inspecting an f40

tomorrow...
have been reading through the section a bit, but would appreciate somebody giving me the top 5-10 things to look for on a quick look over by myself - i am not a mechanic and not familiar with f40's (yet)
thx

 

Hey Ross, you'll have a good time w it after you change a few things

have a mechanic look at it, inspect the printed circuit board for damage, see if the front a arms were replaced under the recall, I think there was a recall in the US for the seatbelts too

have him check the timing, wastegate, the turbo shield,

The brakes are awful on F40s so see if they have been upgraded

I'm sure there is more stuff to check but that should get you started

 

I would suggest finding an experienced mechanic to check out the car and its service records. There are a few things that come to mind, and I am sure many others will add their useful suggestions, but nothing beats an experienced set of eyes.

That being said, look for patches on the carbon kevlar weave on the front and rear to see if any repairs have been done. Looks at the screws on the fuse panel to see if they are worn or scratched alot suggesting electrical issues. Wear and tear issues on the seats, tires, wheel rash....check the condition of the headliner, it frequently sags.

engine should not blow excessive smoke on idle. Here is where a mechanic will come in very handy to do a complete pdi and review all service records. I would suggest your visit tomorrow be a preliminary one to see if the car is worth getting a proper pdi on.

 

Ross,

Here are some thoughts:

- Tires: I personally find these often tell an F40's story very well. Basic stuff such as even wear across the treads or otherwise speak for itself in terms of how the car has been used. Correct spec tires will be par for the course for any properly maintained car. Original brand Michelins, Pirellis, Bridgestones and Goodyears are what I like to see although better and improved variants of each make are what should be on the car by now. Forget the notion that an F40 should have original-spec Pirelli P Zeroes - you'll want better modern rubber if you do any serious driving. Low-mileage trailer-queens will often have old rubber. The bottom line is, not only will the tires be an indicator of the car's life, but they will likely be an expensive item that you'll be expensing to replace.

- Wheels: Take a good look at the spokes of the Speedline split-rim wheels and if you see crazing or de-lamination you know this car has been parked in the sun for extended periods. Refinishing the F40's wheels to 'as-new' spec can be a challenge, as reported on these forum before. Curb-rash on the lips of the rims can be repaired if it is not too severe.

- Suspension: In the USA the cars were recalled to retrofit the mounting point of the lower wishbone unit on all for. Easy to spot, but I dont know if Euro cars fall under this mandate. I prefer non-adjustable cars (for obvious maintenance reasons) but if it was originally fitted by the works and the seller demonstrates it as a correctly operating item then I guess thats OK. USA cars have their suspension links stencil-marked and its easy to spot genuine original items. In a 200mph Supercar, you'll want to ensure all is in order!

- Brakes: I know many feel the factory items are inadequate so if they have been replaced you'll want to know exactly with what and retrofitted by whom? Personally I like the factory items because they keep me honest (when Im running out of F40 brake I like to tell myself Im proceeding close to my limit!). You simply have to drive the car to assess its brakes. Not your mechanic or inspector, but you yourself.

- Chassis: Look very closely here. Unfortunately, youre at a bit of a disadvantage if this is the first car you're looking at. You'll need a true specialist to spot if the chassis has had repairs, and if that is the case, my humble opinion is that there are too many un-damaged F40s in existence.

- Bodywork: The main issue I find with F40s is that so many have been re-painted, hiding the visible composite weave, and goodness-knows-what-else! Id say you want a specialist who has extensive F40 experience if the car has been re-painted. The ventilated Lexan engine-bay cover is an item that varies in quality from car-to-car and to me is yet another indicator of how well a car has been kept. Although Lexan is literally bullet-proof, its surface is sensitive to scratches. The black ribbon border around the unit also deteriorates if the car has spent extended periods in the sun.

- Engine: At operating temperature, the engine should not blow ANY smoke at idle speeds, both before or after a test run. If it does, your trusted specialist will have to assess exactly why before you consider the car. Its always nice to have the original exhaust unit along with whatever sport exhaust likely adorn the car currently. Personally, the first thing I want to know about ANY F40 is a list of exactly what if anything has been modified, and if the original components survive.

- Interior: I dont know if you prefer you cars original, but a well-preserved interior is a great indicator of whether this F40 has had a life of TLC. Next to the tires, the interior is my gauge of whether a car has had a hard life, irrespective of the mileage. The red seat nomex is scarce, and scratched and scuffed composite panels are not easy to rectify. Headliner adhesive separates from the roof panel, and replaced seats, steering wheels and shift knobs are hopefully still available with the car.

- Electrical: I hear some suggest electrical issues, but simply put, the F40 is as simple as Supercars come in terms of electronics, and there really shouldn't be any issues unless the car had parts of its wiring harness apart. That is the point at which the can of worms has been opened.

- Records: Its looking great is the car is documented from day one. 18-20 years is not yet a lifetime apart and I see no reason why all records should not survive. It would be nice or you be able to review ALL records with your specialist BEFORE you commit.

- Books, tools & ancillaries: Original owner's manual, warranty book, pouch and tools should be available and in place. They were there to begin with, so the car you want will have them. If you're lucky, it may come with a 3-piece set of terribly expensive Schedoni luggage too!

You said up to 10 items so I went one better. Of course, having said all the above, you're probably going to slip behind the wheel, go for one awe-inspiring drive, forget all of the above, turn to the seller with a big grin and say: SOLD!







.

 

All very nicely stated.

First drive

Brakes-Yes they actually work. Since you've never driven one. The first stab at them generally panics the novice. Once warm, they do work...

 

you guys are great ! thanks for all this info.

unfortunately, the car sold 45 min before i got there. i am a bit miffed since i had made the appointment as sson as the dealer had taken the cars in on saturday and called me, then i reconfirmed the appt this morning...but he had told me that others were looking. the guy who bought it came in yesterday to look, then came back at noon today and bought all 3 cars, f40, f50 and enzo, as a package. wrote a check and arranged delivery, all in about 15 minutes. somebody still has money...

 

Bloody dealers!

 

Correct.