Advice in buying a collectors low mileage bb512

There are no fan belts on a Boxer...the cooling fans are direct driven by electric motors...I suspect the seller means cam belts...be sure you see the receipt of the cam belt change and confirm that it was done within the last two years...and personally speak with the mechanic that changed them...then,only if that checks out, have a through PPI done by a Ferrari mechanic familar with Boxers...

 

curious what a car like that will command? what is the approximate asking price un $USD?

 

one thing to check that i learned from experience is to check the fuel lines. if the cars has been sitting for a year or more they will probably need replacing.

john

 

With such a minimal level of activity, close attention should be paid to hoses and fuel lines. They can become brittle with age. Low mileage cars like this are sometimes no bargain. I would recommend a full PPI.

 

The answer depends on more info than you have given us......

8000 km is better than 800!!! Last used when?

Driven sometimes or parked for ten years?

Sodium filled valves if original would be my personal concern, replace ASAP as well as the fuel lines already mentioned.....get the car first, but have a Fcar tech go top to bottom before driving.......HTH

Congrats on finding a carbed Boxer, you'll be able to tell propervalue upon seeing condition..........

 

Hey Big Tex, I have a 79 model I bought 7 years ago with 4,000 km. It has been a great car- just had a major service done at James Patterson's shop in Dallas. He didn't say anything about the valves- what is the basis for your recommendation about replacing them?

 

DON'T PANIC!!! LOL!


While looking at the recent 1977 at FoH, they had done a complete top end on it. The salesman mentioned to me a failed valve was the cause..

I have no knowledge if all years or which ones were involved, both my 1977 308GTBs are stock engines and it is a concern of mine as they grow long in tooth....I have disabled air injection as this reduces heat stress I'm told.....

Maybe check back with the shop?? If they were worried I'm sure they would have mentioned it........It would NOT have been in a normal service of a low miles (km) car, for sure!

 

A valve head falling off is always a possibility but with 8000 miles I wouldnt run out and tear the heads off just yet. My car has just over 30K on it and cross my fingers still no problems. You can never predict such a failure so either replace them all now if you cant sleep at night or forget anyone ever mentioned it and you may never face the problem anyway. Myself, Ill be doing them when I do the engine out service because I will update the guides to a more modern material, Ill upgrade the seals and the valves as well so Ill eliminate measurable oil consumption and improve power at the same time.

 

Funny, he forgot to mention that to me when I asked why the valves were replaced. Didnt know if the new valves were sodium filled or not either.

Sodium valves are like little time bombs. This is the second boxer I've heard of with valve failures. Both low millage cars.
I believe its from embrittlement of the metal caused by the heated liquid sodium reacting with the steel material of the hollow valve over time.
If I had the engine out for a belt change I'd change the valves to Stainless. Cut a Titanium one from something else ?

 

I'd be happy to share my 25 thousand dollar story of sodium valve failure with you if you'd like. Spend the cash to have them changed, now. I had one detonate at under 2000 rpm. I went to the Ferrea titanium sodium valves.

DMAX

 

You probably don't know what REALLY happened on Willie's bus either!

Anyway, the sodium tech is still used a lot, IIRC it's OLD sodium valves that start to cause worry, after 30 years....

New stainless or sodium filled titanium sounds good to me........

Did you buy that black/tan car? I would have it looked very nice......I was too late getting over there.....too slow on Cliff's as well! I guess I'll have to keep a suitcase with cash in it, under my seat!

 

There's more than one salesman there, so maybe that's it.....I specifically asked, as they were very upfront they had been into the engine...knowing the techs there I felt that was a plus!

The same guys keep the Enzos and 430GT2s on the road/track.....

 

I have had a boxer for 14 years,

After 10 years you need to replace,

All hoses, brake lines, probably rebuild calipers, new or rebuilt shocks.
If hoses and belts are done on the engine then the only look at injectors clogged, new ones dont cost much. Every 5 years I would go through the distributor, the advance stcks and moisture is a problem. Lastly check the plug wires.

In other words. if perishables are done(hoses,belts,brakes,shocks) and you have good fueling(carbs or injectors redone) and good spark(distributor) then a low mileage boxer will be in good shape and drive properly. If you ingnore fueling, spark or chassis(shocks,Brakes) a boxer will drive far more poorly than another equivalent car similarily kept. Boxers are very sensitive, they either run "right" or are seriously off pace.

If you ignore the rubber bits, maybee it wont stop well or ride will be poor, maybee you will just have a very messy high pressure coolant leak/explosion. If you ignore the belts, then catastrofic engine failure.

By the way belts must include new tensioners/bearings otherwise new belts can fail, and the waterpump should be done at the same time. If these were not done at the time of the belts then I would suggest thst the job was done on the cheap and needs to be redone.

 

Dopplemax,
Where did you get the new valves and what, if I may ask, was the cost of the parts and the cost to have them placed? Thanks.

 

Why do you want a low mileage Boxer? Are you going to just trailer it to FCA concours and then store it? If so, a low mileage example may work for you. But, if you intend on driving it you will be much beter off buying an already sorted Boxer that has been driven 20k kilometers or so. That way you can continue driving and enjoying the car. If you buy a low mileage Boxer and then start driving it you will be losing more money per kilometer than with a 20k klms. example...not counting all the problems(MONEY) that will surface once the thing starts being driven after being dormant for so long...

 

The new valves came from Ferrea. I'll dig up the cost for the valves if I can find it.

DMAX

 

Did you notice an improvement in power with a fresh top end and a better valve than stock?

 

Most likely the same, except w/o that rattling sound and dents in the piston tops........

Man, I bought a low miles car and went 24 hours straight home once...

Admittedly the depreciation on the thing was instantaneous but it was FUN!
FUN don't come for free Frank! LOL!

At least in my case, not recently......

 

This Statement is Heresay...Objection denied!

 

Thanks Dopplemax. I looked on the website for the cost of the valves. They are a thing of beauty, but I couldn't find the prices for a set or for individual ones. Did you buy all solid titanium or did you use the sodium filled ones for the exhaust side to aid in heat dissipation? I may just buy a set and keep them until my next major service which will be a while since the timing belts are being changed now as well as clutch adjustment, fluids and some othe rminor things. Thanks again.

 

I’m sure you’re probably aware, but have them change the belt tensioner bearings as well.
No matter if they look good, bad, or indifferent, change them!
Bad bearings seem to be a major cause of belt failures.
About 15 months ago I drove my BB out of Gary’s shop for the first time, and have thoroughly enjoyed it ever since, and I'm sure you will too.
John

 

Thanks for the info JTR. I will call Gary tomorrow and request that the tensioner bearings be attended to. He does great work as you know and your car runs like a dream when he's finished. I can't wait to drive mine when it's done!.