#44121 is gonna get it, now.

I've finally traded both my e-type and RR for the 400i 5 speed. The seller got a sweet deal; sometimes i think i should implement a mandatory cool down period before i pull the trigger on any car. Setting the financials aside, i am completely smitten by it and cannot wait to bring it back to proper shape. Here's what's on the menu for now:

1. accumulators
2. clutch
3. front end
4. motor mounts
4. fixing few electrical gremlins
5. engine dial in
6. re-leather and carpet
7. rear glass
8. body seals
9. knock off, massage or find new air dam and parking lights.
10. re-paint
11. new trx's
12. many more "while i'm in there"s, i'm sure

At this point i'm done with #1, and i've got the drive line out of it for the clutch replacement, which is much like approaching ear surgery analy, but nevertheless...

I was wondering about the following:

a. is there is a concensus on both tranny and rear end lubricants?
b. can you pull the motor mount without much fuss... ie pulling the exhaust manifolds off.
c. anyone want to donate their rear glass, front air dam and parking lights to the project (or at least find me a good source)?
d. who's the funny guys who told me to watch out for floor rust??? The whole tub is fiberglass, to my greatest amazement and joy.

I appreciate your feedback in advance, and i am quite please to join you guys in ownership. Moreover i find this car a complete pleasure to drive, and i'd like to know how it compare to its predecessors, because it stands in stark contrast to my TR, but i imagine it driving something like an softer daytona.

Thanks,

Sebastien

 

Is this car still white...? Can you post pictures...? I don't think I've ever seen a white 400i. As for parts, call T. Rutland's for pretty much anything. They're a great team and have all sorts of stuff that you want and need.

 

the car is actually cream with a black tail. Here are some pics of the car before i picked it up:


http://s249.photobucket.com/albums/gg225/rebirthauto/1981%20400i/


The car is indeed a 1983 series2, and although i'm not really fond of taking a bunch of pics, i'll try to post some of the progress as it occurs.

 

i love the start up video!! cracked up when the guy recording said " ai yaya" ..

 

Welcome Sebastien! I to have had quite a varity of cars, alot of them made more sense money wise, many were faster. But there is some thing really special about the 400I. Since you work on it you will be amazed at the work that was put into these. You all ready noticed the glass floor, thrilled me to. How about that cast alum. bulk head that the pedals and the master cyl. bolt to? cool huh? How about the tube frame? upper and lower A-arm suspension? coil over shocks? It is also fun seeing that other people put it together and not some robots.
The more you drive it the more you will like it. I use mine now for all family duties, makes mundane chores fun.
Be prepared to spend time and money on it, but once sorted... !!
GT cars in AZ for parts has been good to me.

 

WOW...you have a LOT OF WORK ahead! I hope you got the car for FREE. Well, it sounds like you are doing the labor so that will help a TON, but DANG that is a comprehensive list that will leave you with a NEW CAR once it is completed!

Look forward to reading about the progress reports!

James

 

Laid on that starter way too long, I imagine it was you Sebastian that made that comment.

Am I understanding this correctly, the previous owner of the 400i got your Jag & Rolls? Holy cow!.....I'll just stop right there. It truly shows your love for the 400 series!!
Accumulator equiv.-- Bosch # 0 438 170 004, 450 Mercedes.
Do you need the lense assy. for turn signal/running lights?? I think they're a grand a piece.
BTW, Welcome to the club!!

 

"Ai yaya" is indeed the sound my mind makes when it gets lost.

About the turn signal/running lights, at a grand a piece i would almost consider knocking out a mold for these things... i'm sure i've got an injection molder laying idle in the shop. Were they the same for both series 1 and 2, and how come some have the yellow sides and some don't.. just wear or intended? Would anyone buy them without the ferrari stamp?

i'll keep you posted on the progress.

Sebastien

 

Good luck with all of your work to bring one of these rare 5 speeds back to glory. What's wrong with the rear glass that it needs to be replaced? It looks okay in the photos, but the resolution maybe doesn't show a delamination or a crack.

John

 

400's and 400i's had yellow side markers while the 412 lens was all clear.

If you made a top quality piece I can assure you that you'd have a market for it. At a grand each there are a LOT of cars with cracked ones out there.

 

The glass has delaminated on the top left corner. The previous owner had strategically applied a band of "carbon fiber" looking tape to the top of both windshield and rear glass, hiding the defect.

The yellow on mine seems to have been painted on (from the inside), is this the case for you as well?

Also, i'm about to button this clutch thing back up, what would you guys use for rear end and tranny lube? Thanks.

