Wow! I got my 84 Boxer on July 29, 1985. It's been 40 wonderful years. Here are a few photos throughout the years Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Congratulations to both of you, but now to the more important/impressive numbers: How many miles have these cars been enjoyed through the decades ? I'm only a newbie compared to you guys, but have two 35+ year (and counting) vintage car relationships. The older, 93 y.o. & I have enjoyed 100K+ miles on the road , but the younger, 68 y.o. has been sitting dormant for past 28 years .
Fantastic - Good tast last long. Congratulation, you are both doing well. You must have been been at an age where I only could dream about Ferrari's when you bought that car - Well done. Best, Peter
Armen: I am the 10th owner!! Five in Italy and four before me in the US. Unless you were there, you have no idea how Ferraris were treated back in that day. It was a seven year old car that was pretty well trashed. 35,000 kms. Hillclimbed extensively in Italy, crashed and repaired, sold into the States and moved rapidly until I got the car. There was a group of enthusiasts in the US that bought a car, enjoyed it for a few months, sold it and bought a different model. Most Ferraris traded in a fairly narrow financial range back then.
Congratulations on 40 years—that’s a remarkable milestone and a real testament to the bond you’ve had with the car. I’m approaching the same mark with my GT4 and still love every bit of it. The Boxer came later for me, but it’s been growing on me steadily. Totally different era now, but the memories from back in the day—especially the sound and feel on track—still stand out.
I have a local 87 y.o. friend who used to do some of that back in the '70s/'80s with models ranging from 4-cam 275, couple of Daytonas & QMs to 308 GTBs & GTSs, etc. Longest ownership he ended up having was with one of the Daytonas, 45 years (he became second owner in '76). Unfortunately(?), the car was not driven much from about 1978 to 2005 (resulting to a lot of deferred maintenance ). It had 21xxx miles when it was sold (to current, third owner) 3 & 1/2 years ago and of those, I had driven about 2.5K+ after I started maintaining (& exercising) it 15 years earlier.
Biggest Ferrari conundrum is some driving is good for the machinery, but we are concerned about adding miles. I had a job that took me to great part of town through easy fast roadways and there was excellent parking. I drove her frequently, and she never ran better. I remember how perfectly she would start and rev (after warming up of course).
Wow! Just fantastic. My first Ferrari track event, going back about 38 years with my GT4 include some runs alongside a 275GTB. Those were the most special sounds.
My first time on track was with the BBi in I think 95. That was after getting pulled over on a favorite road along a lake somewhere near the redline in 4th. Can a BBi pull 140 in 4th? Id debate that. My brother advised to start exercising the car on track. Yeah its no track car. Since then occasionally every few years id take it to monticello for a few laps midweek when there were few if any cars out. Quickish laps just to let the car breathe, not flogging to as you would with a track car. Yeah It always ran way better afterwards. IMo BB is an early 70s can am car for the road, its feel through the controlls (within its limits) are very poised and track car like
Ever seen a 250LM on the track? That thing scoots! Anyway, the layout reminds me of the Boxer. Also, I've seen at the historics the race prepared Boxers on track against other period cars. The Boxer was very strong out there. I recall the huge digital speedo at the start/finish showed the Boxer consistently with the highest speeds going though turn 1. Always 130++.
Only seen a 250 lm at Collier museum sitting there. Met an old japanese dude a decade ago or more who walked in pain with a cane and had one, he said when he got in the car and started the mtor the years,melted away. Nick mason did a test at goodwood with his BBLM against his F40, same day same driver and the BBLM was significantly quicker. A BBLM is a BB basically lightened with 450 hp, same basic frame and suspension. On this site we have newman who has been doing Hi com pistons and cams into BBIs and now the guy in miami who has figured out EFI and ITBs for his BBI. Put the two together and you have aBBIM the M being for modificata. Imagine something with more perforce than a GTO, Open the back hatch and you see the ITBs like dry stacks. These cars are good, with some decent modern rubber theyre great, add some hp and its the superlative ferrari. Only thing is you have to be able to drive. Recently let the 20yo who wired uyo the nmsd for me take a drive. Hes a full on gearhead. His comment was it drove unlike anything he had ever driven before, he was mazed at the sheer grip and drive coming out abend when you flatten out the right pedal. The way the car with suitable rubber will tighten its line under power and like a modern wich default runs wide. If you know what you're doing, then like and air-cooled 911 you can make a boxer dance in a way other cars simply cant. i read this quote from Keth Martins son at SCM where he was comparing an old 72 911 to a modern one and why he really wanted to be in the older car on a 1500 mile tour. "You see with that car, I was busy all the time...I was always looking for the best lines through the turns, and always aware...The old car just made me work harder for every mile I put on it, and every mile i went, I liked the car more."
Just the fact that we are discussing cars with the same lineage as their racing brothers says it all!
