Sold 1991 Testarossa (US Version) - red/black

Some, but it's not like I've been hasty

 

Although I'm leaving the "Ferrari Testarossa" family, I'm sort of staying in the essence of what a TR is (a powerful, 5L GT for personal transportation) as I commissioned Venom Builds (in MN) last year to build me an "American Muscle Car Testarossa Restomod". The coachwork will be 1967 Shelby G.T. 500-looking (but we're working to badge and paint it as a Venom Builds G.T. 302 -- I don't want a clone). It's built on an aftermarket, fully-indepenent, all A-arms, adjustable coil-over suspension with disk brakes all around (even has inboard rear disk brakes) and powered by a Ford Coyote Gen III (460 hp) with a Tremec 5-speed. The overall coachwork probably can't be as low as a TR since the greenhouse is a bit taller on 1967 Mustang than a TR (but that's good for me as I'm getting old and stiff), but it will be as low as possible to the ground with big tires and wheels (ala Pro-touring). Also doing some custom things like shaved door handles and different side mirrors (long-term I may have to build my own custom side mirrors that stick way out as I really like that on a TR ). I think it's just entering the painting process so I'm hoping to get it sometime this Spring.

 

I will -- when it's done (and Venom Builds might put it in their "Projects" page on their website, but updating that page doesn't seem to be a priority for them). I've been getting some picture updates along the way (as I want to have a little history of it being built in its records), but it's still very unnerving to send out a serious amount of money and not really have anything beyond a title for a junker Donor car (1967 Mustang Fastback with the base 289 engine) -- they said about all they actual use of the Donor is the roof center structure and the VIN plate.

 

Not possible -- I'm expecting the Buyer's wire of the funds today, and my wife picked a house with a ridiculously small 3-car garage (one for her, one for my bad weather car, and one for my dry weather mistress). I haven't passed on, and I've got plenty of TR stuff to yet sell so I'll be around for a while (if not forever) -- plus I probably post more in P&R than anywhere else .

 

Remembering how I felt when I watched my ex-308 drive away from my residence in CO, I felt the same way today watching the shipping truck drive away with my now ex-TR from my TX residence (going to its new Owner in IL) -- maybe even a little sadder as I owned the TR longer. Barring some bizarre and unforeseen circumstances (like winning the Lotto), I'm probably tapping out with 136,785 total (wonderful) Ferrari miles driven. Unfortunately, the complexity and special tools needed to take care of something like a 458 or 488 has pushed me away. The engine in my upcoming Restomod (Ford Coyote Gen III) is every bit as complex as any modern exotic, but the difference is that there are more places to get it serviced at reasonable cost, and I'm very much looking forward to the steering wheel not having software and an ECU.

 

Well, he did a quicky repaint of the front spoiler without fixing any of the chipping . What a fake ad implying that he actually drove the car the many miles, and "Has not kept me from driving the car as I don't believe the belts need the be done as frequently when the car is actually driven" -- when he bought it from me with 89,567 miles. The Buyer seemed a more honest person than this, and sure fooled me (but paid me on time). Completely overpriced IMO at 90K miles when you ad in ~$15K for a major service and getting the AC fixed (based on the crappy front spoiler "fix", I'll bet he didn't). New Buyer beware (and he bought it from me for $87K).

 

A data point might be: A well-known Ferrari Shop/Dealer in my Austin, TX area (that I approached) thought $105K was about all they could get for a freshly-major-serviced 90K mile TR -- so subtract whatever you think the major service and the AC repair would cost from that. Maybe a little low (since my ex-TR was/is very presentable with an excellent condition all black interior -- the new Seller isn't lying about that), but I couldn't argue too much with their $105K estimate as freshly-major-serviced 40K~50K mile TR were going for about $120K at the time (and Hagerty TR values were trending down at the time, too). I was hoping for low-mid $90K's, but none of the 4 or 5 people who contacted me got anywhere beyond just an initial contact so that worried me some and motivated me some to set a lowish eBay buy-it-now price (and my reserve was even lower) -- I needed the car sold for the $s to pay for my new Pro-Touring American TR Restomod that's under construction so I wasn't going to play hardball, and wanted it sold .

 

Not sure what you mean here -- you can offer the Seller that price, but he'd be crazy to sell at a loss. If you offered him $90K (which would get him his shipping cost and some tax back), he might sell it if he can't find someone to pay more (as he's doing now).

If you mean finding a similar TR at a mid-$70K-$80K price = probably would be much more of a project TR needing much more restoration/sorting work or an odd color or color/combination IMO.

 

Immediately? -- No, was just coming up on needed new front brake rotors and new front and rear brake pads when I sold it (I gave the new Buyer all the new parts, but don't know if he installed them).

Eventually? -- Probably could use the A-arm bushings replaced someday, and the Konis rebuilt (I always wanted to add threaded lower spring perches to the Konis to allow ride height adjustment, but never got around it).

Hey, I'm not the Seller!