Owned my 400 for 1 year!

A year ago yesterday I collected my 400i from Dave Stacy in Houston, picked up my brother from the airport and drove the 1800 miles back to Connecticut. It was such a great trip and I've really enjoyed driving the car, which I've wanted for over 20 years, and also just being a Ferrari owner.

Expenditure has been quite high, taking care of some deferred maintenance. I've just had a major engine service by Bill Pollard, who also had the headers ceramic-coated, and fitted new stainless mufflers. It is currently having the starter motor replaced with a superior gear-reduction type. Future projects on the car include Leatheriquing the interior and possibly replacing the injection/ignition system with a digital system.

Aidan

 

So long as you keep using and maintaining the car I suspect that you'll see the costs curve moving down and to the right as time goes by.

 

Glad you're still happy Aidan. While I do like my series two 5-speed, I sure miss your sleek black series 1.

The last time we talked you told me you were going to send me a couple of photos of the headers once they got back. Sure would like to see them.

You know Bill had the starter rebuilt for me. I think I paid something like an additional $400. I never was happy with it. Always seemed to be just a bit slow.

 

Dave

Here's a shot of the headers on the car - as you can see, the finish is beautiful!

Yes, I knew the starter had been rebuilt - so we didn't do it again when we were doing the other stuff. Just bad luck the problem didn't arise during testing after the major, as I had to have the car flat-bedded to Bill's.

My brake-squealing is not nearly so bad now. It now has ATE pads, rather than EBC Green Stuff that I had fitted; Bill also found that the caliper pistons were not pushing the pads to the rotor evenly.

Aidan
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WOW! Those headers look fantastic!
I'm driving around, like everyone else, with headers that look like they are rustong out.
Did they sandblast them?

 

Not sure exactly how they did them. The ceramic coating adds strength, should prevent further corrosion and keep temperatures down. The coating is also inside the headers.

I did look into getting new headers, but they are very expensive and difficult to get - I was concerned about new ones fitting correctly, too, so I opted for coating.

Aidan

 

Aidan,

What was the cost for the in/out coating of headers?
Also noticed the bolts on the lower side of the pipes-- I have the same-- Is this where recirc. exhaust tubing back to intake(for emissions) or are they for measuring individual CO reads of each cylinder?

Bruce

 

Bruce

The cost was $450. I have no idea what those bolts are for, but it must be for something like you suggest. I'll check with Bill today when I pick up the car.

Aidan

 

The plugs on the headers are intended for individual emissions check for each cylinder

Peter

 

Thanks Peter mfor that info.
Bruce

 

Aidan,

Could you supply the name & # of the company that coated your headers?
Also, did you replace the exhaust sys. w/ the traditional '6 pack' under the seats plus the 2 under the trunk(Ansa)?

Bruce

 

Bruce

I can find out from Bill the details of the ceramic-coating company.

The two rear boxes were fairly new (and stainless), so I replaced the 6-pack of mufflers with a Time Valve system. It sounds much more classy now - not loud, but good! Cost about $2200.

The new starter motor spins the engine up really fast and is a lot more compact and light than the original. I have no worries now, and should be in for some good driving.

Aidan

 

Hey, an exhaust co. in your neck of the woods---how convenient!

 

Bruce

Amazing, and to have SportAuto so close is even better! It was a good job they were reasonably close as there was a lot of aggravation for Bill/Sean and Time Valve in getting it to fit.

Aidan

 

Aidan

Bill is very popular, people on the west coast even know him. You are soooo lucky to have him around the corner. He's Good!
The price on the muffs were pretty reasonable as well; Larini (GB) advertises their 'sport exhaust' for the 365/400/412 to be in keeping with the gentleman's Ferrari--stately, not radical. Imagine a Tubi or a Capristo/level 3 on a 400, you'd hear that thing coming a mile away! From what I understand, the more expensive set-ups are closer tolerances/ease of fit.
I forgot to ask @ new starter/make, model#, etc. Mine (along with everyone else's orig., I'd guess) is slow on the crank. When cold, I only let it crank 2 rev's. & stop! Turn the key 'all the way off', then turn it on & crank a 2nd time--the motor pops before 2 rev's. Those cold start valves really do work. When warm, it always kicks w/in 2 rev's--I coax it with a little nudge on the fuel(Peter seemed to think that Ferrari might have set these up this way to give it that 'carb' car feel to it/organic in nature). If the motor gets a little out of tune, I can see how a faster starter would help. I bet you can't wait for Fall, you guys have some nice country north and west of you. Enjoy!

Bruce

 

Bruce

The headers were done by Central Connecticut Coatings, East Hartford, CT. Tel: 860-528-8281.

The starter motor is from British Starters - see the eBay store - this is the item http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/New-FERRARI-V12-MODERN-STARTER-365-330-DAYTONA-275-400_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ10076QQihZ018QQitemZ280141401047QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

Aidan

 

good thread

 

Thanks Aidan!
Bruce

 

did you outline what it actually cost you ro run the car for one year in any thread.. kind of a time-line of what broke etc.. i am sure some of us would appreciate it as this is one of the main considerations in buying one of these.. love the car..

 

Was kinda waiting for Aidan to jump in, but it REALLY depends what shape the car is in when you acquire it, and where you want to take it from there. Aidans mid-section exhaust @ $2200., Tubi is like $6K($4k for the tail end, & I wouldn't doubt that manifolds go for $5k+), but their fit is unparalleled & sound like no other(okay, maybe Capristo level 3's). The inexpensive Ferrari(relatively speaking) is the Ferrari you pay big bucks for up front(cause of its spectacular shape), cause the service will kill ya!

 

I've been out of town for a few days - I'll itemize the expenses when I get a chance.

Aidan

 

wow i almost forgot about this thread.. if you get around to it i would still be curious to know what it all boiled down to...