In the middle east every car looks like that after a few days, even brand new ones, especially after a sandstorm. Quick wash and you would never know its the same car.
This 288 GTO is going to require much more than a wash! I have first-hand experience with cars which looked exactly like that whose condition has remained as such for many years.
Very much true. I have several years of experience in that area of the globe. Its amazing how hard the Middle East is with cars. For that car to be in such dusty condition, it means it isn't (at least all the time) on a temperature controlled environment. In the Middle east, temperatures are frequently of around 50ºC in the Summer. Depending on the region you can have extreme low humidity (plateaus) or a lo of it - Gulf or Red Sea cities. Rubbers, joints, painted elements, plus the usual stuff...I can't even imagine the amount of work and $$ to recover its initial beauty and mechanical efficiency again. And requires top notch professionals to do it. Anybody know which serial# this is?
I have lived in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, here are just two examples of cars which were fine but subjected to sandstorms for just a few days, people assumed they had been abandoned for a long time, which was simply not the case. I agree heat and humidity will have had an effect on that GTO and just like any 30 year old car the rubber parts will not be in the best of condition, but that layer of dust is superficial, wash it away and the car would "appear" to be in very good order afterwards. You can tell just by the paint on the oil filter that is its still like new, and there is little if any corrosion on the fuel rails, which are the first things to rust up in humid climates, same with the exhaust manifolds and bypass valves, they would be red rusty despite the dust. I have seen F40s on here with claimed low miles and allegedly properly stored in far worse condition. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Agreed. Sorry Paul, I disagree, a wash will not rectify this car's condition nor render it in "very good order afterwards", that's my carefully considered professional opinion, and I'm sticking with it.
After sitting for so long, You need a big amount of money to use it again. Rebuild Turbos, new Fuel Injectors, overhaul Wastegate, Bell Housing, Brake System,... only to name a few. And this stuff is extreme expensive, or partwise not obtainable. But thats only my opinion...
I guess we have to agree to disagree then I have hands on restored many vehicles over the years, I would be over the moon to find one in the condition like that GTO. My RS500 was a low miles example that sat in a collection in Japan unloved for nearly 20 years and was in a similar condition as those pics, after just a couple of weeks simply cleaning away the years of dust everywhere and a service it was invited to be displayed at the 25th celebrations of the cars at the Silverstone Classic in 2012 and is now owned by a chap who could buy 4 250 GTOs with just the cash he has sat in the bank! I bet both the Enzo and 220 above are in pristine condition once again with new owners none the wiser!
Τhat's a real shame. I think the Enzo was sold a couple of years ago. I remember that i've seen in the Miura thread that there was a Miura SV for a very long time (years) abandoned in the airport of Qatar or somewhere else in the Middle East and if i'm not mistaken it had to do something with Shah of Iran. Maybe Mr Sackey could help a little bit.
Yes, it could be cleaned and might look very good with an expert detailer but that doesn't change the mechanical aspects, would you want to drive a car which has sat for 20 years any reasonable distance without any mechanical work. Cleaning will render it a display piece, restoration will bring it back to life, that's my opinion anyway.
That Miura SV was owned by Sheikh Al Thani, has now been fully restored, and exists in his extensive collection. When not stored correctly or sympathetically, the dry, hot & dusty climate does irreversible damage to leather, fabrics, adhesives, rubber trim, weatherstripping, gaskets, seals, rubber hoses, rubber bushings, plastic containers, composite materials, and paint. And that's just mostly the cosmetic aspect. The mechanical aspect is another more serious story, as, besides all the deferred maintenance, there will be fine sand & silt in every filter, aperture, opening, crevice & hole. The intercoolers for example are basically destroyed. I have seen cars in a similar condition from the same region, and essentially, they are restoration projects, of the most difficult type. To hope otherwise is wishful thinking and naïve IMO.
To write that car off as a basket case based on a couple of photos is a bit silly, none of us can prove either way who is correct. Lets see if it escapes and gets a documented make over to see who was on the mark.
Images don't lie and as they say, a picture says a thousand words. My thoughts on this are based on not insignificant experience with 288 GTOs in particular, having been involved with cars from the region that looked exactly as these images depict, and, @ half-a-dozen total restorations. In a word: experience.
Exactly Joe, its actually irrelevant what car is being discussed, be it a 288GTO or a Saab 9000, my experience living in the region and seeing first hand and up close many hundreds of cars in the middle east and personally restoring numerous vehicles for over 20 years underlie my firm views on the matter.
I understand where you are coming from, but, in fact it is very relevant that we are discussing the specific 288 GTO depicted in the images (in the 288 GTO thread) which prompted your statement that the "layer of dust is superficial, wash it away and the car would "appear" to be in very good order afterwards". I disagreed, as do others. As you said earlier "we have to agree to disagree". We can still be friends!
Its a good natured debate, always is, so to flesh it out a bit here are some more pics of the car. Take a look at that steering wheel, the hide in unworn and not dried out, the stitching is box fresh and as new, wipe away that fine dust and you have a concours, as new interior right there. The carpets have not rotted and there is again no wear, the leather on the seats is as new, not cracked or bleached out. The rubber of the mats has not broken away, which is does when it looses its flexibility. The dials on all the instruments and switches are bright and clear, the gearknob numerals have no wear at all, that car is clearly low miles. Radiators in humid conditions rot, due to the water inside causing condensation on the surface, this is not an issue with intercoolers, the fins on them are generally the first things to go as they are so thin, they simply flake away, the ones in that pic are as good as the day they were made. Aluminium corrodes in humid conditions, which salts up and pushes paint from the surface on things like cam covers etc, no signs of that at all in that engine bay. So based on the limited pics available I would say they indicate that apart from a fine layer of dust that car has not been out in sunlight, or subjected to humidity, both of which are the key killers of rubber, leather and paint. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Via Private Treaty, I have another stunning 288 GTO, specially-built for a USA industrialist who kept it for over a decade, known to me quite well for the past 20 years. Ferrari SpA factory documentation comes with the car, and this one is fitted with AC, power windows, still-flawless all-black leather (M8500), original tools and rare Schedoni-fitted GTO luggage. Original unblemished paint. All USA Ferrari North America dealer maintenance records on hand. @ 6,000 miles from new. I believe a market opportunity exists here, so interested principals contact directly offline. Image Unavailable, Please Login
GTOs anyone? Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
@ the Ferrari Challenge North America and Corse Clienti weekend, July 15-16 2017. Image Unavailable, Please Login
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/145492352-post11109.html As of today I have not one, but two beautiful GTOs I can convey, both sensibly priced, if you've ever dreamed of a GTO in your Ferrari collection, this might be a good time to ask me!
https://scontent-cdg2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/20429662_1644941602185320_6093619753291852355_n.jpg?oh=647603de2a1aa513db2fd58d3d6e3ba2&oe=59F1FABC Delightful picture for any classic ferrari enthusisats Joe, I'm not into buying a GTO right now, But if I am one day, you can be sure I'll never by from somebody else.
I was just enjoying the picture. I have little interest in classic/vintage Ferrari cars. But thanks for the precision
