365 Boxer engine 00055

Anyone know of 365 BB engine number 00055?

 

I do, May I ask why you want to know ?

Argento

 

Well sir, that was once my engine. Pushed me up to 175 MPH once on a three hour run with an average speed of 128 MPH.

Twenty-five years ago, I managed to destroy the BB on a high speed curve. Just curious about what happened to the engine.

 

What was the sn/history of your car?

Can you elaborate what happened in the turn to cause the crash?

 

17713 was sold to Rodolfo Ponti of Como, Italy in 1974. At the time, Rodolfo had owned 12 Ferrari over the years. I purchased the BB in 1977 with 4k miles on it. I drove the BB out of Italy, through Switzerland, Germany and Belgium. Then, the BB lived in Texas through 1981, visiting both Oklahoma and New Mexico. Total mileage was 10k. 512s were still in production, I laughed about being able to push really hard because the BB was replaceable.

I established various rules of safe driving with the BB which included:
Don’t test the limits of an unfamiliar road. It is not wise to break this rule.

While accelerating out of a curve in 4th gear, I discovered that the curve had a decreasing radius. We went off the road sliding sideways, rolling over once. Prior to the accident, I had an inch of headroom. Afterward, I had 12 inches of headroom and my girlfriend’s side had no headroom. We walked away.

 

Pictures, we need pictures!


Ken, were the remains of the car broken up and all that remains is the engine or are there other bits still around?

Regards,

Art S.

 

After more than twenty-five years, I would say the car is very dispersed. If 17713 were to be rebuilt, it would have happened when prices peaked in the low $300k range back about 1990. Any remains would be near Houston.

Years ago, I sold some spare parts that I had remaining. One of the buyers had independently purchased my old exhaust.

 

Sure hope there isnt a new owner of that car and he/she isnt reading this thread! D'oh! "Never been hit...blah blah blah" lol.

 

I'd say it sounds as though his disassembly was pretty final...

Good to hear there were no injuries!

 

Ken,

You have my attention, What was the colour and registration of your car before the accident?

Argento

 

The color? Argento of course.

 

Argento,

Your references to 50 and 51 for engine 00055 are interesting. I had the car apart rather thoroughly. I saw many references to 47. So, I presumed that 17713 was #47. Any idea about all the references to 47. I am talking about writing on inside of the front cover, under the padding. Also, inside doors and on many other panels.

 

Those numbers represent the internal job number that was used to keep track of the various parts of the car during production - they are not one-to-one related to production order. My 365bb, #18265, was job number 259.

A

 

The numbers you found written will not match the actual assembly sequence of the car. I forget the purpose or the reason why but they just dont, close but not the same.

 

Alex,

Close but not exactly right, They are the Scaglietti Assy Sequence No. and the Scaglietti Body No. (Nothing to do with any Ferrari Internal Reference #'s), Your car for instance, #18265 was the 253rd 365BB Manufactured by Ferrari, But was Scaglietti's Assembly No.255 and has Body No. 259 Fitted. It was completed on the 10th Dec. 1974 and was the First car to be retailed by The New Trade Co......

Argento

 

Ah - thank you for clarifying. I did know the completion date and retailer, but not the assembly #. One interesting tidbit is that as I have looked at other cars, my car appears to be one of the very first (if not the first) to have head rests on the seats and a large, body colored central grill between the carb boxes on the rear bonnet (preciously no vent grill there on earlier cars). Any idea which chassis # was the first to get these running changes?

A

 

Yes I do...The First 3rd Series design car is #18217, Yours is actually the 14th Series 3 car, but I only know 4 earlier than your's that are still in the US.

Argento

 

Cool and sad story at the same time! Do you still have the old Italian papers of the car? Which registration plate did Rodolfo Ponti have on his BB?

 

Somewhere, I have the front Como registration plate. The back plate was replaced with a Texas plate. Then, reverted back to Como plate prior to leaving Italy. However, the plate insulation was not replaced with the plate and engine heat quickly destroyed it.

 

Thanks for your reply! In case you should find it, I would really like to add the Como registration number to my files on the 365 GT4 BBs, I have always loved that model!

 

These are very good practical rules for a BB. Modern wheels and tires can mitigate this as the seats will run out of grip long before the tires and liftoff or even flattening the throttle oversteer is far less of an issue., but yes its still a good rule.

Was in Mm 18 months ago and heading towards Co saw the most perfect boxer roads ever, so much so that it inspired me to take the car there sometime.

 

Found it! 420369 CO

 

No pictures of the car?