Old Ferrari in Flint, MI in 80's

Trying to track history of a car that was bought out of Flint as a basketcase in the late 80's. It appeared to have "lived" in the same barn for many years. Does anyone remember an old 250 in Flint?

Car is unaccounted for from the early 60's until the late 80's when it was pulled out of a barn in Flint.

 

Any one?

 

I was automotively unaware when I lived near Flint.

There is(was) some money there some time ago. Maybe somebody in the Mott family?

 

I recall going to the June Car show at the Sloan Museum and the fellow who parked behind me had a beautiful 250 Lusso in silver, he had run a company that made headers. since retired. But his car was immaculate.
Then there was an ad in the Detroit news in the late 70s early 80's for a old ferrari, I went to see it and it was at a grass airstrip under a canopy. It wasn't a model I was familiar with, and it had been repainted but was dissembled. As I recall I thought it was from the early 50's 2 doupe coupe/sedan. It appeared like a 212 or something before a 250.
The Airport owner had a mechanics lein on this and another car, but he wanted too much money for it at the time.

 

This car is a 250 and was in a barn in Flint in the late 80's, but had clearlt been there from some time. Do you recall any other info about the "airport" car?

 

Do you have more details or info on this family?

 

As for the Mott Family, They had a carriage business in Utica, NY and moved to Flint to become part of the auto industry, I asuspect that William Durant bought Charles Mott's business out. Mr. Mott became a member of the BoD of GM and was a steadfast GM man, and his last car, a 1969 Corvair was in the Sloan Museum in Flint for a long time, if it isn't still there.
Maybe a family member, but again they were pretty loyal to GM.
General Motors Institute, now Kettering University is ocated in Flint and maybe someone form their would have had such a car.
As for the car in th eairfield canopy, no no fuether details. I believe the other car the owner left there was a Aston Martin. Both were half started projects. I am thinking the airport owner wanted something on th eorder of $7500-$9000 for the Ferrari and you had to check out the powertrain and reinstall it. Paint was completed but not the best I had seen.

 

I graduated from GMI in Flint in 1978. There were no Ferrari's to be found. Almost everyone drove a GM car, and most of them were new. (Everyone got a discount.)

It was so GM centric that most turned up their nose at my "foreign" car. It was a 1974 Opel Manta. Even though it was a GM car, most people there didn't like it, because it was not built in the US.

 

Makes perfect sense to me. The car was located in a barn just off of a highway, although there was only a dirt road to the barn and farm house. The location was not far from the local airport that was used in the late 80's. It wasn't operational and needed a rebuild.

Don't know anything about the Flint area to know if this info is worth something or meaningless. The car was pulled out of the barn in 1989

 

Any ideas?

 

I haven't been to Flint in 10 years. I can't be of much help. Sorry.

 

No worries there, there car hasn't been there in over 20 years.

 

It might be wise to give Terry Myr a call in Port Huron. He might have some answers for you. Yes, he's listed. He is generally regarded as one of, if not the best Ferrari mechanic in Michigan.

 

bump...

 

Did you try contacting Terry Myr (as another suggested)? He would be the guy I would go to if I haven't already. He is considered THE guy for vintage Ferraris here in MI, and its very likley that he worked on the one in question.

 

I spoke with Terry and he doesn't have any recollection of the car.

As it was sitting in a barn, I am not certain it spent to much time on the road during it's stay.

 

Did you post this in the vintage section? They may be of some help.

 

Yep, already tried that.....

Figured I'd ask in the area that the car was

 

Anyone?

 

hello?

 

I don't think anybody here can help you. This horse may be already beaten to death.

 

The only horse beaten to death is the one that doesn't get back up......

After asking what seems like over a thousand times, I have NEW info.

This car was owned by:

"C Hartel in MI in 1979"

I know the car was drug out of a barn in 1989. The person that "FOUND" it was contacted by the seller in '89 and flew into Flint. He told me it was about a 20 minute car ride from the airport. I am not certain if "C Hartel" lived in Flint, propper, or not......

Does anyone know anything about "C Hartel"?