What ever happened to... | FerrariChat

What ever happened to...

Discussion in 'Vintage (thru 365 GTC4)' started by Ed Niles, Feb 20, 2015.

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  1. Ed Niles

    Ed Niles Formula 3
    Honorary

    Sep 7, 2004
    2,493
    West Hills, CA
    Full Name:
    Edwin K. Niles
    A few of the cars that passed through my grubby hands stick in my memory, for reasons, in some cases, of which I'm not too proud. Maybe someone here can tell me what ever happened to them, and how they fared.
    1. 3093GT, a cab with hard top that I drove through Yurrup from Rome to France, through Spain, in 1966. Had a grand time.
    2. 3097SA, a 400 SA with Lusso style body; a true one-off. Not the car shown in Barchetta under this number. Had been rear-ended and poorly repaired. I hope it got straightened out properly.
    3. 3867GT, a SWB California. Had a 275GTB/4 engine when I got it. Bruno built up a 250GT engine from bits and pieces from his shop, and installed. I found a front bumper, and made a rear one from a VW K-G. Still had a plexiglass w/s when I sold it. It was a better car, but still not perfect.
    4. 5073GT. A Lusso that I acquired with damaged LF. Found another LF from another wreck, but the body shop did a crappy job installing it, so the grill had a sneer. I suppose that with today's prices it must have been fixed by now?
    5. 5139SA. My friend Roberto Goldoni (Rome) bought this one with his own $$$. I held it for over a year, repainting it twice, before I finally found a buyer. The last painter, when he removed the masking, found the rear window shattered. I found a similar car in a local body shop and persuaded the proprietor to let me take a fiberglass mold, and then made a plexiglass window. Scared the life out of me, as I had never worked with fiberglass and had no idea how much heat is generated. I had visions of TWO shattered windows!
    6. 7519. An "Interim" 330GT 2+2 that I tried to keep as an every-day driver. I installed an after-market AC and drove it for about 6 months until another lawyer backed into the nose while parked near the Court House. I learned my lesson.
    7. 7631. A 275GTS; the worst thing I ever did. I bought it badly damaged (T-boned on the driver's side) and had it repaired on a frame rack. I seem to recall another "graft" job, but no recollection where I found a left side for the repair.
    8. 8743. A 6-carb 275GTB, bought with rear damage which I had nicely repaired. Sold in primer to my friend John Andrews, who hoarded it in his back-yard shed for years. The carb set-up was swiped, and then last year or two the whole car was stolen. It went to northern Ca and then to Europe as a stolen car, the last I heard. I wonder if John ever took action; it's still his car as far as I know.
    9. 9057. 275GTB/C. Had this car when Phoebe and I married in 1974. After she went through the Bondurant school she was a real hot-shoe in this car at Virginia City hill-climb. A fabulous car to drive, although it showed signs of having been shiny side down at some point (Harley Cluxton?)
    10. 9279. A 330GT 2+2 that we bought in Europe and drove for another grand tour. Fond memories.

    This should keep you S/N chasers busy for a while.

    Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.
     
  2. John B

    John B Formula 3

    May 27, 2003
    1,564
    NJ
    I cant help with any of these, but I'm sure interested to hear the stories!
    This is why I love the Vintage section.
    Subscribed
     
  3. TTR

    TTR F1 Veteran
    Rossa Subscribed

    Mar 29, 2007
    5,187
    Riverside, CA
    Full Name:
    Timo
    .
     
  4. El Wayne

    El Wayne F1 World Champ
    Staff Member Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Aug 1, 2002
    18,043
    San Marino, CA
    Full Name:
    L. Wayne Ausbrooks
    Ed, I would be more than happy to share with you everything I have on these cars, but it's a lot to post on F-Chat. I'll pull all of the files and email them to you over the weekend.
     
  5. Birel

    Birel Formula 3

    Sep 12, 2005
    1,881
    Brisbane
    Full Name:
    Andrew Turner
    8743 now in England
     
  6. Terra

    Terra F1 Rookie
    Rossa Subscribed

    Feb 16, 2004
    3,689
    250 GT SWB California Spyder s/n 3867GT
     
  7. TDBV

    TDBV Rookie

    Mar 20, 2014
    5
    Ed, I have 7519. I bought it from Chris Dickle in 1983 with a dropped valve seat and a blown transmission. I rebuilt the engine and transmission and used it as a daily commuter from Newport Beach to Hollywood for 4 years and then dropped another valve seat. I went on to other projects and the car has been sitting in the garage ever since although my wife told me that at my age if I want to drive it again I had better put it back together. It's the next project.
     
