400i Daily Driver Snow Tires Mounted - None too soon!

You are everyone's hero. "It's just a car." I love it.

 

Alex,

I'm getting tempted to follow in your footsteps. Do you know when Ferrari started rustproofing the 400s?

Regards,

Art S.

 

hows the boxer coming? I like the idea of a driver like that too but I wasnt thinking winter! I think its cool.

 

Congrats on the Gulfstream and a great looking car!

 

aleventhal wrote:

''That said, the PF built cars, even before rustproofing were generally much less rust prone / better built than the Scaglietti cars and 400s all have fiberglass floors, so even the non-zincrox cars may not rust, I guess''


Im using mine ('83 400i) as a daily driver (last 8 months) in the rain at the moment. Had a good look round the sills yesterday and found everything ok. So presume rust protection started around '83 (-1).


I didnt know we had fibreglass floors! From looking at my car - underneath the exhaust there are 'stainless steel' looking plates (presume for heat protection) and the rest is undersealed but always thought it would be steel underneath.

Any other body parts made of fibreglass?

Andrew

 

The only body rust problem on mine is a small steel panel that forms the top of the drivers foot well. It pulled apart from the fiberglass at the top and rusted a bit.

Those panels above the exhaust are aluminum.

The real rust issue looks like the frame. It seems to have no protection at all (just some paint), although the type of steel doesn't seem prone to rust.
Has anybody had any major rust issue on their frame?

I'm going to spray mine with waxoil while I have it apart.

 

Of all the 400's I looked at I found a common rust area to be the inner fenderwells.

 

bottom of doors and a edge of the windsheild frame I have found rust on mine.
My engine leaks enough oil to coat the bottom of the car with rust prohibitive, I think that was the rust proofing method by the factory

 

how about some pics in the boxer section? we would all love to see it.

 

I noticed those spots, the panels are pop-riveted into place (into the frame I think). Furtunately, they're small slits that run along the pan's edges.

 

Took a peek underneath this AM, alum. pans riveted to flat bar stock which is not part of the space frame superstructure (although it probably adds rigidity).

 

I think your talking about the heat shield. I was talking about the panel that forms part of the foot well below the brake booster.

 

Congrats on the Boxer.....i love the pics of the 400 in the snow....over the years though you can see the paint starting to fade alittle....but the lack of rust is truly interesting to all of us owners.
Drive safe Mate !!