I'm taking the plunge

HI, my name is Johan and this is my first post. I have read through the thread about toolfan wanting a Ferrari with interest ( I wish he would post photos soon), as I am also ready to buy my first Ferrari (I had a Fiat Dino Spyder that "almost counts) !
I wonder about the 365/512 BB or the Daytona,
Or the 330 GTC or 250 GTE.
Or the 360/355
or a 328/308.
I have researched all these cars and actually bid on the Blk/Red 330GTC that sold in Scottsdale AZ. , but came up short.
2 years I have been looking and I am still this confused ! I wish I would have bought SOMETHING.
I really want a v12 vintage race car like a Daytona Comp conversion, but they are too heavy to be competitive. So I look at the street version and compare to the Boxer.

Question 1.)
What do you guys think of the Boxer and why not tell Toolfan about the Boxer ?

I looked at the GTC and GTE thinking I would have a neat old Ferrari v12 and forget about racing one, but I'm never "there" in time to get the car. For example, I save 80,000 , find the right color, the right condition, but now they are 100,000. Save 20,000 more, but now only can find wrong color.

Question 2.)
Anybody know where there is a Silver/Blk or Silver/Dark Red/ or Blk/Blk Blk Red GTC or GTE ?

I think the 355/360 would be too hard to maintain ( I do my own work). I would want Titanium Bordeux or Blk/Blk in either, but not sure which model ( I will search the sight and do some research).

The 308/328's are great cars, but at this point, look how far away I've gotten from my original object of desire, a v12 vintage racer

Question 3.)
Anybody know of a Daytona Comp Conversion or a 512s replica ? I have found 250lm replica and 330 p3/4 replica, but neither would be competitive in it's class in my opinion.

Thanks for any opinions, and I love the website. I'm going to spend the next day or two reading previous threads.
regards,
Johan

 

One of the cars you didn't mention was the 330 GT 2+2.

It's got a classic 300 bhp Columbo V-12, so it really drives and sounds like a Ferrari. It's relatively simple, too, with 3 downdraght cars and only one cam per cylinder bank, along with good old points distributors.

--Matt
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I think I need a vintage racer first and then get a street car.

Thanks for reminding me of the 330 gt2+2. I drove one one time and it was my first drive in a Ferrari. I loved it, but the gear shift ball came off in my hand and I felt really bad about that, because I actually broke the ball ( I guess I broke someones previous glue repair).

 

Matt, that is a BEAUTIFUL car. Really looks great ! Is the interior original ? Looks to be in great condition. The one I drove was Burgandy with 4 headlights and the old original interior had a great old sportscar smell to it.
Johan

 

A year or so from now I want to buy a vintage Ferrari myself. I'm looking at a dino, but the one smiles posted pics of is real nice aswell.

What I did when choosing mine was just make a list of the ones I really liked and tried to go out and test drive them and get infomation on them. I picked the 99 modena because it was my second pick (Maranello being my first) and it was in my price range.

 

I think you need to decide what you want from the car.

For a car to just drive and put miles on thats cheap for a Ferrari to maintain and parts are plentiful new and used its hard to beat a 328, thats why I am keeping mine.

The Boxer is more of an event when you drive it, it gets much more attention than the 328.The interiors are more comfortable especially the seats and have more room. Nothing I have driven ever compares to one, this includes new and old performance/exotic cars, they have a very razor edged late 60s race car feel to them, my car is carbed so its very noisy also but in a radical way, everyone can hear you comming which adds to the attention factor as well, I am bringing up this as to me as the attention is a little too much for my preference as I'd rather drive in peace.

Some parts are also extremely expensive or unavailable for the Boxer, its also a car I would not leave alone parked unless a very secure place, the aluminum panels are very soft and can dent easily from someone leaning against it, all this combined makes a car more for special occasion drives which is why many Boxers have very low miles on them.

Concerning driving experience I much prefer a mid 12 cyl engine car to a front, not only do you have a different driving experience as the sound is coming right behind you, they also give a perfect view of the road rushing at you magnified as you are very low, the steering is very light and responsive, the balance and driving dynamics of the car are perfect IMO with a mid engine car also.

