Steve McQueen's 275 under restore at Ferrari?

A completely new body would be needed I am afraid. Unless someone is fond of the idea of owning a tailor made hardtop.

 

For Daytonas I don't think the price difference is enough yet to make it economically viable yet.

 

Thanks for your reply. Could Ferrari or Scaglietti still supply a complete body? Anything else would be a replica wouldn't it? Are there any manufacturers that could make a 100% perfectly accurate body in both shape and metal/materials used? Cost of such an operation?

 

why would it be a replica ?
the chassis is the heart of the car, the body is "just" panels
if you crash your car (any car) and get replacement pattern panels the car is still what it always was.

as for can anyone else do it, then a resounding yes - in fact theres a local guy not too far from Cardiff who can and does do a superb job.

 

Sorry, that is nonsense. A roof panel, trunk lid, side and rear glass is all. Some hand fabrication to the rear 3/4 panel, entirely within the capabilities of any good resto shop.

The cars were hand made from multiple sections originally, not stamped panels.

 

Kindly post some examples. Any variation in price is more likely due to condition.

The point is that a converted Daytona is not a "fake", its a modified car that can be modified back.

 

I take your point and understand your angle/opinion on this which probably is that of most people. The chassis may be the heart of the car but that's only part of it. If an artist copies another artist's painting then it's a copy even if it's exact and that's what I feel if somebody else other than the original manufacturer or anyone authorised by them rebodies a car.

I don't agree that using replacement pattern panels on any car make it what it always was. They could be of inferior metal or not quite the same shape. The 250 SWB replicas, even when bodied by highly competent people, all have some tell tale sign that they are replicas so why would rebodying any other car be different?

 

Car has been sold on .. now with an eminent ex racer dealer..

 

You guys are totally tiresome dragging the whole replica/fake discussion into every thread, no matter what. It's been beaten to death and given it's own sandbox. It's a car, it's had a life, it's getting fixed the same way it once was, with good intent, part of it's history. You don't need to stick the word fake on every reasonable fix that comes along. Even your own skin re-generates itself to repair and no, not the same cells you were born with. Thank you IanB by the way for some common sense.

 

It's a fascinating and contentious topic that has its own sub forum for a good reason.

 

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1076874_ferrari-classiche-restores-275-gtb4-once-owned-by-steve-mcqueen

G.Pepper posted the above link. Do Ferrari Classiche do all the work in house or do they oversee the work from outside specialsits in the case of body work to cars?

 

+ 1 !!!!!

I wouldn't be surprised if many of the "beaters" who so quickly point out how incorrectly everyone else is doing it have never actually even attempted comprehensive "hands-on" metal fabrication or technical restoration of any automobile, let alone hand built ones. And if they're just "arm chair/key board" critics without any real experience, could that possibly render them fakes too ? Just wondering...

... and my apology to OP. I don't know the answer to your original question.

 

Well and truly shot down in flames. Not a replica rebody/refab in this case anyway as Ferrari Classiche are doing the car.

 

Different times, many cars of all makes were modified. What would all these guys have to talk about if everything was perfect.

 

In the day Steve modified his cars a lot including his NART.

 

photo I took in italy a while ago
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Hopefully a long while ago!

Lets cancel the replica discusion on this very interesting thread please.

And of course as Ian has said a completely new body is not required. All they have to do is undo the modifications. Not saying it would be easy or something I could do ... having hand made many repair panels for my Alfa 1750 GTV, I wouldn't even want to start this job .
Pete

 

Yikes.

Can't figure out why they didn't leave the A pillar attached though..

 

Of course it's a fake, the modification was done to turn the car into something that it originally wasn't. Very likely with the intention to increase its value or because the owner didn't want to pay the extra cash for a genuine spyder. Maybe you're confusing the word fake with replica.

 

I know you go on to say "Not saying it would be easy" but saying "All they have to do is undo the modifications" does imply the task is easy. Some pretty catastrophic modifications been done in chopping a car's roof off I think. If you chop a man's head off you could undo the modifications but I guarantee he won't be as he was before.

 

But is this, or isn't this McQueen's GTB? Did McQueen even ever own a GTB?

 

Your comparison makes no sense. The 275GTB has a separate chassis ... all that needs to be done (with skill) is to make a roof and weld it back on in the right place. You can see that they are doing this in the photos. Yes new boot lid, etc. ... but if done right the car will be as original again.

Remember Ferrari are doing this, so they know what they are doing and how the car was originally made!
Pete

 

Ferrari never made bodies and I doubt this has changed. Ferrari makes engines. I did not see a body shop at Classiche (even at the Scaglietti plant I doubt there's now a body shop for classics). probably sourced out to one of the many small shops in the region.

 

I'm failing to understand what good a job welding does in reconnecting the roof which is because I know nothing about welding and fabrication. I'd have thought, obviously wrongly, that there would be a weakness at the join/weld. It's good that Ferrari are doing this or overseeing it but that's not how the body was originally made by having the roof welded to the lower part, or is it? I have nothing but admiration for the skill of these people.