drive this car ignoring all the little faults and thus in a way loosing some of the fun that the car could have given him. Now it is all perfect and he is selling (maybe because he has to or for many other reasons ...), I just think this human nature thing is sad.

We are conditioned to accepting faults until we pass the 'object' on to somebody else. I don't believe in this concept and believe in getting in their and fixing faults and issues ASAP so I can sit back and enjoy it correct ...

Pete's opinion
ps: For Gods sake please read everything that I write as my opinion, because if I ever talk about facts ... guess what I am pretty good at noting a reference to back myself up. I'm an opinionated bastard and believe that the world is a dull place without opininated people ... please put me on your ignore list if you are a sensitive American and can't handle a straight talking New Zealander. Oh and please don't visit NZ or Australia because we don't live behind armour and tell it like we think it is ...

[PSk]

Originally Posted by kevfla & Brian

"This car should be immediately removed from this non-enthusiast, and the funds obtained by the auction donated to charity." says Pete.

Just been to the gym and thought about this some more. Look I was hardly serious with that comment , I was just questioning the owners intentions. My other post I think explains where I was coming from ...

Next time I'll put a smiley face or something and then you will realise that I do not actually mean the car should be removed from the owner or otherwise punished.

I'm not perfect, this is me and those sort of exaggerated comments are part of me also ... some people think they are amusing, some get upset ...

Pete retrospectively

[Auraraptor]

Back on topic, I am not as familar with the vintage cars, can someone tell me if there is a story behind the central headlight?

[TcpSec]

Originally Posted by Auraraptor

Back on topic, I am not as familar with the vintage cars, can someone tell me if there is a story behind the central headlight?

From what I know, it was either cost cutting at Ferrari or the fact that Italian know jack about electrical engineering. Official line is that the choice was between 2 wheels instead of four or 1 headlight instead of two. Wind tunnel tests on that stoogie came negative for 2 wheels, but the single headlight improved the drag coefficient and enhanced the phallic symbol (a la SLR/Enzo), which translates into higher "perceived" top speed and sucker resale value.

IMHO, it is back to the primordial soup for the sucker that buys it.

Having said that in jest, that is one ugly car. I feel sorry for the SOB who will cough up obscene amounts of money for it! On one side you have the F50, F40, 250GTO, 275, P3/4 and then you have that abomination!

Anyway, to each their own. I am sure that car is worth a gazillion dollars to some middle aged man somewhere who can relate to the ferrari drivers of the past in his wet dreams.

:-) :-) :-)

[PSk]

Gosh ... another straight talker careful ...

Seriously though the single headlight in the middle was tried by a few in the old days ... just like anything else they were still developing concepts and learning.

The car is no beauty to me either, but atleast it is different

Pete

[djaffrey]

Originally Posted by PSk

What has anybody posting on an Internet forum got to do with credibility. I'm not after that at all ... could not give a damn.

I thought we were all here to discuss things and this involves peoples opinions. Please do not play American BS law on this great site (BTW that is my opinion, but from an outsiders point of view it appears as if America can think of nothing better to do than to sue somebody for something petty or because they did not agree with an opinion).

Now we know the facts and the owners history and Brians interesting comments give a possible different light on the subject ... thus that is cool.

The comments I made are unfortunately true of many and human nature and I am not even talking about money.

Let me explain. People live in okay houses for years and years accepting things as they are and muttering about one day they will fix that and do this. Funny thing is this never happens, until guess what!, they decide to sell. Then they pour money and time in to the house and make it how it should be. They do this ofcourse to get a good sale price.

Same thing happens with cars, you put up with all sorts of minor issues and live with them and then when you are thinking about selling you get the issues sorted ... I know, I've done it and watched my father do this, and many other people.

Isn't this just stupid! (IMO), wouldn't be better to fix the faults and then enjoy the house/car as it should be ???

Now please read my next statement carefully ... der.

I don't know if the owner of this interesting car ever drove it, he may have for years ... don't know, but now it is restored and every thing (hopefully ) working as it should. Somebody decided it needed a restoration ... thus again did the owner do as my father (and I) have done and drive this car ignoring all the little faults and thus in a way loosing some of the fun that the car could have given him. Now it is all perfect and he is selling (maybe because he has to or for many other reasons ...), I just think this human nature thing is sad.

We are conditioned to accepting faults until we pass the 'object' on to somebody else. I don't believe in this concept and believe in getting in their and fixing faults and issues ASAP so I can sit back and enjoy it correct ...

Pete's opinion
ps: For Gods sake please read everything that I write as my opinion, because if I ever talk about facts ... guess what I am pretty good at noting a reference to back myself up. I'm an opinionated bastard and believe that the world is a dull place without opininated people ... please put me on your ignore list if you are a sensitive American and can't handle a straight talking New Zealander. Oh and please don't visit NZ or Australia because we don't live behind armour and tell it like we think it is ...

Us Brits understand you. Even when you were pummeling us at Rugby last week. People do get awfully serious on this site don't they over the most trivial of things. Oh and my lawyer's bigger than yours...

Keep having opinions Pete...its terribly British :-)

Darren.