My Story - 46567

The car gets used very often, which is a blessing for me as I get to enjoy it that much more... Since having finished making the car roadworthy several years ago by now, the bumpers had seen signs of use. So, in they went for a re-do and I am incredibly pleased how they came out - damn near perfect! Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Thank you kindly for all the support and genuinely cool comments - that goes to everyone! When I bought this car, this very specific and particular Ferrari, it was a culmination/combination of what I thought, in my mind, was the best of both worlds... Who would have thought that years later, not one but two books would have been published about the true world/life circumstances that are inextricably intertwined about compromises racers and owners in the past alike that sought out a way to continue enjoying these magnificent vehicles once trouble arose with some component or another? These books address how some of the storied and rather historical racing Ferraris, now worth in the 7-8 figures, were once powered by something far removed from Enzo's perception for his machinery.*

I know all too well about 46567's shortcomings, which don't/will never appease everyone - but, I am true car guy through and through, with options and yet, this is one of my favorite cars that I enjoy. So to those in this forum whose opinions would not be flattering to this thread, thank you for your continued restraint and patience. To the others, thank you for accepting and welcoming me for exactly what 46567 is...

*1) https://www.velocetoday.com/bowtie-ferraris-reviewed-by-michael-t-lynch/

*2)https://www.velocetoday.com/remembering-randy-cook/

 

Among the list of things I had Michel look over on 46567 while at the recent stay was the a/c which we knew had a leak, as it would have to be recharged every 3-4 months. Because we suspected it would be a labor intensive job, we had gotten by with refilling it, although I personally cannot drive a car without working a/c, let alone in Florida and a black one at that.

So, first things first - he injected a fluorescent dye into the system which would yield the source(s) of the leak. Well, the pics speak for themselves where deep into the firewall, the OEM compressor valve was leaking, as were some of the hoses and the compressor as well.


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Once he disconnected the expansion valve, I went on the hunt for a replacement one as mine was shot. But, I either could not find it, or was it too prohibitively pricey and/or I had undermined Michel's MacGyver skills!

You can see where the valve had been in the same spot for all 35+ years and all the dye around it. Once he disassembled it, Michel opted to fabricate a new replacement gasket after cleaning everything off. He cut out the new pieces for both ends and put it back together. New hose clamps were fabricated to ensure no more leaks and then pressure tested as well. Suffice it to say that the a/c blows so dang cold now in the lowest setting, that I either am driving with only the rear a/c on or windows down - for the record, this also happens to be coolest time of the year in Florida as well. But, I am glad that the time was finally made to sort out the issue. Because of the hybrid power plant on the car, I opted not to show the leaking compressor along with a shiny new one that works better than excellent...

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My car gets used, and often! However, everything that I normally drive it to around my neck of the woods is situated 10-20 minutes away from where I live. Below are pictures depicting the recent condition of the bolts on the 2 piece custom wheels made by Image Wheels UK -https://www.imagewheels.co.uk. for me that were originally built in 2013 shortly after I bought my car.

Inasmuch as I have been so pleased about the fit, finish, and aesthetics of the wheels, which in my opinion help define the character of 46567, I could not help but notice how the bolts started to fade out. I could not point my finger as to the culprit, although likely due to not perhaps the best chemicals used by the car wash people (hand wash always) over the years.

Upon my notification to Image, they sent me improved, double plated screws to replace the worn ones at once! Michel once again was called for the tedious work and the efforts were well worth it, as evidenced in the last 2 pics... I highly recommend checking Image Wheels out if you are even considering aftermarket wheels for any of your other cars, as the variety is rather impressive!

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Man alive... this pandemic has affected all of us in more ways we could have ever imagined, eh? I mean, talk about hindsight from only six (6) months ago and how our lives have forever been changed!

So, here are pics of 46567 from an event I attended locally at Palm Beach International Raceway ("PBIR" -http://www.racepbir.com ) at Brian Redman's annual Targa 66 event ( https://www.gorace.com ) from when the world had not gone to s**t just a few months ago! Its been the same racetrack where Cavallino has hosted track day every year it has taken place. The staff at the racetrack must have assumed I was either a racer or affiliated with a team when I pulled up, as they never asked me for identification or anything, so I drove past the regular parking and into the pits.

In all honesty, its the highlight of the year for me as I am immersed in old machinery, mostly from overseas and those who have seen my thread about Ferrari Pics of other cars (https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/ferrari-pics-but-not-necessarily-365-400-412.514429/ ), will have seen some pictures I took from past events. I attend the historics at Daytona and Sebring (and many other events) as well when I can.

