512 OWNERS: Your thoughts BB vs. BBi ???

Considering a 512.... and would appreciate brief input from Fchat community comparing the BB and BBi. Having owned a ´77 308 and ´84 308 QV, I understand the difference in "feel" between the carb and injected V-8´s. I´ve been told that passing a smog test in California with a BB is very difficult, and the FI versions are easier to smog, more reliable but not as thrilling or quick. Thus the tough decision.
I did find that my carbed 308 was as reliable as a chevy once set up properly, and with functioning air pumps would pass the bi-annual smog emissions test. I´ve since owned a 330GT 2+2 and 365 GTC4 with similar reliability.
Looks like the price is a little less for the carb versions but not a huge amount.
Any owners out there care to comment? Thanks in advance.

 

Never tried a bb so cant say. A bbi is relativly easy to tune for smog checks. A bbi also has a wide range of operations depending on how ell the injection is tuned. On a bbi one is essentialy running two six cylider syatems slaved together. It is important to make sure they are balanced not only at idle but at revs, this requires a bit of skill. Also exhaust has a huge effect on performace, the stock systems limiting highe end power. A straight though system even with cats allows you to run leaner for more top end power. Basicaly if you want a bbi to perform especialy in the upper revs it must be tuned, which approaches the complication of c arbs, on the other hans it can idle all doy long and is easily tuned for smog checks. Lastly a bbi is significantly quicker than a 308/328

 

I agree with everything Sean said. I would venture to say that any BBi you test drive will most likely be out of tune and/or the distributor will not be advancing properly - set up correctly these cars are animals, brutally fast, and more than happy to run hard all day long.......the problem is that most people don't know what a properly running bbi feels like, because the large majority are not running right even after a major service.

 

I have a BB, and I love it. I've never driven a BBi so I can't really compare. However, I think if you are used to carb cars (and it sounds like you are) then I wouldn't think twice about it.

If you live in California, then emissions may be a problem. My BB has been tuned in the past to pass Oregon emissions tests, even without cats, so it is possible. California, I'm not so sure. I have seen BBs advertised with California BAR stickers though. If you are in California, then I would try to get one with the sticker already.

 

I test drove all three Boxer models and decided on the BB512i for several reasons, most of which were related to what I wanted to do with the car...which is to DRIVE IT as much as I can. The injected cars I drove all seem to run better than the carbed cars I drove...maybe I just didn't drive a good carb car...but, I drove several carbed and injected cars and the injected ones won out...although the carbed cars did sound better.

 

With the exception of making the distributor work properly the BBi is very much like tuning a 400, or TR and I would rate that to be much easier than a BB. Since you have not filled out your profile I have no idea where you are but smog laws were mentioned. Current California smog laws were just recently changed and I am afraid that it will not look good for carbed BB's in Ca. The comments about exhaust are on the money, that motor is very sensitive to good exhaust. The old Ansa system was very good HP wise and the Tubi seems OK.