365 GTB or Datsun based 250 GTO? | Page 3 | FerrariChat

365 GTB or Datsun based 250 GTO?

Discussion in 'Vintage (thru 365 GTC4)' started by XR4turbo, Jun 3, 2010.

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  1. robert_c

    robert_c F1 Rookie

    May 12, 2005
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    #51 robert_c, Jun 6, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    You really need to go the the Monterey Historics at Laguna Seca. They usually have one or two real GTO's, or 20!
    Back in '04 they had 20ish. Most memorable race ever.
    Copyright Ralph Kesting from classics.com
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  2. TOOLFAN

    TOOLFAN F1 Rookie
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    Mar 23, 2005
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    Agreed. Seeing a real GTO in person, or at all, is something rather special. As it is with any vintage Ferrari. I have actually had the great fortune of riding in a real GTO, it is something I will never forget. It is something like that, the simple act of riding in a vintage Ferrari is a wonderful experience, that is how special these cars are. Having to question the authenticity of an experience like that, all but ruins it. It would be like touching "The Thinker" only to find out it was copy available down at the local Walmart. By the way is that 0754 in your profile photo? David L is a really nice fellow, it's just to bad 0754 doesn't have two seats :).
     
  3. JazzyO

    JazzyO F1 World Champ

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    I guess we all need to go across the pond more often! Phenomenal events on both sides.


    Onno
     
  4. davidgoerndt

    davidgoerndt Formula 3

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    #54 davidgoerndt, Jun 6, 2010
    Last edited: Jun 6, 2010
    I'm going to have check on that. It's a painting I did from a photograph I took at a Cavallino Classic a few years ago. Just checked and it is 0754
     
  5. CMY

    CMY F1 World Champ

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    It's on my list.. unfortunately it's also one of those yearly events that I always forget to remind myself of. Sad considering that it's also relatively close to me.

    I'm quite sure I'll run into one soon enough. :)
     
  6. MattF NYMC

    MattF NYMC Formula 3

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    #56 MattF NYMC, Jun 7, 2010
    Last edited: Jun 7, 2010
    *Yes, I have been in a real GTO, as I am close family friends with Ralph Lauren, and have been in/driven/own some of his cars.

    And this car wasn't cut up and re-bodied for no reason. If I remember correctly, the owner told me the original car was wrecked, and the original owner salvaged the drivetrain and stuffed it into this, because he always wanted a GTO, couldn't afford a real one, and had a Ferrari V12 drivetrain sitting around.
     
  7. technom3

    technom3 F1 World Champ
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    In all fairness the gauge cluster fits a 365
     
  8. XR4turbo

    XR4turbo Rookie

    Jul 11, 2006
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    I just don't understand why you would place a unibody frame on top of another frame. Unless xzibit is in the house? :p
     
  9. davisbmw1@aol.com

    May 3, 2010
    10
    I had a fellow that's built a couple of 250 GTO replicas on a Datsun chassis view the clip. There is absolutely no doubt the car is built on a Datsun. It's sad to see someone so "misinformed" as to make some of those blatant statements such as underneath it's all Ferrari and has a Ferrari V-12. The Datsun is a very capable car with IRS and has a sofisticated high revving OHC engine of about the same displacement. That engine is very capable of producing just as much reliable power in modified form as the Ferrari did in 1962. It's a fairly nice replica and I'm sure he enjoys it immensely, but why set everyone up this way?
     
  10. 365GTC/4

    365GTC/4 Formula 3

    Apr 7, 2005
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    Lets not waste any more time on this. I assume the car is in SoCal. Well the next time it shows up anywhere (say supercar sunday or cars and coffee etc) and someone on this board sees it, ask the owner to see the engine. Simple. If he wont, you know the answer. If the owner is not around have a look at the sump from under the car. A GTC or Daytona motor looks a bit different to a Nissan or BMW or ... engine. Certainly a C4 or GTC engine with that large winged wet sump is very obvious.
    John
     
  11. XR4turbo

    XR4turbo Rookie

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    Interestingly enough, this whole debacle has rekindled my interest in classic Ferrari's. So Matt, one way or another, thank you.
     
  12. CMY

    CMY F1 World Champ

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    Got me there. But then again, if this turns out to be something it's not..
     
  13. MattF NYMC

    MattF NYMC Formula 3

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    chris, we live in the same town in california. I'm right off 190th st. why don't we meet up for a beer down at the pier and talk about it?
     
  14. aleventhal

    aleventhal Formula Junior

    Jan 11, 2005
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    Alexander Leventhal
    No way that car has a Ferrari frame or suspension of any kind. If it did, it would be running on spline drive knock-off wheels - either five star "daytona" alloys or borrani wires. What it actually has are bolt on wires with fake spinners - just like you would put on say, a Datsun replica. So, while I am fairly certain that there are no Ferrari parts in this thing at all, it is ABSOLUTELY certain it is not running a Ferrari suspension - as if it were it would have spline drive knock-of hubs - and it does not.

