Classiche program problems and veiws.

Jim,

Have you been allowed direct access to the factory files to help in your restoration? To what level do the files cover the body details and are the clienti service records part of the package?

Jeff

 

They've been very helpful. As we get futher along I'll report but the records and Historical Photo's of 002 are very extensive and I've had all of them for many years.

 

..
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Tom...

Details, please?

Thanks.

Jack.

 

;-) see reflection.........zoom in

It is a Michelotto car

 

Congrats!

 

I still have an unanswered question regarding Classiche and originality; I've asked the same question on the Ferrari website, but it remained un-answered:

With all the issues about originality, how can there be a P5 in their workshop, in a photo in the last yearbook?

 

308 GT/M #003? Why is that only historical significant and not a fully certificated car?

 

no numero interno! (e.g. 575 GTC was built by N-technogoly for Ferrari, but has its own Ferrari s/n, other Michelotto/Drogo cars were first street cars, so if you own #90001 and you want the Ferrari full certification?: restore it to the street F40 it once was!
Same goes for 2819GT: Certificate? 250 SWB original body etc.....but who would do that? So this new 'certificate' creates opportunities to race all these cars in the Ferrari Historic Challenge.

GT/Ms were built by Michelotto with a Michelotto s/n (project 308 prototype / groub b paid with Ferrari money)
This new attestation book is for about 40-50 cars on the planet
So Drogo's, F40 GTE, Some non-factory Daytona Comps but well known when raced, some P cars...

This is the first car, I know which car is second to recieve this new attestation, but can not publish it at the moment.

 

FWIW my opinion is that this is just anther way for Ferrari to make some € along with licensing their name/logo on everything. Making new parts and certifng them isn't far removed
from the shops they prosecuted a few years ago for "new" 250LM's and GTO's

In no secret that FIAT is hurting, they look at the Ferrari marque as a cash cow to be squeezed every which way.

Jeffrey Vogel

 

Good point. What the factory might consider is a Classiche certificate for a select group of "historians" including select restoration shops to fill in the after Factory provenace. just one man's opinion tonascrew

 

If I were having a car restored I'd want classiche to do it to me it just makes sense to have the company that built it originally to restore it many of these guys were with the company when these cars were first built. I imagine it adds great value as well.

 

The 60s era is going on fifty years ago, let alone cars built in the 50s. How long do these guys remain with the same employer before retirement, let alone, how long do they live?!

 

And that is exactly why the whole certification program is wrong in my opinion. Everybody knows waht happened with these cars, the approval and money came from the factory, yet they're "non-original" beacause they were not done in Maranello but at Michelotto... Stupid.

 

+1 nobody of this guys built the '50/'60 cars !

 

Ferrari (and Maserati) often uses the expertise of retired mechanics who still live in the surroundings of Modena. The members of the Club Meccanici Anziani for example. But, yes, they are all 70+ years old now. Nevertheless, I know that several people at classiche were trained by old mechanics who actually built the original cars.

 

Eventually all of this will be settled by the judges. Once a few of these certifications are hauled to Pebble and the pros get through them, we will all learn if the program is for real or just another revenue generation scheme.

 

It is a very difficult matter to certify a car.
Even judges / historians are wrong sometimes......

 

Then they wern't trained very well because they sure are not doing it the same way. The cars I have seen come out would not do well in competition. They are taking too many liberties and are proclaiming it OK because it is "Ferrari" making the changes.

The paint and fit and finish is about up to 60's standards which is to say rather sloppy by 2009 standards but that can be OK depending on your point of view. The interior, hardware, plating and assembly work I have seen was second rate, incorrect in some ways and not up to the standard of period OE work.

 

Rifledriver,

Is it correct that the Classiche folks tend to have a different philosophic approach? I am thinking I read or heard that they are more prone to update a troublesome part rather than stick with the accurate item.

Curious, how is updating to coil valve springs vs. hairspring dealt with for certification and restoration? Since the change is invisible with the cam covers on does this become a point of contention?

Jeff