 

Thanks,
I did not know that 512 BB was available w/ carbs. Cool .
When I had (or wife had) a baby, I drove 2 1/2 hours to hospital in a borrowed Ferrari 328. It was all highway and I beat the birth by 19 minutes. I almost wanted to keep going ! Great driving car. A 328 and a 512 together are about the same money as a Daytona, so we are getting somewhere.
OK, so now I want a carbed BLK/BLK 512 and I'll just do an occasional track day with it.
What parts are hard to find ?
is the body aluminum ?
thanks again,
Johan

 

I have owned three of your choices, a 328GTS, a 330GTC and currently own a BB512i. Out of those three, the Boxer is the best looking and the most fun to drive. However, the 330GTC is the most likely to appreciate in value over the next few years if that is a major consideration. As a first Ferrari I would stay away from the 8s as the 12s will give you a more enriching Ferrari experience, more performance and MUCH better sound IMHO. I have also owned a 400GT, a TR and a 348 of which the TR was the most fun. Still, out of the 6 Ferraris I have owned, I like the Boxer most. And, contrary to what some may think, they are OK to drive as much as you want. In fact, mine just drives better every time I drive it. And I have not founds parts hard to find, although you may have to look around some first. www.owners.ferrari.com a/k/a Ferrari UK seems to have anything you need.

 

Certain parts such as a grill badge were unavailable anywhere, I had to get a repo that had 2 mounting screws instead of 3, the big orange turn signal lenses are getting hard to find and so forth, if you dig deep enough I am sure you could find some of the parts or at worst have them made but its not as easy as calling a supplier for a 328 part which they will have 99% of the time.

On the Boxer the front hood and rear clamshell are aluminum, bumpers fibreglass, the main cabin is galvanized steel which was the first car that had this for Ferrari so rust is rarely an issue as opposed to older steel fendered/body cars.

The Boxers series began with the 365GT4/BB which was 4/ 3 barrel Webers then the carbed 512BB in '76 to begining of '82 then the BBi injected to '84.

The carbed 512BB had total production of 929 units, around 10 a month for 6 years then the BBi over a 1000 units in 3 years.

 

Sort of true, but I'm trying to eliminate cars that I would not be happy with. Looking back to my original post, The main point is that there is not one (1) car that will meet all my needs. The Boxer seems to come closest. Benton Bryan in Tennessee just sold (last year) a 512s replica that was strictly a race car that I would have bought if I had seen it before it was sold. Some of these cars are going up in value and waiting months can get expensive. If i had bought the 330GTC that I looked at in September for $99500, and passed on because I thought he was asking too much, I could trade it today for a Boxer easy and have money left over. I think Boxers are undervalued. Looking back to my original post, the first car I asked about was the Boxer. The newer cars are eliminated because I can't diognose computer controlled cars. So it boils down to older front engine street cars or a boxer or a 328. The boxer is the closest thing to my 512s fantasy. You can't blame me for wanting to race a v-12 Ferrari, can you ?

Anybody driven a boxer on a track ? probably not that fast but I bet they sound GREAT.

 

Thanks for the help Jeff, and out of the 929 cars with carbs maybe there is a nice one coming for sale soon. in the meantime I will have to be satisfied with what I have.

 

atheyg, it is my understanding that the BB512 and BB512i were made around the same number of years. 1976-1980(5 years) for the BB512 and 1981-1984(4 years) for the BB512i. With some 365GT4/BB overlap in 1976 and BB512 overlap in 1981.

 

Thanks Rob. I like your 355 challenge. I bet you know Dana Gribi that races a similar car and runs in my club (HSR).

 

Come on in, the water's lovely.

I think the 512 BB is a bargain at the moment. Mid mounted V12, Carbs, 175mph performance, 5 figure chassis number... It's got everything I want from a Ferrari.

 

Rob, I forgot about her Boxer. I was refering to her 355 challenge car that she runs in HSR. She always has cigarettes in the pits even on Sunday in the rain.
208 GT4, my thoughts exactly. Thanks for the welcome.

 

Your right Frank, I don't know why I was thinking til 82, the BBs were till 1981.