    A
     
  15. CMY

    CMY F1 World Champ

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    Sure thing, I guess it's kinda ridiculous to do this on the forum when we're about three blocks away from each other (I'm off Catalina). Naja's or Tony's.. your call! ;)
     
  16. Rory J

    Rory J Formula 3
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    I've got a feeling that what happened here is that the owner of the 'Ferrari' in question was given a line by the previous seller. Knowing nothing about vintage Ferraris, he bought it and is now stuck with a Datsun kit car that he was told was a Daytona rebodied to look like a 250 GTO.

    Depending on how long he's owned it, this could well be the first time he's had the authenticity questioned.

    If it's a Datsun chassis, there's no way someone would go through the trouble of putting Ferrari suspension components, etc on a car that was in no way designed for them and is of totally different dimensions.

    Bottom line: hope the owner didn't pay too much, because if he genuinely believes his car is a re-bodied Ferrari 365 of ANY type, he's been had. Big time.
     
  17. swift53

    swift53 F1 Veteran
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    Datsun 240Z with the rear McPherson struts tied together with a strut bar, surely that's an original bar......................................................................................
    Regards, Alberto
     
  18. MattF NYMC

    MattF NYMC Formula 3

    Oct 26, 2006
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    Hey Guys-
    I've looked at those pictures on Hybrid Z, and it turns out this is the same car. Time to come clean:

    I met George, the owner of this car, about 20 minutes before I drove it. He gave me a very lengthy and detailed story about the car, the wrecked original drivetrain, etc. I believed him. When he said the same story over on camera, I thought there was no way that this guy, who's a public figure himself (former host of Junkyard Wars on Discovery Channel) would be stupid enough to make up this whole thing on camera, on a show that will be seen by a Football Stadium worth of people. The car was loud, and the car was fast, and the truth is that there's a modified Datsun straight six under there.

    Now, you're probably saying that I said I saw the engine and that it was a V12, and that I'd either have to be a liar or an idiot who can't tell the difference. Well I can tell the difference, but the truth is, I didn't look under the hood at all. I asked, and George said there was a problem with the hood release, and I just dropped it after that. I went to bat for this guy in the forums and the comments section because I didn't think he'd be stupid enough to publicly make it all up. Well, he did make it up, especially after so quickly offering to send engine photos, and I went to bat for him, and I lost.

    I apologize for lying about seeing the engine, and I've learned a valuable lesson about not taking people for their word, especially when it comes to vintage Ferrari's, and especially replicas of vintage Ferrari's. My brilliant father once told me to never compromise my integrity, because at the end of the day, that's all I have. Well, I'm here to say that I made a mistake, and I've been called out, and that I'm sorry.

    If you guys don't think I'm qualified to talk about cars anymore, I understand. But everyone makes mistakes, and it was my mistake to stand up for a near-stranger and lie for him because I wanted to believe he told me the truth. He didn't, and I was wrong. I'm sorry.
     
  19. kare

    kare F1 Rookie
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    These things happen. 1 out of 100 has guts to stand up and say they're wrong let alone that they're sorry. Among people involved with Ferraris that is even rarer. Thumbs up! Best wishes, Kare
     
  20. Bryanp

    Bryanp F1 Rookie

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    thanks for coming clean, Matt. As I said in post 34 of this thread; one of the reasons we "purists" have such a vehement negative reaction to these cars (besides the carnage/cannibalization of real ones) is that many of these guys DO lie/fudge/etc about the car really is. Sad, but as Kare said, way too common in Ferrari circles.
     
  21. xs10shl

    xs10shl Formula 3

    Dec 17, 2003
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    Bummer, I was hoping it was true, and wanted to see how it was done. Nothing wrong with it being a Datsun - Fantastic fun for little investment.

    I can understand why you stood up for George - he had not given you any reason to doubt him, especially given who he is. I suppose there's something to be said for vetting unknown guests, even TV personalities.

    "Uhhh, there's a problem with the hood release". Classic!
     
  22. CMY

    CMY F1 World Champ

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    Thanks for coming clean, Matt.

    It might just be me, but I'd probably edit that video on youtube with a few captions... and I wouldn't be shy about it.
     
  23. JazzyO

    JazzyO F1 World Champ

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    Matt, kudos! It takes a big man to stand up like that. I guess the owner is not a big man.


    Onno
     
  24. MattF NYMC

    MattF NYMC Formula 3

    Oct 26, 2006
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    I'm writing the same letter as an article on our own site, and I'm going to add the truth in the video's description, but if we take the video down, edit it, and re-post it, all the view counts its gotten will be lost, which is money out of our pockets, and I can't afford to do that.
     
  25. 275gtb6c

    275gtb6c Formula 3
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    Matt, great attitude!

    I would not mind that much about the video, people like to be fooled. The only thing I am really curious about is the engine sound. Although there is quite some noise and not easy to hear on the video in real life this is absolutely no V12!

    maybe a small remark somewhere should be made to disguise our faky-ferrari-George

    ciao
    Oscar
     

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