| Author | Message | ||
| Jason W (Pristines4)
Member Username: Pristines4 Post Number: 542 Registered: 12-2002 |
Damn. That Mr. Mecom Jr. is the one who owned my old company name! JRV, where in town is your shop? | ||
| Andrew-Phillip Goalen (Andrewg)
Junior Member Username: Andrewg Post Number: 195 Registered: 9-2002 |
. | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 3482 Registered: 12-2000 |
What's the history of Mecom? Looks like he sold the 330 in 1987. Did he sell all of his Ferraris? This is really interesting stuff, thanks for sharing JRV. | ||
| Matt Lemus (Mlemus)
Intermediate Member Username: Mlemus Post Number: 1879 Registered: 8-2002 |
Wayne answered my question at breakfast this morning. It is the pebble car but there were 3 or 4 made. The car is currently at Tillack's in Redondo Beach, Ca | ||
| Matt Lemus (Mlemus)
Intermediate Member Username: Mlemus Post Number: 1878 Registered: 8-2002 |
Isn't that blue car the one off show car Ferrari made for a Euro autoshow with the GT california front and the 400 superamerica back that Tillack restored for Peeble Beach a few years ago? | ||
| L. Wayne Ausbrooks (Lwausbrooks)
Member Username: Lwausbrooks Post Number: 787 Registered: 8-2002 |
JRV: s/n 2821 GT. | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 853 Registered: 11-2002 |
Wayne, I dug around and so far can only find one photo of the 61 London Show Car, see if you can recognize it from this, plus 2 pics of The Bertone in silver:    | ||
| L. Wayne Ausbrooks (Lwausbrooks)
Member Username: Lwausbrooks Post Number: 773 Registered: 8-2002 |
Which London Show car are you referring to? Do you remember what color or model it was? | ||
| L. Wayne Ausbrooks (Lwausbrooks)
Member Username: Lwausbrooks Post Number: 772 Registered: 8-2002 |
That's it, then. As for Steve Tillack and "maybe you've heard of him," you're being sarcastic, right? Sometimes it's just not clear in a printed message like this. Anyway, in case you're not, of course I know of Steve Tillack. Besides, he's right here in my backyard. | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 838 Registered: 11-2002 |
Wayne, John Mecom was the owner at the time these photos were taken was 1983. He bought about 5-6 cars in late 82-83 all at the same time...the 52/53 250MM...the 330 LMB... a 250 PF Cabriolet and the Nart Boxer...altogether he had about 20+ Ferraris at the time including The London Show Car...Princess De Lathy 330...The Agnelli P-3 3 seater with Gold Tinted Glass Sunroof...The Bertone (250)in Silver at that time...ummm...those are all the ones I remember because I worked on them...plus a Orig. Comp Daytona and a few street Daytonas...he had I believe the Steve McQueen Daytona Dune Buggy, although I never worked on that one. Plus Edsel Fords personal GT-40 w/289. He and Steve Forristal eventually had crossed wires...but that was a short time after I left and opened my Shop in late 84. I was hired by Steve to secure all the work on Mecoms Collection, which I did. But I also eventually found I didn't see eye to eye about things, basic philisophical differences, with SF. The person who introduced me to Steve Forristal was Steve Tillack...maybe you've heard of him. | ||
| L. Wayne Ausbrooks (Lwausbrooks)
Member Username: Lwausbrooks Post Number: 769 Registered: 8-2002 |
JRV, Did you ever confirm the s/n of that LMB? 4453SA, no? | ||
| Cammino Quindi (Vadoapiedi)
New member Username: Vadoapiedi Post Number: 2 Registered: 3-2002 |
JRV, Fantastic photos. Thanks for sharing and do keep them coming! | ||
| Francisco J. Quinones (Frankie)
Junior Member Username: Frankie Post Number: 154 Registered: 8-2002 |
Coool JRV,sorry about the delay in responding but i sometimes forget what i post where,too much crap on my mind. would you know if Straman is still sailing the world or is he back making cool toys,just wondering,i would love to see a 575M a'la Straman.  anyways,DUUUUDE!!,that looks like the ultimate toy store,nice variety you work on,is that a real 930S? great place you have there,i wish you continued success and a Happy,Healthy and Prosperous New Year. Frankie | ||
| DES (Sickspeed)
Member Username: Sickspeed Post Number: 612 Registered: 8-2002 |
JRV, i'd settle for a mechanic's jacket if you'd let me move those cars around the lot... (ok, maybe around the block, THEN around the lot...) Damn, you're right, i AM greedy... Speaking of free jackets... Hey, Matt... wtf...? | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 476 Registered: 11-2002 |
D*mn DES, I think maybe we're a bad influence on you...at first you would'a been happy with a Jacket...now it's a Whole Lambo ! ;-) | ||
| DES (Sickspeed)
Member Username: Sickspeed Post Number: 585 Registered: 8-2002 |
JRV, the last picture you posted with the convertible Diablo next to the Ferrari- that's the Diablo i want...! Any chance the owner never came back for it and you're lookin' for someone to take it off your hands, real cheap...? Let me know... | ||
| Ryan Patrick Baker (Want_a_daytona)
Junior Member Username: Want_a_daytona Post Number: 79 Registered: 7-2002 |
Your a lucky man. I'd love a job like that. | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 451 Registered: 11-2002 |
Another Day, Another Lineup.  | ||
| Matt Lemus (Mlemus)
Intermediate Member Username: Mlemus Post Number: 1143 Registered: 8-2002 |