Sebastien

 

I believe they are actually orange plastic/not painted.

I've heard a lot of good things @ Redline 75-90W NS, helps w/2nd gear shifting. Presently, I use Castrol 10/50 motor oil so have stuck with their gear lube. I avoid shifting into 2nd gear until the gearshift shaft is good & hot, then shifting into 2nd is smooth as silk.

 

is that for both or just the rear?

 

Still don't understand why the wheels are black. When I saw it last, they were certainly silver.

Good luck with the car, is sure sounded great last I saw it with the next exhaust and everything. Rear suspension was whacked and it wasn't in the best cosmetic condition, but I'm sure it's a solid start to a car.

Good luck! Looking forward to seeing the progress!

 

The PO painted the wheel, valve stems and bolts. Honestly, it does kinda jive with the black tail.

Here are the cars i traded in, the current toys, and the current state of affairs.
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man i love that jag!! also love the tr...

 

I love the jag too! Don't fault you for getting rid of both of them though. I suspect either one of them cost as much or more to keep running than the 400 ever will. Not such a big fan of the TR's, but I do like seeing those two together! I look forward to a garage w/ a 400 and 456 someday! Congrats!

James
Austin, TX

 

Both manual tranny & diff.

 

Your trade baffles me. While I would have been very pleased to see the arse of that Roller for the final time losing an E Jag even a series II coupe would be painful.
Anyway the 400's fusebox will make you feel right at home. Best of luck with the new steed.

 

OUCH! That is a SCARY thought! Is the Jag a FHC or a 2+2? I could not tell from the photo but I am thinking 2+2 in which case the trade is much less painful. I would never trade a FHC (especially an SI or S1.5, but not even a 2 I don't think) on a 400, but to each his own. Certainly the 400 will be fun, but I can't imagine it will be any more reliable or less expensive to maintain. Jag values seem to be on the rise now too vs. I have a hard time EVER seeing 400 values rise.

YMMV and I am sure you have good reason for your trade... Probably a concours condition E-type SI in the garage!

Best,
James
Austin, TX

 

2 white Ferraris. AWSOME! Congrats on the 400i and please keep us apprised of you progress on your list of things to do.

Al

 

The rolls never illicits any good comments from car guys, and although i did appreciate it for what it was, it is undeniably a complicated (rather than complex) piece of machinery.

After sorting out my TR, I can only imagine what the italian electrical geniuses have in store for me. i'm actualy looking forward to diving in.

The jag is indeed a series 3 2+2 automatic completely mechanically sorted. I hung it a little low to improve the look. It was the kind of car that never was going to be right in my eyes. It had marginal yet unfortunately dispersed rust, that i could never justify fixing, and the automatic really killed it for me. Now as far as a concours condition E-type SI in the garage, i only wish. I'll save you the belly aching routine that i put forth to anyone looking at me funny for being a multiple ferrari owner.

Now as far as the progress, i got the flywheel resurface down .017". While addressing the motor mounts (turn out the headers were resting on the frame, explaining the harsh running noise), i found that the forward header needs removed in order to get the suckers out, and once they were out, i found the first bit of rust (where the driver side header near the chassis) that i then cut out for repair after removing the driver side rear header. i'll be doing some welding tomorrow. while i have the headers out, i think i'll get a reduction starter in...maybe. have you guys noticed that the hot headers seem to burn off the undercoating in the wells. i think i may heat wrap them before putting them back in.
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An E-type with rust???? NOOOO! I don't believe it! LOL! Yea, all E-types are in some state of returning to their roots! LOL!

As for the multiple F-car owner, I am a 6 PORSCHE guy so trust me I know EXACTLY what you are talking about. By the end of the year I should be a 6 Porsche 1 Ferrari guy on my way to being a 7 Porsche 2 Ferrari guy and so on and so forth till I have amassed a 20+ car collection...

Good luck on the 400! I love to see a good car (read 928 or most F-cars) brought back to life by a dedicated enthusiast!

Best,
James

 

Great pictures, Please keep them coming!

 

Great posts. Keep those photos coming. Very helpful for we who also have a list of things to do on our 400s but haven't gotten started yet (I keep wanting to drive it and don't want to put it out of commission!).

I do have a question about your removal of the transmission. I assume this would be the same for a manual or auto.... did you have any difficulty getting the torque tube/drive shaft out? I need to remove my auto trans to replace the main oil seal and having looked at it I'm not sure where to start with removing the drive shaft.

Thanks,
Al