Je ne sais pas si la LM chez MMC est toujours dispo : http://www.mmc-paris.com/uk/race-cars/announcement-ferrari-56/announcement-f40-lm-57.html
f40LM, a wonderful car that really did not win much. VERY difficult to drive. If you must have one you should look for a GTE (last version) 333 simply magical! Last Ferrari Sports Prototype, won 4 World titles, but be careful which one you choose! Risi are the best place to go (Houston) in the USA. There is nothing quite like the F1 V12, but make sure you know it's full history. For either car, check it out through Michelotto - he built both
333SP was designed from the ground-up as a race car and is thus far more maintainable. The parts supply for 333SPs is also better, and you can forget Michelotto for parts support. You'll be lucky if you ever hear back from them. Carbon tub of the 333SP is something to be careful with, though. Damaging a tub will be traumatically expensive. Either is highly desirable. A good friend of mine has both, and, between the 333 and the F40, he's putting in more seat time in the F40. He's actually driving his 962 more than either the 333 or the F40, though! There's several of each model available at the moment, too. Take your pick... CW
Do not mean to be argumentative, but please be careful when you say "maintainable". Parts supply is also not that easy and you need to be sure that you are getting the "right" parts. Michelotto is the only place to go. He designed and built all the cars from chassis 16 through 41. Plus when you need an engine rebuild (every 4,500/5,000kms) he is the onlybperson to go to. You cannot compare the F40 LM and the 333. However, you make a good point about the chassis and a repaired chassis will always be just that. The Risi car (chassis 36, I believe) is a perfect car to buy. One of the better examples. Mine, chassis 40, is the only example in the world that is certified by Ferrari Classiche, and I did 2000kms in it in 2010. It is expensive to run (more so by far than the F40 LM) but as the gentleman making the inquiry lives in France, he should be aware that the best people to run the car are JMB Racing as they won three of the car's four world titles.
While part supplies across the pond may be a different story, over here, there are now even a few enterprising shops manufacturing 333SP parts. Domestically, one can call a few not-so-secret places if parts are necessary for a 333, but I am simply not aware of any parts stores for F40LMs here in the US. In fact, given that the F40LMs never raced here (but for a few, limited events), no parts stores were built-up as no cars were being campaigned. Of the F40LMs that are here, I imagine it was up to each owner how and whether to acquire a spares package. Michelotto *might* have made them available at the time of original purchase, but, today, they've got new cars in development that take precedence. So, if Michelotto will agree to help, when they get around to it may be an entirely other matter. And, Michelotto may be the ONLY source for certain bits. On both cars, I should add. That said, the 333SP was, as indicated, designed to be worked on as a WSC/Prototype car. The F40LM is essentially a converted street car. It therefore is less "maintenance-friendly". Perhaps not to the extent that it's meaningfully different in the context of vintage or historic racing, but, nevertheless, somewhat more difficult, less accessible and more timely to work on. While neither the 333 nor the F40 would be as "maintainable" as, say, an Audi R8 or R10, the 333 would get the nod. From a crew perspective, I'd assume that you'd need at least 3 to start and get either car on-track, so I'm really commenting more on post-track event inspections, tear-downs and re-builds. Regarding engine re-builds, while it's often bandied about that engine rebuilds are to be done at and by Michelotto (at an extraordinary cost, I might add...reportedly in the $100K neighborhood), but that's simply not the case. I can point you to any number of engine builders that are doing re-builds on 333SP motors. Many of the internals are fairly standard parts (if not exactly inexpensive), or can be patterned and fabbed up within a reasonable amount of time and at far less cost. There's no particular "secret" to building a 333 motor (basically, an F50 motor, right?), but I wouldn't take it to my local grease monkey, either. However, from here, shipping a motor to Italy for a re-build is, uh, prohibitive. Interesting that your operating costs are higher than for an F40LM. I'm curious whether that's in parts or labor, because we've experienced different numbers. OTOH, we only have direct experience with the 333 and not the F40LM. My friend, however, believes otherwise. Finally, the carbon tub issue is beginning to be more on people's minds lately. I imagine that's due to a few offs, the resulting damage and the invoices. Many of the ex-LMP cars are turning up in private hands but aren't getting much track time due to the risks and costs. HUGELY expensive. And, just as they are, so, too, are the 333s. My friend's 333 needs a bit of body work (old in-period, race damage), but the composite guy is putting numbers up that are frightening. 7-layer applications. Each has to be laid-up and dried before the next. In the end, any of these cars will cost a pretty penny if they're stuffed in the armco, but I hope you continue to use yours in good health and safe racing. Cheers, CW