JRV, Is that your Lamborghini Muira? | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 450 Registered: 11-2002 |
Couple more current pics.   | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 449 Registered: 11-2002 |
See if I can get some current photos posted.  | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 448 Registered: 11-2002 |
Frankie, yes that's Straman TR Cab conversion, on of the first ones he did I was told. Thanks everyone for the positive feedback and compliments. If I can figure out how to post pics on this new server/system I'll post some current pics. | ||
| Francisco J. Quinones (Frankie)
Junior Member Username: Frankie Post Number: 143 Registered: 8-2002 |
WOW! JRV,thanks for sharing. btw,is that Testarossa a Straman car?just wondering. | ||
| 010 (Starpilot555)
New member Username: Starpilot555 Post Number: 1 Registered: 12-2002 |
Cool Thread......you have worked on some beautiful Ferrari's....keep up the good work!! Best, SP | ||
| Edward G. Salla (350hpmondial)
Junior Member Username: 350hpmondial Post Number: 229 Registered: 2-2002 |
JRV, This thread is cool, and a lesson to craftsman everywhere. This thread will teach you about hands on craftsmanship. Sure the money is high, but think why? ... When you are sitting around the shop with a brewski or a glass of Enzo's finest Red.. .. You can see accomplishment every where .... .. sniff.... cry .... sniff. Back home, on the beach, me and a few friends would tear apart a 1965 super 90 w/ sunroof and luggage rack, then pound a few before returning home to the welcoming women. AAAAAAAaaaa ..... the good old days. ha ha! ,,, ,,,,,, anyway,,,,, (can you tell that I'm homesick?) Keep the craftsmanship alive! Thanks JRV. Signed, Stuck in Philly | ||
| Ryan Patrick Baker (Want_a_daytona)
Junior Member Username: Want_a_daytona Post Number: 77 Registered: 7-2002 |
Sweet cars! I wouldn't mind a TR roadster. | ||
| TomD (Tifosi)
Intermediate Member Username: Tifosi Post Number: 1919 Registered: 9-2001 |
Jim Let me know when you do one of those sunrise runs - would love to follow along | ||
| James Glickenhaus (Napolis)
Junior Member Username: Napolis Post Number: 159 Registered: 10-2002 |
Except for the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which I do as a untimed demonstration, I don't race anymore. I find I get more enjoyment out of waking up early on Sunday and driving one of my cars into the sunrise. As the mist condenses and streams backwards I think about Ken Miles attaching cotton to the Cobra Daytona Coupe and watching it trying to figure out the aerodynamic tewkes it needed. It's at times like that that I realize just how lucky we all are... | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Junior Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 226 Registered: 11-2002 |
Jim, BTW...Mr. Gregory (owner of 250SWB below) has a Lola also, do you race against him at Monterey (Luguna Seca) ? | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Junior Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 225 Registered: 11-2002 |
Jim, absolutely these old cars need to be brought into the modern world for safety and reliability. The smart guys look at all the systems like the fuel situation you mention and modernize them in ways that are usualy undectable to maintain that 'original appearance'. It just makes sense that we bring progress and modern technology to the table when restoring and preserveing these great old machines. | ||
| James Glickenhaus (Napolis)
Junior Member Username: Napolis Post Number: 158 Registered: 10-2002 |
If you plan to use your cars modernization is not a bad thing. I have electronic ignition on my MK-IV and Lola and they are much more usable on the street. I also made the free floating brakes in my MK-IV non free floating as the clatter was too much. I think the trick is to do it in a way that it could be put back if one wanted to. The engine in my P4 was rebuilt by Alberto Pedretti and Bob Wallace. They installed electronic ignition ( Two Distributors 24 plugs) and changed the clutch to a tildon similar to the one used in the racing BB's. Finding the parts to rebuild the Lucas mechaincal injection took a while. Safety is another issue. Both the MK-IV and the P4 have fuel PSI gauges that pipe fuel into the cockpit. I found an isolator that I mounted in the engine compartment. Fuel goes in one side and the line that runs to the gauge is filled with anti freeze. The MK-IV runs at 7-10PSI. The P4 runs at 120 PSI! When you compare the construction of the P4 to the MK-IV you are amazed at how fragile the P4 is in comparison. The guys that raced them in the rain at SPA had big ones. The Ford is a big truck. The parts are massive. My Lola is somewhere in between in terms of construction. If you drive these 35 year old cars you have to keep on top of them. This winter I'm rebuilding and reenforcing the section of tub on my Lola that the front control arm affixes to as it's beginning to flex. | ||
| RichardVassil (Richardv)
New member Username: Richardv Post Number: 42 Registered: 11-2002 |
Great history JRV! | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Junior Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 223 Registered: 11-2002 |
