Black stallion up for bids on BAT

Besides the Blu colors (Le Mans, Swaters) I love the Canna Fucile on this car for $129K. Great color!

 

Cool, I have never seen those sweet silver OE center caps on a non-late build M model.
Like the final version rear ashtrays with the silver metal horse (vs flags). I find the tiny minor build variations interesting. Worth every penny.

 

I don't think BAT is that bad, especially if you know the seller, OR if you have a PPI done (which can be hard to do because of time limitations), or better yet, have a friend look and drive the car that you might be interested in, if you can't personally see the car.

I bought the Rossa Barchetta 456M GT 6-speed on BAT, and I am glad I did. Unlike many other BAT watchers and buyers, I had a longtime friend who owns a 360 (he also owned a FIAT Dino convertible for many years), and still owns 2 1934 Singer Le Mans (with in-period Euro/Brit race history) look at and drive the 456 in Santa Barbara, along with his wife - and that was important because she and my wife are the same size and I wanted to make sure that the clutch wasn't too stiff and that it shifted easily - and she said no problem. My friend's wife drives all of their cars too, just like my wife drives ours. I also arranged for the timing belt service on it too, but I lucked out by getting an "insider's price" on that.

I have looked at and driven many 456s over the years, and I passed on the black on black 456 on BAT that recently sold for $88k (not including the buyer's fee) because despite the engine feeling strong when I drove it on the runways at the Arlington (WA) Airport, and around Arlington on I-5, it threw multiple CELs, two times on one bank and two times on the other, and the interior and exterior were rougher than what I wanted. For example, the driver's side window switch block came out/fell out into my hand with wires attached simply when I gently pulled on the switches. Although it was a little above average, I didn't want to mess with it. And yes, it also needed a new timing belt.

With respect to the 456M GT 6-speed at the RM auction in Monterey this past August, I looked at that one too, and if it had stayed in the $100k to 110k range, I probably would have bought it too. A friend of mine was considering bidding on it so I wouldn't have bid if he had actually bid on it, but the bids climbed very fast. Even though it was it was a one-owner car from Ron Tonkin's personal collection and had just had a full timing belt service by RTGT, it still had issues. The paint was chipped in a few areas (and I didn't particularly like the color anyway), AND every touch point in it was STICKY. It was so sticky that just touching the switches left greasy black smears on my fingers, my wrists, and my sleeves (by just brushing against the contact points). In the end, it cost a lot more than my 456M.