Serie Fiorano should be interesting https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1999-ferrari-f355-spider-serie-fiorano-2/
From that listing, the listing person; “We performed a standard maintenance. The Belt was in great shape with no signs of age or cracking. I believe the belt is recommended every 3 years, so this will most likely end up in a collection sitting and doing a belt replacement would just age out again.” I may be a bit rusty on the 355 timing belt, the anatomy of the engine compartment, but is a visual inspection possible? Meaning without fairly major work? Also, not doing a belt replacement because “it will…just age out again.” Seems a pretty convenient excuse for doing no work. Final point, they performed a “standard maintenance?” The most vague term I have seen this year on BaT. Standard maintenance? You mean oil and filter change? You mean brake flush? Brake pad replacement?? Maybe I am in a bad mood, but their paragraph above got me there.
I wonder how the maths would work out. Buy it, swap all the fiorano bits with your gts/b manual, and then resell the spider as a standard
I think there were something like 6 Fiorano built. There was a black on black one hear years ago. I believe that Competizione did a bunch of service on it. I wonder how much that would bring today. That one would be the only 355 spider I’d consider.
Congrats on the move to something new and more thought evoking. best wishes!! 10k for a booth OMG, in Santa Monica we had 3 full downdrafts with water 2 prep booths. in 1997 was 35k per booth per year permit with the city. Then the Coastal Commission on top of that had us install afterburners and real time air monitoring. All fumes became solid waste "chunks" that then became hazard waste and needed to be disposed of as required. OMy F,n G. I retired up in 2001 to new folks taking over. They downsized greatly to survive about 60%
The underneath looks to have been a rough 9000 miles... possible clutch triple seal issue.. cats/muffler corrosion looks a little rough.. CV boot issues? lots of muck buildup in those areas too.
Higher mileage (~58k mile) 355 GTS manual listed for $215 in AZ: https://www.spadyautogroupscottsdale.com/details/used-1996-ferrari-f355-gts/85841455
There is no history available for the car; it needs a major + whatever else they find. It was traded in at the lambo dealer in Saint Louis; they just changed the oil & listed it.
Now that the auction is over. Dealer was in the land of BAT euphoria hoping to do a quick flip capitalize on a rare spec. Never going to get top dollar on a car that needs service and too many unknowns that should be easy answers for a Ferrari dealer. Like past service records. Dunno.. what I do know is my 97 spider undercarriage with 52K miles looks better than than that one with 9K and I don't spend my weekends detailing the under.... rather I spend them driving it hence the 52K.
If they had sold it fully serviced and needing nothing, the additional bidding above $112k would have more than covered the cost of the service. I think $130k was probably possible if it had belts done. But despite the Serie Fiorano being a rare spec, this car is the least desirable combo of all F355s. Spider and F1
Interesting historical comments on the F1 system as perceived when the car was new. There is a reason that the "less is more" philosophy plays out in the market values of the gated GTB/S over F1's and spyders. People who are willing to pay for the value of the 355 are not interested in the agonizing work to find a mechanic to maintain the F1 and convertible systems. And both systems rob the driver of the otherwise visceral experience of the car. The B has at least 3 advantages over the S: potentially better driving dynamics with the integrity of better chassis stiffening through the intact roof, fewer squeaks, and fewer leaks. Of course if you're only going to drive the car in sunshine, the S is hard to beat, and is just drop dead gorgeous. Here is a B for sale for $70k. Take a look at the receipts posted in the ad. The owner worked and spent hard to try to get the F1 system to work, and $20k and several years later has just given up and is ditching an otherwise interesting car: https://www.beverlyhillscarclub.com/1998-ferrari-f355-berlinetta-f1-c-13859.htm As far as conversions go, the devil is in the details. If you watch NormalGuySupercar's videos on the economics of the conversion for the 355/360/430, he is pretty frank that the parts are $35k before labor: https://www.normalguysupercar.com/product/ferrari-f430-360-manual-conversion-kit/ So for the DIYer, there is an opportunity there particularly if you source your own parts. Remember, engine management still has to be addressed as well, and purists will never value a conversion near the value of a factory car. This is why folks making the conversion parts focus on higher value opportunities like the 599 over the 355. They can simply add more value there, and of course charge for it. So, at the end of the day, the reason the manual B/S are commanding "the big bucks" is because the people who buy them dont want to deal with the BS of the F1/Convertible systems. They want what might turn out to be Ferrari's last real mostly hand built driving car. The beautiful 355. Once the bugs are worked out, its a pretty amazing car. And that why I put quotes around "big bucks.." even at $250-300K you would be hard pressed to find an experience on par with the 355.
