Joe, the F40 in your picture is the first ever produced or at least one of the very few units that did the Auto Shows in 1987. there is an evidence that proves it and I'm wondering if you know what it is and WHY there is The question is not just for you, is for all the forum: Whoever guesses first (both questions, not just the first, I want to read the WHY too) wins a prize (oh, the prize is no more than an euro 4,00 pizza margherita here in Modena, even to be shared with me, I'm poor…) ciao
Honestly, that was non-sense: the history of the aircraft was as clean as it can be, and completly traçable from A to Z. Built in England, it served in Australia during WWII, so it has actually warytime service to boot; its service days are well known in details. Even if the Merlin engine variant fitted was probably not the one fitted originally to EE606, it was nevertheless correct for the type (and anyone having the slightest interest in Spitfires knew that during the eighties, very few flew with their original engine anyway...). Unfortunately for Church, the engine threw a conrod out of the crankcase, and that was it. Now, the question of originality for historic aircraft is very different than what it is for cars. I don't want to derail the thread, but see the recent history of Spitfire XI PL983 for instance. Whether that aircraft can still be considered as original... Rgds
Albert I see five things that would make this likely 73015 Plexi Glass race side windows Yes they were available as an option but not with the unique rear fenders seen here. Unique plexi rear window design with just two rows of louvres Darker than production tint for the front light covers Five vents instead of four in the rear fender Race seat with a unique cloth pattern No outside mirrors installed for driver or passenger F40 decal on the rear spoiler instead of an "F40" stamped in the upper side of the spoiler For the 'why' if it is a lack of mirrors as they are missing on both sides then they were not yet available and were later only installed on JY 21 F40 press car that has no serial number! If that is not the 'why' then we need another hint Albert! For all these questions I have a question to, what happened to F40 73015 here? Was it crashed and then scrapped? Phil Hill went back to visit Enzo Ferrari in 1970. Things were going well until he asked Enzo about the scrap pile at the factory where they threw all the old Ferrari parts. Enzo was unhappy about the question and that ended the discussion...
Another view of 73015 missing the black spoiler lip featured later on the euro version F40. The USA spoiler was much larger by comparison. Curiously the 288 GTO never featured a black front spoiler edge. Image Unavailable, Please Login
That's an huge effort, you did. but you forgot a very easy detail that proves that this (very likely) is the first F40 ever (or one of the car built for the Auto show just after the first car introduced in July 1987). I'm sorry but I don't know the VIN progression numbers of the first cars, nor how many cars were built for shows (hanyone here can help me? I just started to learn something about the early F40) but one great guy told me the criteria to judge at first sight if the car belongs to the very first series built for shows. I'm sure that many here know the VIN numbers of those cars and how many they are as well as Joe and Marcel Massini know without any doubt, but the point is another. Is always useful to share opinions and knowledge, as I just learned from your post several info I didn't know ciao
47649 was sold by the factory ONLY on the 27 March 1990. It originally did NOT have a rear view mirror on the right side. The internal engine number is 00005, the internal gearbox number is 282. It originally had no ac and manual windows. I took this photo in 1987. Marcel Massini Image Unavailable, Please Login
Alberto just look in this section here for F40 Prototypes by Joe Sackey as there is a list of the serial numbers and other details! It should be near the top in this section of the various Ferrari Supercars...
Marcel what did the "MOTOR" name refer to? There is also a Ferrari MOTOR banner across the top of the windshield on 47649 in the other front view picture previously seen here.
did the car had the MO 84... registration plate in this picture, Marcel? No 288 prototype ever had A/C nor power windows ciao
Thank you very muchy: I will try to learn, even if VIN numbers and assembly numbers are the last thing I'm interested into, but it's useful to know them too ciao
MOTOR S.p.A. was the Ferrari dealership of Modena. It disappeared more or less in 2012-13. Now there is Ineco S.p.A. But it also had a BIG part in this car history through the assistance sister Motor S.r.l. (that is still working) ciao (I'm sorry, I'm not Massini)
Thank you Alberto for the details regarding MOTOR S.p.A. and other versions to. Keep WORKING on your book!!! Not to speak for Marcel but if he says 1987 then it is very likely correct. Also the picture is identified as Imola 1987. Very few F40 cars built in 1987 so another 'factory connection' with a F40 present in this side view GTO picture to.
From personal observation> The off white thick plastic with the Ferrari logo used to protect the seats in the GTO over time acquire the wonderful smell of the leather seats they are protecting! Image Unavailable, Please Login
Absolutely not and you should know the answer already. Plate Modena "MO 846288" was issued on the 27th of March 1990 and not years earlier. Marcel Massini
Did Hollywood Sport Cars have their 288 GTO delivered from the factory with the front bumper painted red or was that done later on?
Thanks for this clarification. See the F40 Prototypes thread I started years ago, I believe I listed 8 chassis numbers, I can't remember if that's all of them but they are somewhere in my database, meanwhile, this is the 288 GTO thread so let's discuss F40s in the relevant thread please. Thank you Marcel.
Thank you for this Marcel. I believe your image shows ZFFPA16B000054215, which, just like 47649, started life as a red GTO as they all did, then, was also re-painted yellow in Italy.
