restoring F40s

If I owned an F40 (or should I say when I'm able to own an F40 ), seeking the Ferrari Classiche Certificate of Authenticity will not be a primary goal of mine.

 

How's this for a restore?

Crashed F40, bent chassis. Newly built chassis by Ferrari using the old VIN, and the bent chassis was destroyed. Original F40 engine (from the crashed one) installed with 12000km on it.

So basically, minus the engine, it's a brand new F40!

In all honesty I couldn't care less about restoring an F40 to increase value. I'd make it in the most exiting machine. To hell with the standard exhaust...Tubi LM, NEEZ wheels, modern Pirelli track tires on it, modern brakes, Michelotto weight loss programme...hee haa! Saying that, I would love to start from a brand new chassis. Engine mileage wouldn't bother me so much.
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very sweet.

 

Not much of a car if you are missing the minor details i.e. doors

... just my two cents worth

 

The work on it looking amazing... Keep like that. ;-)

 

any idea how much that rebuild cost?

 

Sounds good to me

 

Sorry, it´s in german but...

http://www.ferrarif40.de/index.php?id=ferrarif40unfall&no_cache=1

 

I don't know, but the car is for sale for 425K euro in Holland and it's recently completed. I have no idea about the damage of the car before it was being repaired so can't guess accurately.

Not bad all things considered. I remember about 2 years ago a complete crashed example was for sale for 17K....one where you'd really just have the VIN# and that's it.

Considering uncrashed examples go for around 360-450K at the moment in Europe...not a bad deal. 100% certified by Ferrari Classische brand new everything (bar engine in this one, but original used so matches the vin#) vs a 20 year old one where you don't know 100% sure if the chassis is still straight...

And imagine the excitement of having your own F40 built!

 

They did a good job at bringing her back to life

 

This is the reason I log onto Ferrarichat!!!!!

 

i'll answer.
when i first bought the f40, i was pleased that it had the competition brakes, the cats removed, the tubi exhaust, and the last generation turbos, and had been lowered - simply because the car would be that much more potent. i had planned to use this car more as a driver than a garage queen after all.

then after being offered another one with more miles for a lot less, i thought about converting the first one back to original spec, to get classiche certification, and keep it off the road. that deal didnt work out, so i only have the one car.

then when i picked up the car for the first time, and experienced it for myself, there was no way i was going to put it back to original spec ! at least for a few years. its great as it is.

i think there are 2 kinds of owners.
one group that enjoys the static admiration of their cars like art work, and are obsessed about keeping the value high by not using it much .
and the other group enjoys the beauty but feels they need and should be used for their intended purpose so they drive them. i am in that group.

so in the case of the f40, most high end collectors tend to discount it to a degree because of the high build number anyway, and some of the original parts were inferior even in period, so why not increase the driving pleasure by sorting it out a bit to improve it.

i suppose if i still own it in a few years, and the values have risen by some miracle, and the higher value is still attributed to purely original cars, then i can convert it back to spec. i am slowly accumulating the parts to do so.

 

I don't see the need to classify owners or their intentions. Some F40 owners I work with have restored their F40s, but not necessarily to garage them. Its interesting that you seem to be inferring that if a car is restored the intent is to garage it - not so at all. Some owners are doing a bit of everything: some track use, some road use, some showing. There is no need to dedicate the car to a singular purpose, which is the beauty of the F40: road or track, what do you feel like this weekend?

So too, those that restore and garage their cars are not necessarily doing so for Classiche or investment purposes! Sometimes its garaged simply because they are too busy doing what caused them to be able to afford an F40 in the first place! So they park the car for a while till life allows further use.

I think the overwhelming reason people restore F40s IMO is because the car happens to need it. The choice to put a modified one back to stock is a personal one, but in the USA most F40s are stock anyway, so this dilemma is rather rare..

 

You are right, but the reason is not some unidentified trend or movement. The reason is the simple fact that the cars are getting older!

 

A few thoughts. As cars reach a certain age they do need a MAJOR service/restoration to remain safe and drivable.


Having fielded a modern race car my thoughts on tracking any normal car has changed.
Modern race cars can take major damage and keep you safe and be repaired a lot more easily than an F 40 for example. Personally I wouldn't run anything but a modern race car on a track at more than 6/10ths. For me the satisfaction of a classic/Vintage car and I put an F40 in that class is it's ability to transport you back in time with it's authentic feel.

I understand and have made "improvements" to classic cars but as I get older I try to keep these to a minimum. (Seat belts, radiator fans, electronic ignition in some cases)

While I can understand wanting to have better brakes I've also very much come to enjoy learning to drive 002 down mountain roads with it's 1947 brakes or double clutch my Dusey's non syncro box through upstate roads in the fall as the leaves swirl.

Cheers

 

That conjures some lovely images!

Onno

 

It's also a good one to have when your children get married...
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Just fabulous!


Onno

 

So true. Considering all the moving parts in an F40, maintenance is quite a commitment for safe use.

 

agree completely. before i took the f40 out, i had it reviewed thoroughly and all suspect parts replaced. so complete service, new gaskets here and there, new tires, everything checked. age affects these cars adversely at twice the pace of new cars - maybe more !

 

These cars are far better with a few upgrades. Can't ever imagine selling mine so happy to modify a bit to make more useable. All original parts kept so I guess could be put to standard. Would rather enjoy the driving of the car tan worry about classiche.

Just back from new pedal box and pagid pads. Already running upgraded brakes, turbos and suspension.

 

+1. That's how I would do it. Cars are quite literally meant to be DRIVEN.