F40 Historians? Anybody have details on this car? | FerrariChat

F40 Historians? Anybody have details on this car?

Discussion in '288GTO/F40/F50/Enzo/LaFerrari' started by jimpo1, Jan 6, 2004.

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  1. jimpo1

    jimpo1 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    At lunch I went to look at an F40 that the car people in Dallas are calling the "Prototype" F40. It is supposedly the very first F40 made and it is lighter with more hp than a production F40. The car has 156(!)km on it, and I did get the SN of the car, but won't post it here as I don't have permission. The car has hydraulic suspension, and the intake plenums look different than the other F40's I've seen.

    Does anybody know anything about this car? I know Audiguy is familiar with it, but does anyone else have info on it? I'll be happy to share the SN by PM if anyone needs it for research.

    I'm just curious if I've seen something more special than an 'everyday' F40.

    BTW, the same shop had a Saleen S7, what a bad ass car!
     
  2. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Cavallino covered ALL the F40 variants by SN in an issue a while back.

    Do you have that? I don't recall Issue #.
     
  3. amenasce

    amenasce Three Time F1 World Champ
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    The F40 prototype looks different than a euro F40 so it should be easy to spot the differences unless they updated the body ...

    I have a sport auto issue where they tested it around Fiorano back in 1987 ...I ll try to dig it tonight or later this week.
     
  4. SefacHotRodder

    SefacHotRodder F1 World Champ

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    there is a pic of a "pre production" f40 in a book i have. its got a UK plate tho. i'll try to scan it and post it up
     
  5. jhjvdm

    jhjvdm Formula Junior

    May 28, 2003
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    I've got this picture of a proto F40.

    it has a simpler rear window than the production version (smaller louvres)

    it has 5 in stead of 4 louvres behind the rear wheels

    it wears the PROVA License plate



    Joop van der Meer
     
  6. SefacHotRodder

    SefacHotRodder F1 World Champ

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    here is the pic from that book:
     
  7. F1racer

    F1racer F1 Rookie

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    #7 F1racer, Jan 6, 2004
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  8. jimpo1

    jimpo1 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    The car I saw had the sliding perspex windows. I'm not sure about the 4 vs 5 louvers behind the wheels or the size of the vents on the rear window.
     
  9. GrigioGuy

    GrigioGuy Splenda Daddy
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    Here's a pic of the car from the "New Lambo of Dallas" thread in the Texas section. Here you can see the 5 slots and the difference in the rear plexi. Must be the same car.
     
  10. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    Front quarter pic from same thread...
     
  11. SefacHotRodder

    SefacHotRodder F1 World Champ

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    is it me or does the rear spoiler look bigger too?
     
  12. of2worlds

    of2worlds F1 World Champ
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    Were you able to find the back issue of sport auto (AOUT 1987 issue number 307 ?) featured the presentation of the F40 but Jose Rosinski was not allowed to drive the Ferrari. What do you make of the yellow number sticker in the back side window. At various different times the numbers four, six and eight are the only numbers used. Yellow number "four" is seen in October 1987. Yellow number "six" is seen in May 1988 and again in October 1988.
    ch
     
  13. SefacHotRodder

    SefacHotRodder F1 World Champ

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    that number tells you the prototype number. If you saw different numbers, they are different cars
     
  14. GTE

    GTE F1 World Champ

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    I´ve seen the yellow number six in a french magazine. The louvres in the rearwindow give away that it is a prototype. It´s actually the model where the 1:18 Bburago is based upon.
     
  15. of2worlds

    of2worlds F1 World Champ
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    I wonder why numbers one, two, three, five and seven have never been noted? It seems more likely that this was a way to keep track of cars that journalists and customers got to drive.
    In one of the articles describing the production line of the F40 they show a picture of two rear clips in the prototype 5 vent style stacked next to two front clips. This was long after the prototype models were built. Does anyone know if the finished F40 used for the Pininfarina wind tunnel work was 73015 or just a styling model? It seems to look like a real car...
    ch
     
  16. SefacHotRodder

    SefacHotRodder F1 World Champ

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    the number prototype thing is according to Keith Bluemel.

    Keith Bluemel's "The Complete Ferrari" has pictures of a red F40 with the #11 on it and in the captions is refured to multiple times as "factory prototype number 11"

    It also states that a red F40 with the plate "E274 BGT" (UK) is a 1988 pre-production prototype. This car has no number on it.
     
  17. of2worlds

    of2worlds F1 World Champ
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    OK, thanks for the the details. Back to the stacks...
    ch
     
  18. of2worlds

    of2worlds F1 World Champ
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    A friend was also curious about the yellow number in the side window of the F40. Some time ago Ferrari Spa confirmed to him that it meant the prototype number. Chris is correct! Thank you.
    ch
     
  19. SefacHotRodder

    SefacHotRodder F1 World Champ

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    No problem. Just helping out.
     
  20. jimpo1

    jimpo1 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    I had to pull my old Ferrari posters out of a closet last week, following a water leak that drenched the carpet where they were stored. They all survived the encounter fortunately. It just so happened that while they were still outside, some of the local Ferraristi came to my house for dinner. While I was cooking the steaks, we looked through the posters and discovered that the F40 Pirelli poster I have, actually has a picture of one of the prototype F40's in it, not the production F40. The difference was the 5 vertical slots behind the rear wheels in the poster car, vs the 4 slots in the production car. I have a prototype poster! :D
     
  21. of2worlds

    of2worlds F1 World Champ
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    The Ferrari 8 panel factory issued poster also features the prototype with 5 vents in the rear fender. There is a drawing there of the engine and one item differs from even the prototype engines produced. The drawing shows the FERRARI name cast across the back of the air injectors rather than the normal position on top at the rear. Any idea when they stopped painting the inside of the driver and passenger doors red?
    ch
     
  22. writerguy

    writerguy F1 Veteran

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    Snoopes are pretty warm on this.... There will be more in the Rossa Section the end of the month or so.
     
  23. writerguy

    writerguy F1 Veteran

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    #23 writerguy, Aug 2, 2004
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  24. jimpo1

    jimpo1 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    ROSSA Section? Why not SILVER?
     
  25. writerguy

    writerguy F1 Veteran

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    I will let Rob make the call just would like it to be a thing for the subscribed
     

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