So, whereas I mostly take pictures of the race cars and the cool ones that others drove to the event (to be posted at the other thread when time permits), here are some of the old horse looking not too bad... And then, there's a silver version of the Champion of Champions!

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Although we all know our cars were never truly built for speed, in light of the connotation that Ferrari equals sports car to the minds of most, I take pleasure in attending car gatherings of all sorts, shapes, and sizes here in Florida. One of my favorites, which I post pictures of when time permits on another thread, are the events in both Daytona and Sebring hosted by Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR - https://hsrrace.com ) every year. The quality and amount of machinery varies from year-to year, but I just relish the sights, sounds, and smell of racing cars from my youth (God... I sound old???).

Anyhow, it is always incredibly satisfying to go on road trips lasting more than 1-2 hours vs. the usual drive around town... Here are pics of 46567 where I found a 'covered' spot, and then... some other pics towards the end of the day in pretty darn good company

I believe the BB 512 Boxer was there with some group of enthusiasts but they had parked so far away from the infield/pits that I only managed to drive by that area as I was leaving. And, no one was there then either - oh well. Cool pics no doubt and I will post additional pics of the race cars on my other thread one of these days.

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I have to admit that I have learned a considerable amount of information on these cars since I first bought mine in 2013 and through the years it took me in restoring it. There have been several issues since that I have rectified, including the cavallino cloisson next to the taillights. An issue which has been on the back of my mind for a long time, but simply had not gotten around to it, was the painting of the front hood grill incorrectly to silver (Gen I 400's vs. body color on Gen II).

46567 developed an inconsistent brake pedal feel, which scared the wits off me and made me park it for a handful of months until Michel had the time to take the car in. His business has taken off doing paint and body work (mostly, although he is capable of pretty much doing anything) for some of the premier new/exotic/collector car dealerships in the Broward/Dade county area, so it took a while to get it to him. Thankfully, Michel replaced the brake lines where one had a small puncture but only after we ordered a replacement master cylinder unnecessarily. Gary/Part Time has since bought it from me as T Rutlands does not accept parts that have been installed, irrespective of mine having been on my car for less than 1 hour.

So... while the car "was in there" kind of a thing, I finally had the front hood grill painted satin black to make the car look more in line with other Gen II. versions. The pics below show the car being transported to Michel's as well as how the car looks now No pics were sent to me illustrating the entire brake line replacement job, but that's okay - they have been done and ought to last for a very long time! The car runs, looks, and brakes as it should so I am getting back to enjoying it now when the weather here in SoFla isn't horrible.

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Hey Jim! Thank you for the seal of approval - did not know why I had not done that yearsss ago, but I think it looks better now!

As to your inquiry about the brake lines, Michel just informed me that he did a custom job, running them along the lines of the chassis, and he already had the tools to flare them, so he painstakingly recreated them to better than new.

On another note, given the time of the year, I wanted to let everyone know how I am thankful and appreciative to be part of one of the finest, most supportive, and knowledgeable boards around! Hope everyone is getting to enjoy their ride and take it easy at some point!

 

So... about 8 years ago when I bought 46567, I genuinely thought I was over my head with taking on a car which had a lot of needs under my vision/expectations/perspective, and was not meant to resell it down the road. I sincerely respect the fact that everyone here in this forum has saved their true personal opinions of what was done to the car prior to my purchase after all this time - its very, very much appreciated.

The pictures posted in the beginning of this thread document its tired state, which eventually changed over time. Below are never before seen pics of several items I took off the car when listed them for sale on eBay (all sold) including: turn signal lenses - I was very fortunate that the car came with a brand new set; a set of rear tail lights; side mirrors; rear seatbelts, etc. The lack of adequate retractability for the rear seatbelts from the factory, in my mind, left quite a bit to desire aesthetically so I implemented one of many changes to the car when I opted to have Michel install retractable ones. I am very pleased with the results. I also had the rear seat armrest shaved completely down so that I could have more use of the back seat for passenger room. I have zero regrets over these changes...

After the fact, I then learned on this forum that although I had bought brand new set of rear tail lights to replace the very tired looking ones, the ones I bought were not specific to our cars because the chrome ring were missing from them. If I had known that then, I would have searched for those, but I am not losing sleep over my beautiful replacement tail light$ either.