This just isn't true for the 355, until very recently the manual conversion parts were pretty readily available because of the significantly greater number of manual 355's made vs F1, and they didn't cost a fraction of $35K. Today the problem isn't cost, it's the absence of parts availability.
Another thing that isn't true is the convertible top issue. Never had a problem with mine in 9 years. Records from previous owners indicate there never has been a problem. And those that have had problems they are more often than not a simple micro switch or a seat pot. And if you are totally void of the ability to diagnose a problem it can be converted to manual. As for visceral experience of the car, take a spider out and take it up to red line (yea, I actually have on an occasion or two, lol) and tell me you get that experience in a Box. Sure the chassis isn't as stiff. Sure that make the B a little quicker around the track which most will never experience, but at the limit is at the limit in either car. Just my opinion. https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/ferrari-f-355-spider/
Theres actually a really great thread on this forum of an actual conversion happening right now. And I think I absolutely said "So for the DIYer, there is an opportunity there particularly if you source your own parts." Sounds like we are pretty much in agreement. If the only source of parts is the only source of parts, that source gets to determine their price. A buyer gets to determine their cost and worth. If you could find : 1) a three pedal box 2) a clutch slave * and master and line to the tranny 3) a gated 6 peed shifting box and linkage 4) you will probably want to upgrade the slave to Hill Engineering and a new clutch and maybe pressure plate and service the flywheel 5) ECU(s) for the standard So what do you think those parts will cost from a wrecker (Exotic Auto / Ferr Parts)? My guess is: 1) $1500 2) $2000 3) $2500 4) $2000 beyond 2 5) $2500 So if my guesses are about right , and my math still works we are talking $11.5k if you source the parts yourself, and you could find them. I know I have these parts on my shelf and I paid much less than that. I think Phrogs does as well. but if you want the convenience of "now" you are looking at $35k for parts.
John- I for one think the prejudice against the spider and the F1 are overblown, so I agree with you. I am only trying to marry market data to perception. The perception is that stuff can break on the 355, and life is much simpler and better if you can just avoid it. And anyone who doesnt get their 355 out on the track is really missing out. Why have an F1 inspired car if your not going to experience the heritage out on the track? Club days make this pretty safe and easy. Have fun!
You just need the manual clutch pedal for the late-style pedal box (the F1 and manual boxes are identical). The clutch master is a $50 item that was used on a bunch of cars, nothing special. For the clutch line you can use the factory line but there's just no need -- I used a PTFE braided line from Summit that's (with fittings etc) is $120. You don't need a new ECU, either live with the CEL from the TCU absence or get it programmed out for $600 (ECU Doctors or Protomotive). There's another $1K in various bits and bobs, depending on how perfect you want to make it (left side engine bay trim panel is different; dash and rear badges; shifter trim surround; etc). The real money is in the shifter housing and linkage. That stuff is impossible to find. Someone could make some money reproducing the shifter assembly and producing a simplified shift linkage (the factory linkage is seriously over-complicated). But again, IMHO the real problem is that if you wanted to buy a shifter housing right now, I don't know where you'd get one. They're non-existent.
Zero money in making a conversion, too few cars , everybody says yeah I'd want one so someone will spend tens of thousands of dollars figuring out offer a kit and 2 people will actually buy it Sent using FerrariChat.com mobile app
These or something else? Also found some shift linkage rods out there just now. https://www.ebay.com/itm/120239612860?hash=item1bfed6e3bc:g:~Q4AAOSw2GlXD9mz https://www.ebay.com/itm/220616960961?hash=item335dcbabc1:g:yn8AAOxyyF5RQMs6 https://www.ebay.com/itm/294927108485?hash=item44ab068985:g:NywAAOSwZPBiWZ6g
