FERRARI 288 GTO

No one has said otherwise.

 

You stated earlier that "the market disagrees with your opinion" (post #13055)

As a representative of the market, i do indeed disagree with your opinion.

 

We all agree that it affects the price. My opinion is that it's ridiculous that it affects the price. The fact that these cars will still sell at a lower price point suggests there are other market participants who are happy, as I would be, to buy at a discount and suffer the shame and disgrace of having to explain to their friends the interesting history of their car's VIN plate. In any event I think I've made the point to death so will leave it at that.

 

Agreed on all points.

In some jurisdictions it is a crime to do what has been done to this car, unless you have reams of documentation to prove that it was done by the legal transportation authority, and then have reams of documentation to show that what was done conformed with required mandates of the time upon point of entry..... I'm not sure most people care to find out what is what, they'll just pass.

As I have said before, any opinion is both welcome & valid, but, we are talking about a fact-based marketplace shaped by previous sales facts.

There are many analogies that can be given, but as someone experienced with multimillion-dollar Ferrari marketplace, and in particular the 288 GTO market, my fact-based thinking is that it isn't ridiculous that the price is affected at all, in fact it makes perfect sense since the actual identity of this iconic Ferrari has been tampered with post-factory.

I should also say again, you are assuming the owner of this car will let it go at a lower price, I'm not aware that it has sold at any discounted price to anyone, so we can't say some people are happy to take advantage of a GTO with an identity crises. As a GTO specialist, I find GTO buyers to be thoughtful and considered, the type that will wait for one that doesn't have it's ID numbers modified.

My opinion is that most people would not find the defacing of the car's VIN number on the frame 'interesting' or cool at all, they'd simply find it to be a shame.

Yet again, if I were advising the owner directly, I'd suggest that he has everything to gain buy sending the car back to the factory for what IMO is a relatively simple fix, surely the Matsuda GTO deserves that, so I believe there is a possible happy ending here.

 

The view from above, spectacular

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

52475.

Marcel Massini

 

Today in Switzerland.

Marcel Massini

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Thank you for sharing.

 

Before you ask.

Marcel Massini

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Fantastic, and thank you.

 

Instagram pic.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

56195.

Marcel Massini

 

All the do-dads are gone now and current owner Miles S has retained only the gold-painted gearbox which was actually done by the factory.

 

Thanks to Miles Sandy, Cavallino Motosport @ Brookvale, Australia

ciao





Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

"From the cradle".
I never tire of this shot.

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

52723.

Marcel Massini

 

For some reason 57713 seems familiar...red inserts on the seats and dash?

 

Gone, replaced years ago. All black now.

Marcel Massini

 

With regards to the overstamped 288, I imagine for a Japanese collector then this would be a prized example, given its a a rare new official import into that country, rather than a later grey import.

Much like only in the USA would a US spec F40 be seen as actually better than a ROW spec car. Outside of that specific market the cache of such is lost and could even be a negative factor.

Horses for courses, some highly charged emotive words being used for something that side by side with another equal example would have no bearing what so ever on the ability or overall condition of the car and would take some serious scrutiny to actually spot. Purely down to bragging rights it seems to make an issue of something that was legally and correctly carried out in period if you wanted to own a new 288 in Japan. The federalisation work carried out on 288s could equally be viewed as similar non Ferrari vandalism!

 

Not really, I have a Japanese client who along with his peers has lamented the automotive vandalism of the XXXX period of new cars, and are very proud that they have managed to bring in used Ferrari Supercars that escaped the tragic scarring of their identities.

 

I will post a link to this page of the thread in the Japanese section and see what they say first hand. How about the drilling of holes into the bodywork of 288s to fit side markers in period for US bound examples, do you refuse to also handle such cars? do owners of such struggle to sell them as a result of similar defacing?

 

The VIN is SACRED ... it is THE single most important identifier of the car. Defacing, or otherwise attempting to modify, hide or eliminate the VIN is in a class by itself ... can't possibly be compared to any other modifications.

 

I'll handle anything my clients want me to handle up to a point, but to answer your question more meaningfully, YES, I have clients who have passed in GTOs with side-markers or in fact any kind of paintwork.

When a guy is spending 2 or 3 million bucks, its his prerogative, and as the cars have gotten more valuable, people are more particular.

That said, IMHO a quick visit to Ferrari Classiche @ Maranello can wash away many sins, and not just with a sprinkling of Holy Water

What part of this can people not seem to understand?

 

Might be worth emphasizing a point i mentioned earlier ...

Anyone honestly considering plunking down a few million for a car ... any car ... will always be concerned about resale (even if it's years down the road). So, while the present buyer may convince him/herself that certain "stories" are no big deal, or might even enhance the appeal to him/her, etc etc ... a wise buyer must also consider the appeal (or lack thereof) to the potential buyer they'll be selling to.

A car that may only appeal to buyers from a certain country, for example, necessarily has a smaller buyer pool ... now, and/or 10 or 20 years from now ... and therefore has a decreased market value today.

 

So absolutely true. Thank you.

Marcel Massini