  8. Ed Niles

    Ed Niles Formula 3
    Honorary

    Sep 7, 2004
    2,493
    West Hills, CA
    Full Name:
    Edwin K. Niles
    Does it still have the added A/C? Ugly but efficient. Thanks for the response. One down; nine to go.
     
  9. tongascrew

    tongascrew F1 Rookie

    Jan 3, 2006
    2,989
    tewksbury
    Full Name:
    george burgess
    Hi the Barchetta listing makes no mention of your ownership of 3867.I have copies of FML of 19 April 1980 and October 4, 1980 when the car was for sale by two different parties with area codes 213[two different numbers] and 305. I also show the car in 1966 with Otto Zipper and in 197? with Harley Cluxten Can you fill in some of the details? Thanks tongascrew
     
  10. Bjoern Schmidt

    Bjoern Schmidt Karting

    Mar 6, 2005
    87
    Stuttgart/Germany
    Full Name:
    Bjoern Schmidt
    Hi Ed,

    just scroll down to the end of this page:

    400 Superamerica Coupe Aerodynamico s/n 3097SA

    There you will find the current owner's name. I last saw it in 2013 and it looked good and in shape. A very special "Lusso" indeed.

    Regards

    Bjoern
     
  11. ag512bbi

    ag512bbi F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Nov 8, 2003
    7,543
    So. Cal
    Full Name:
    Armen
    What a GREAT thread!
     
  12. Ed Niles

    Ed Niles Formula 3
    Honorary

    Sep 7, 2004
    2,493
    West Hills, CA
    Full Name:
    Edwin K. Niles
    George, I wish I could answer, but I no longer have my files. What I posted for 3867 is pretty much all I remember. I see from current pix that it has a more proper rear bumper, although I was rather proud of myself that I could make one from a K-G. It looked great although the over-rides were not right. I am somehow blocked from posting pix, but I know that I have previously posted some of that bumper.
     
  13. TDBV

    TDBV Rookie

    Mar 20, 2014
    5
    No. I removed the A/C and found an original piece from a car that had been parted out to replace the one that was cut when the A/C was installed.
     
  14. merstheman

    merstheman F1 Rookie

    Apr 13, 2007
    4,429
    São Paulo, Brazil
    Full Name:
    Mario
  15. Ed Niles

    Ed Niles Formula 3
    Honorary

    Sep 7, 2004
    2,493
    West Hills, CA
    Full Name:
    Edwin K. Niles
    No, Mario. The one I had looked exactly like a Lusso, but a few inches bigger all around. If no-one said anything you would think just another Lusso.
     
  16. El Wayne

    El Wayne F1 World Champ
    Staff Member Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Aug 1, 2002
    18,043
    San Marino, CA
    Full Name:
    L. Wayne Ausbrooks
    Pics of 3097SA (taken by Marcel in 2005) can be seen here:

    http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/135540555-post6.html

    I know I promised to send you my files, Ed, but I've been tied up. I will get them to you as soon as I get a chance.
     
  17. merstheman

    merstheman F1 Rookie

    Apr 13, 2007
    4,429
    São Paulo, Brazil
    Full Name:
    Mario
    Interesting. This car must have a strange story...
     
  18. velocetwo

    velocetwo F1 World Champ

    Dec 11, 2006
    12,536
    Left Coast
    #18 velocetwo, Feb 26, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  19. El Wayne

    El Wayne F1 World Champ
    Staff Member Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Aug 1, 2002
    18,043
    San Marino, CA
    Full Name:
    L. Wayne Ausbrooks
    #19 El Wayne, Feb 26, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  20. Ed Niles

    Ed Niles Formula 3
    Honorary

    Sep 7, 2004
    2,493
    West Hills, CA
    Full Name:
    Edwin K. Niles
    Yes, B0210 and B0214, waiting to be a barn find. Don't you think I have searched, including talking to the late Ralph Brouett's family? Now THAT is a car I would love to buy back. Probably registered under B0214.
     

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