However, one thing that has bothered me after all this time are the side view mirrors! You will see below that the car came with mismatched mirrors (is that remotely possible - my 500E came that way) as it appears that a previous owner replaced one of them? Either way, with new paint, wheels, lenses, etc. it made no sense for me to reuse old, mismatching mirrors. So, I purchased Vitaloni Baby Turbo ones believing it was a direct replacement. Alas - these are not replacement and are smaller than the ones that came from the factory. It has always been a thorn in my spine after all these years and have had my eyes out on getting them replaced. But, I need your help as I don't know whether there is a item number from Vitaloni that can be used to ensure that the replacement ones I am now seeking are the right size? Whether the mirrors have the small Ferrari badge or not is insignificant to me. Over the years, I have noticed that Countach's have had both Tornado and Baby Turbo-esque mirrors, so I have seen these on eBay which were sold a while ago:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/FERRARI-512-SIDE-MIRROR-REAR-VIEW-MIRROR-LH-RH-VITALONI-II-39077-FIAT-NOS-OEM-/114399986241?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&nma=true&si=goX4bDLDoqnp5N4alvn%2B5xPTvYk%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc


https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lamborghini-Countach-mirrors-pair-left-and-right-Vitaloni-/224257443677?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&nma=true&si=goX4bDLDoqnp5N4alvn%2B5xPTvYk%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc


I am hesitant on pulling the trigger on what will likely be a used part which may or may not accept returns from overseas. The mirrors that my car has are okay and in great condition, but look more in place on a smaller vehicle - we are literally talking about less than 2 inch diameter all around between what I have and what I am seeking. I need your input to tell me whether this link below, which are meant for a Countach, would be suitable for our cars? Let me know and I appreciate it.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lamborghini-Countach-mirrors-pair-left-and-right-Vitaloni/224354186189

PS - the listing has one mirror casing missing its actual mirror - is it unlikely that a mirror out of my current ones would fit? Its the housing that is bigger on these than the ones I have, or would that also be true of the dimensions of the actual mirror itself?

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So the other day when I went to pick up my son from his mother's house, I noticed he had been riding around his little scooter just prior to me arriving. Upon closer inspection of it, I then saw the logos... I sure didn't have a Ferrari scooter when I was his age! So, I was kinda taken aback that his mother had gotten him one since she and I don't always see eye to eye but alas, one of the unspoken perks in owning these cars is the incredible amount and variety of Ferrari merchandise, eh?

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So... time flies by sometimes even though we don't even know it, or fail to realize it? With a new business, family commitments, rest somewhere in between - weeks and even months go by before some of us (or just me?) realize that time stops for no one?

Below are some pics from an event down the street at Mar a Lago held a handful of months ago, where a certain former president lives and happened to be attending. This was a car event - not a political one, and no need to discuss same in this thread or forum.

At some point, I will post pics of the many other wonderful cars participating on another thread but for now, sharing with you that 46567 cleans up kinda okay every now and then... I genuinely hope everyone is taking their cars out often for a spin and can enjoy this long holiday weekend

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The purpose behind giving 46567 a new lifeline over the years was never meant for any monetary purpose, nor has it been for all the other cars I have transformed/rehabbed/restored/modified…

We all dance to the beat of our own drums and for some inexplicable reason, I was just drawn to this car from the first time I saw it for sale on eBay in 2009. When I had nothing in my bank account, despite being a professional for close to 10 years, it gave me something to strive for (bought my first 911 turbo the following year, however). I couldn't even borrow the money to buy it, and it was ugly then!

Thank you for the kind words - I previously posted Michel’s email so that anyone can reach out to him directly if they ever wanted him to help you with your cars. I have a queue at the moment where all of mine need his touch, but… he’s very busy these days. Anyone can pm me and I’ll happily provide you with his contact info.

Merry Christmas to all and stay safe!

 

Open Letter to Sean -

Wow… of the hundreds of posts in this thread, I had never heard from you at all once since August 2013. However, your words hit close to the heart and I get chills just reading your message. How can I possibly respond?

Speaking from personal experience, I know truly well what it is to find oneself in an island of “one” when others’ opinions have a way to affect us more than what we’d care to admit. At all times that I have maintained this thread, I have not hidden anything, made excuses, or felt awkward as to why I chose the direction I went with.

But, as a true testament to everyone, and I mean absolutely EVERYONE in F-Chat, this thread has been spared of prejudices and shi**y comments about what they possibly/likely feel about 46567. After all, this is a very polarizing car, and a very unusual undertaking. However, my purpose behind the thread was always to share my own personal story and journey, without making any excuses. I know I’ve pissed off a lot purists along the way, but… I don’t think any one person’s opinion carries any more weight than anyone else’s… And 46567 was already ‘slightly’ modified when I bought it (just a bit).

Sean - we are certified car guys and I absolutely look forward to each of the many outstanding shows that you have been blessed to have worked on. To think we share a common bond after all this time over a car, is heartwarming - each of us for our own respective reasons.