When restoring many of these old V-12's a multitude of changes & upgrades take place, a modernization of the internals basicaly, and being so old they are usualy bench tested before going to the Dyno or being dropped back into the chassis. 1953 212-Inter being bench run ( I believe the ser# was a 03xx)  250 being bench tested  212 on the Dyno  250 on the Dyno  | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Junior Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 221 Registered: 11-2002 |
Jim, was that you that said we need more babes? ;-)  | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Junior Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 220 Registered: 11-2002 |
I had mentioned previously that I've worked on a few Boxers in my time, here are a few of those. These pics date back to 84-85 forward. You can notice small differences in the models if you look close.  You'll notice the solid red boxer looks lowered, it had custom wide wheels & low profile tires that gives it the low wide appearance, with little fender lip flares in the back.  and a few TR's...this cab is the first of the new Ferrari's that I ran across the indemic 'loose wire connection' problems...had a bent prong in one the plugs, barely making contact, that would cut the fuel pump off over bumps or on start-up. needless to say it was a difficult problem to find and solve.  | ||
| James Glickenhaus (Napolis)
Junior Member Username: Napolis Post Number: 157 Registered: 10-2002 |
JRV Your work looks super! The pics you post are very interesting. Best Jim | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Junior Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 219 Registered: 11-2002 |
Hi Wayne, Your starting to jog my memory I think...lol...that number sounds very familiar now that you mention it...definately 44xx...the color was yellow when I first saw the car...and the hood scoop looked original, however on those old cars many changes happened along the way for various reasons (improvements). James, This was one of Chinneti's cars, (365BB) they made more than 1 (I believe). I don't know which one this was, sorry. I left and went on my own in 1984, I never have been able to see eye to eye with used car salesmen and hustlers for some reason, deep philosophical differences you might say. So, most of the rest of the pics depict being in business for myself, 1984 forward. Here's a 330GTC total restoration being readied for completion: 85-87ish time frame.  | ||
| James Glickenhaus (Napolis)
Junior Member Username: Napolis Post Number: 155 Registered: 10-2002 |
JRV I went to Chinetti's when they were building the first NART Boxer. I remember Richard Fritz drilling holes to lighten it through the square tubing cross brace behind the seats. I wonder if that was the car you worked on? They later offered it for sale for $35,000. | ||
| L. Wayne Ausbrooks (Lwausbrooks)
Member Username: Lwausbrooks Post Number: 498 Registered: 8-2002 |
JR, I know that 4453 was in the Mecom collection at that time but I've never known it to be yellow. Interesting to see it with the hood scoop as well. | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Junior Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 218 Registered: 11-2002 |
Rob, You sure you have enough bandwith for this, I'm only up to 1984 so far? opps some lambo's slipped in 1)Blue 63 Lamborghini Islero 2)Tan Lamborghini Espada..still owned by the same gentleman...plus others  | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 2852 Registered: 12-2000 |
Can you be my new hero JR? I'm sure Michael won't mind giving it up for awhile. | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Junior Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 211 Registered: 11-2002 |
Here ya go Wayne, 63/4 330 LMB factory mule, do you know the ser # ?   | ||
| L. Wayne Ausbrooks (Lwausbrooks)
Member Username: Lwausbrooks Post Number: 497 Registered: 8-2002 |
JR, nice shot. Should've moved the LMB and MM to the front and stuck the fakey-do TR in the background though! (I kid, of course.) Nice pics. Thanks for sharing. BTW, don't worry about the s/n's. I'm sure that with a little work I will come up with them anyway. | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Junior Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 210 Registered: 11-2002 |
250 SWB....still owned & vintage raced by Mr. Bob Gregory ...at Montery most years...several years ago I had the pleasure of being a passenger for some full speed laps around Luguna Seca with Mr. Gregry, who is an excelent driver. Quite a thrilling time.  | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Junior Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 209 Registered: 11-2002 |
Here I am about 1 yr after arriving in Houston to secure the service and restoration business of The John Mecom Collection, at the time he had about 25 Ferrari's and all work was done by FoH. The first car I did for him was The London Show Car (sorry Wayne I wasn't a ser# kinda guy) a top end job, major re-wire, etc. After successfully completeing that along came many more: In the photo you will see, very back, 1)Yellow 330LMB ( factory mule) 2) Red '54' 250MM 3)Rd Nart Boxer 4) Far R/rear 250 PF Cabriolet 5) Blue/Wt-Stripes GT-40 (orig owned by Edsel Ford jr.) 6) Blue/Silver 166 Inter 7) 250 TR (replica) 8) Rd A/C Cobra 9) Alfa TZ-1  |