Forgive the self-indulgence, but I thought these pictures from Hillsborough Concours (just south of San Francisco) would be appreciated. It's very much NOT a show car, I drive it on average 2-3 times/day, mostly more often than that but sometimes I'm out of town so my average drops, and all I did was give it a good wash and put some tire dressing on. I didn't have it judged, it was great fun just to be involved and with a lot of positive comments from a knowledgeable crowd, and I don't need someone to tell me that my car sucks because it has the wrong screw somewhere. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
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From our own Oracle, RAMBOY, who keeps track of all of our cars: 1985: Year of manufacture 15 Jan 1986: Imported to the US, New York 11 Sep 1986: Passed US road inspection, New York Ferrari Market Letter, 29 Mar 1997, red with tan leather, books, tools and records, recently serviced, perfect car, 9,000 miles, USD 65,000, Richard O. Oni, M.D. , 219/884-1551 24-hour number (IN). For sale, Classic & Sports Car, Sep 1998, 11,900 miles, physician owner, $58,000. Ferrari Market Letter, 19 Oct 2002, red with tan interior, 16,214 miles, delivered originally by Continental Motors with all records of service including all certifications, recent full 15k service completed, stunning original condition, everything works, needs nothing, immaculate touring Ferrari for someone who wants the best, USD 54,750 ono, David Nelson, dcnelsonolaire.com, 330-659-6930; fax 330-239-4488 (OH). For sale, Classic & sports Car, 2003, see attached. For sale, San Francisco Sports Cars. Bought in 2011 by Christensen (4sure Fchat), SF, CA. Previously owned by ricajohn412 (Fchat), bought in 2006 (CA). Flickr, 2012 Ferrari Racing Days at Leguna Seca. Ebay, 15 Mar 2020, 30,220m, Nickolas Christensen, also selling 40065. Hemmings, 31 Oct 2020. 30,258 m, San Francisco Sports Cars, San Carlos, California 94070, USD 139,995. Facebook, 22 Sep 2021, recently bought by Rob Ward, in the US. My Edit: it was this car: https://www.sanfranciscosportscars.com/used-vehicle-1986-ferrari-412-c-957/
Actually 34,700 miles, now that I looked. Which is 4500 more than when I bought it less than 2 years ago. Adjusted for time it, or I, was out of use, that's about 3500 miles/year. You all probably think I'm nuts to drive it that much, but life's too short not to. I once bought a 3 year old DB9 and put 18,000 miles on it in 18 months. Sold it back to the dealer for $18k less than I bought it for, and IMO every penny of that $18k was well spent.
Good day Rob, There is another thread with some info on your car and can be found here: https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/1986-ferrari-412i-gt-chassis-60359.623795/ There may be more info/threads on your car (or other cars) by using the chassis number as a search term. That said, your car looks fantastic and I wish for your to enjoy many miles with smiles! Cheers, Sam
Different car then. At the time I was at one of the Bay Area dealers and we imported lots of 400s and several 412s. One of them looked like yours.
For the sake of keeping track of values/prices, as stated in the history above the car was first listed at San Francisco Sports Cars at $139k. They acknowledged this was too high and had asked the owner to lower it. Next time I went in there it was $109k, and I bought it for $96k. Almost immediately it developed a cylinder head gasket issue and while the top of the engine was off we cleaned the valves, installed a high torque starter (wish I hadn't), new front shocks, tie rod ends, whole new fuse board (which fixed a bunch of intermittent electrical issues, such as a dead fuel pump), plugs, tyres, a/c compressor. Mechanically I think it's almost there, only smoking gun is the rear suspension which knocks over bumps but otherwise is functioning. Original paint and interior. And I drive the arse off it!
Any reason to avoid the high torque starter? I have one of these on the shelf ready to install during my very slow restoration.
In the early cars (365,400, 400i, 400i gen2), I would not mind trashing the starter that was still in use in eastern Europe tractors (ISKRA)... The 412 starter is quite specific, more beefy and looks very nice (it's got an engraved prancing horse). This one is definitively a keeper. As far as gearstarter, I like them a lot. The ones made by WOSP do sound slightly better than the FerrariStarter ones, but that's definitively a different sound than stock.
From cold mine starts immediately; when warm it takes perhaps 2 seconds or so, but the point is that it feels like all the various systems involved will take that 2 seconds whatever is trying to get it going, and during that 2 seconds there is a mismatch between the frantic, almost panic stricken starter, desperate to complete its job and the more relaxed engine that will start when it damn well wants to, just a bit later than the starter wants it to. I've had a Jaguar and an Aston V12 and both started in about 1-2 seconds in the same distinctive way, almost like a turbine spooling up to speed rather than exploding instantly into life. (Very pleasing sound, too). This engine, although smaller, seems to want to do the same thing, and perhaps doesn't appreciate the over-enthusiastic young starter shouting at it to do it faster. It's like a GrandFather, comfortable in the life he's led and the speed he's walking, being shouted at by his over-enthusiastic, perhaps obnoxious young Grandson to hurry up. Net/net that frantic 2 seconds of the starter barking at the engine is incongruous, and ironically makes everyone within a 50 yard radius wonder why that Ferrari isn't starting properly. Which, of course, it is. All IMO.
I should add that I honestly don't remember how the original starter behaved/sounded. When I bought I started it perhaps 5 times before I realized it needed a cylinder head gasket, and it was during that work that it was recommended to me that I should change the way starter. Easier with the top off the engine than from underneath. The overall point remains that in many ways it's detrimental to the experience to have a starter that the engine cannot keep up with.
Back on topic: to honour those that have lost, Hillsborough Concours does a "minute of noise" instead of a minute's silence. Basically everyone revs their engine, quite unwisely in many cases.. This video could likely land me in jail and so is not publicly listed, but you all should enjoy it. Sounds great at the back, engine quiet and smooth at the front, and some nice linkage shots. His brother revved the E-Type last time, which is the only reason they weren't fighting over it this time.
Very nice car, congrats. The small tools kit is similar to a 400i series 1 or a 400 carb, it sits inside the interior of the spare wheel (there is a plastic holder as well). The small tools kit in a 412 is normally a roll (sitting in the trunk) and in a 400i series 2 is normally a kidney shape pouch (sitting flat on the outside of the spare wheel).