We all go through ups and downs in life - all in perspective - but the lows keep us fighting to be on the highs. I am proud of what you’ve accomplished and… know you still have much more to accomplish. Inasmuch as 46567 was a dream of yours that transformed itself into a dream of mine - I am positively certain that sometime in the future, you will get another dream you haven’t realized yet, that will make you reach for it through perseverance, hard work, and some luck! That last one may very well be the most common trait all Ferrari owners unequivocally share - and one of the most important…

And, if at 16 you were fortunate enough to achieve such a milestone/important/cool dream of owning a Ferrari (I was 20 when I bought my first Maserati while in college, using it as a daily), then I surmise you will have a few more dreams lined up by the time you are ‘our’ age.

Continue living your dreams, never be afraid of being yourself or make excuses, and hope you can rejoin this forum with a new Cavallino at some point!

PM me - Otto

 

Does lightning ever strike twice at the same place? Well... I guess in my situation, it did

I posted this thread below some 5 years ago where a valet broke the windshield wiper stalk (obvious at the time he did it, only to then deny it a day later):

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/so-this-is-what-happens-you-valet.553608/

A few months ago, I took the wife out for her birthday to the very same restaurant that is located some 8 mins. away from me. The difference is that this time, the teenaged valet could not 'hide' the fact that he broke the damn interior door handle on the driver's side into 2 pieces... And, jammed the door key into the ignition just for good measure

I then tried looking for a replacement - which is as straightforward as finding a needle in a haystack. But, my friend Erwin came to the rescue when he guided me to a pair of Fiat 130 Coupe handles... Although they have a chrome, shiny finish - these appeared as a direct swap/fit replacement. Erwin helped me source a vendor in Italy with the only ones available for sale in the world, apparently - and it was far from a straightforward transaction! When the vendor found out it was not for a Fiat, he essentially only offered 1 of the 2 he had for sale in the listing, which I was fine with as I only needed 1 and could not haggle with someone who had the only ones for sale - but somehow, he let me know he felt responsible serving as a custodian for the few parts available for his beloved Fiats. He also took the better part of 4 weeks to even package the door handle, and then another couple of weeks for the transport of this very necessary piece to arrive stateside. I would seek out an update once a week, but this vendor was too busy or full of himself to bother actually mailing something he had sold (and gotten paid), apparently - and I ran the risk he would actually cancel the transaction - weird people out there, man...

The car's door could not latch at all as a result, which meant that it could be opened with a finger. So, the car remained motionless for a handful of months, regrettably. It was tricking driving it home the night it happened as I literally had to keep my shoulder/elbow out to hold the door onto the car.

The owner of the valet company paid for the part, the labor, and a minor inconvenience fee that I had suggested. He did not make the connection of this car being part of a previous claim with his company in the past... Nonetheless, he genuinely asked me not to have his valet employees drive my car. But, I know this scenario all too well when I ask a valet driver at some posh place for me to park it myself - arrogant little prick valet drivers in Palm Beach, who are used to manhandling new RR's, Bentley's, Porsche's, etc. think that because they drive luxury cars that can essentially drive themselves all the time, can certainly handle an old(er) Ferrari, but that clearly is NOT the case as not all of these drivers have the same background. For, in as many as there are decent/good/responsible valet drivers, then there are those - like the kid barely old enough to shave who drove mine and seriously, how do you break a door handle? - that don't have a clue, and have no business driving anyone's Kia, let alone something that parts are scarce.

Michel these days is a busy fella, and I am so very happy for him. His business is the only shop where a very well known, high end dealer in Broward County, sends all of his business to since Michel is skilled at what does. On any given day, he works on Bugatti's on down... which means that, for me to get him to make 'space' to work on 46567 once more, is not as simple as it used to be - but super proud of this accomplishment for him! So, once at the shop, Michel went on to sand the finish off the replacement door handle, swapped the bad one out, and the car could once more be a "car" - but geez, the whole ordeal left me without possibly using the car for far, far longer than I would have ever imagined! Below are pics of how I found the car at the time the valet driver pulled up with it, the photo of the listing for the Fiat replacement, the broken one, and Michel's handiwork once completed.

All of this really sucked, to be honest. It is a strange world we live in where, through no fault of our own, something bad takes place - again - which results in anticipated (and non-anticipated) complications, to then somehow be made to feel responsible for it, while being deprived of the use and enjoyment of a material thing? I am still trying to figure out the lesson from all of this. But, the car is back alive and kicking, although it apparently is just a parts car since it got driven in the rain this week a couple of times!


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