Age of local vintage ferrari owners

Ah, the force is strong is this one....

Here's the deal. When I was in my 20's I drove new fast cars 'cause that's what I could afford, and that's what I wanted. I'd love to own some of those cars again, 240Z, Z28, 911S, 944, Mustang.....

Just when I was ready to move into vintage cars, I got divorced. That ate my car fund up all to hell.

So, at 47, I bought the Dino. By then I had college covered for the kids, house paid down, etc. I bought my TR6 at about 45, my last 911 at 40.

I still own new fast cars, too.

I have friends with vintage Brit, German and American cars. Some started in their 20's to collect them, some waited.

Truth is, buy what you want to drive, Owning a Ferrari will generate more enjoyment than any other car you own, period. Want a go fast car, really fast? Then new is probably better. What a classic beauty with excellent speed for the period it was built in, then go for the 250. Face it, there's always gonna be something out there that's faster.

Last point. I went to the Reading Concours this year. 18-80 about covers the age bracket. The vintage cars had some young guys there, some old guys too, although except for the 308's I'd say most wer pushing 40.

 

You're not too young, that's ridiculous. If you like the car, then it's your business. The fact that it's vintage is even better.

Nothing saddens me more than seeing all of the younger people at some recent events walk right past a 330 2+2 to check out a 360. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and 360s are awesome... But the old V12s are rarer and rarer.

The new cars are amazing...but carbs and Borranis give me wood!

LS (younger)

 

raise the bar and you won't look back, Buy a 360

 

Do not spend one more minute thinking about this, Who cares what other people think about what you are going to spend YOUR money on and age has nothing to do with buying a Ferrari. Stop asking and start doing. I was 30 when I got my car and I have enjoyed the hell out of it the past 6 years, more than any other street or race car I have owned, it seems to stick around as the other cars come and go. These cars are not about what your head tells you to do, it is all in your heart. Dare to be stupid.


All the best



Chris

 

Oh no!!! This is what I mean...

David, I can help.

LS

 

Go for the old car, dare to be different. I'd love to have room to add an older Ferrari 2+2 (about all I could afford). I have a '73 914 that I love, older cars feel more in tune with the soul of the car maker. I'm in my late 20's also and I'd rather have a classic over a new one anyday.

 

Another benefit of classic cars is that they can be enjoyed more on the road. What I mean is that, to safely (and legally) explore the limits of a modern performance vehicle, like a 360, you need a racetrack. With an old car, the performance limit is much lower and so as a result, its more exciting to drive around on everyday roads. A person doing 60 in an Audi doesnt experience anything, whereas 60 in an MG is an absolute blast.
I am 19 and I have an old 1966 Ford Galaxie 500 muscle car, which is no Ferrari but it is all I can afford. While its a hastle around DC with stickshift and no power anything, even the shortest of trips is exhilerating and is an adventure. Definitely go for the 250GTE. It would be my first choice as an "entry-level" Ferrari. Its definitely cooler than a similarly priced 308 (which is still an awesome car).

 

not sure I agree completely with this statement.... Owning a Ferrari can be an opportunity for financial devastation if you have to get into some of the more costly repairs. They didn't make alot of the 250 GTEs. And even though they are more moderately priced than their race car cousins, the cost of parts and upkeep are very similar. You are talking about a 40 plus year old car. Make sure the car is well sorted. As far as choice, the 2+2s and 2 seaters really compete in different arenas. They are both cool in their own right. As far as cooler than a 308... that's subjective. I like the idea of being able to put real luggage into a Ferrari. Or, actually taking more than one extra person on an outing. I've wanted a 308 for much longer than a 2+2 though so that's what I have. Once you have it, I'm sure you'll have the same kind of feeling the guys with the 360s have about their cars..... afterall, ALL FERRARIS ARE COOL!

 

If you go for the GTE it will definitely show you have knowledge, class, and sophistication. Points made by the othe posters are maybe 50% valid: my 330 2+2 gets as much positive attention from folks in your age group as from those in mine (I'm 55), in fact, at an informal local FCA event here last spring a '67 330 GTC owned by a guy in his 60's took the field as show favorite out of about 40 post-1975 cars and 5 or 6 vintage. At another multi-make event I literally didn't have time to look at the other cars because one person after another--mostly a lot younger than me--wanted to talk about my car. You do need to be very careful when looking for a vintage car, as they can be full of expensive surprises, but they are not prohibitively expensive to maintain once "sorted". Just do your homework and make a deliberate and well planned search. Remember that a run out 308 can be just as much of a financial mess as a similar 250GTE or 330GT, even though the 308 would be generally cheaper to purchase initially. I would also consider a 330 2+2; the price of entry is probably 25% lower on the average than the GTE, which has appreciated considerably over the last couple of years, and it's a rip-snorting V12 classic, with a larger and more powerful engine than the GTE. The 60's 2+2's shouldn't be any harder to maintain than a 308. There is a large enthusiast network--see www.tomyang.net--and reproduction parts, component rebuilding services, and experienced mechanics are surprisingly plentiful. Original parts are available at a price and there are several well known salvage and resale specialists who are reputable. Ebay is also a good source for parts and I have gotten a couple of original parts there for much less than market price.

Have fun looking--I did and I'm having fun owning.

 

Spook64,

I just looked at your profile pic.... very nice!!! It's even the right color A 330 2+2 is very high on my "next acquisition" list!

 

Well, everyone thinks I'm too old to be interested in my EVO.

The only place that age comes into play is more based on experience. The 250 was a heck of a car for its day, but that was a day long ago -- it's a bit of a handful, so you have to take careful stock of your driving "toolkit": If the bulk of your driving experience is in 4cyl FWDs, then you may have a problem adapting to the front V12/rear drive classic layout. If you've grown up with RWD Fiats and Alfas, then it's just a bit of transition, rather than a whole different approach.

But then, if I could adapt to AWD ... (Although it did cost me a set of front tires to get used to the understeer.)

 

barcheta:

I appreciate the compliment! I'm going to take a new car pic for my profile so look again soon. As I was going on about in my previous post, 330 2+2's are currently the most reasonably priced 60's production 2+2. I also consider it the most aesthetically/mechanically balanced design of that group of cars. You will have a good time when you find the right car.