Chime in...what do you like best and why the mid-late 80's TR or the 80's injected 512 bbi?
One thing that really bothers me on the BB's I've seen is the big wheelwell gap in the rear. It makes the rearend look lifted or that the wheel/tire combo is too small for the wheelwells. Makes the car look like it needs to be lowered with shorter springs.
I've own both a TR and now a BB512i. The Boxer is much more fun to drive, while the TR had a more modern feel to it. I would not trade my Boxer for another TR.
Yeah they do sound cool don't they! Carbs are really easy too. I've had a 308 carb car. sucking carbs really sound good and are easy to hot rod but in kalifornia we are in a constant battle with the smog guy. In that sence the Injected is a no brainer. I love the way the engine and bonnet open. I also do not like the BB fenderwells. Does anyone have pictures of better wheel tire combos and lowering on the BB? It is also really hard to find a good interior on a BB. It seems that all of them need to be redone. Parker, why would you not trade back for a TR? I would actually like to have both of them but quite frankly it is hard to keep 3 or 4 Ferraris running well. You gotta drive them and I just don't have enough time in the day.
512BB, especially a carb car. The TR has many improvements over the BB, but it feels much bigger and more cumbersome to me. And the sound of the 512BB is fantastic!
Fatbillybob, I don't know where you are in CA., but if you're close to San Diego I have a carbed 79 I'd be happy to give you a test run in. Ferraripete has a injected car as well, and bet he'd do the same. The Ca smog guy is a bit of a bear, but you Can get a carbed car to pass. Koni makes adjustable shocks, as well as others, that can lower the car some, and/or go with different springs. Compomotive makes a nice wheel, F40 sort of style that is very close to the original Boxer look, and can be had in both 17 and 18 inch so you can use a more modern tire. My car has a new interior, and you'd be hard pressed to tell it from original, other than it looks new, and smells new! About 7K for everything. Wheels, tires, shocks, springs, etc to lower it and give it the look you might be looking for will cost about 5K + -. Obviously the mods can be easily reversed if wanted as well. In the mean time you have a Bad A$$ looking car, and Boxers are an Absolute Blast to drive!
Oh quit messing around fat boy , and get the BB. You have been talking about it for a while. Me I would get the 512TR, but like I said you have been droooooing over the 512BB so get it. Only one problem, you are goona have to clean out that mess in your garage. LOL.
compomotive has a lovely wheel for the boxer. w/ the proper offset you can go 11 inches in the rear!! check www.garedcars.com they have the 5 spoke modular on the web site. as a note, they look excellent and do not take indecent liberties from the original other than a polished lip and a modular construction. i will get them firt of next year for my car. i was however wondering if 16 inch in the front and 17 in the rear would be a cool/better look?
You must be careful when putting wider wheels and tires on the rear of a Boxer as the transaxle is the Boxer's weak link.
Ernie you are too finny....Yeah I need to store some of my crap at your house! Hey I'm picking up my tire changer today...more garage crap. JTR, Thanks for the offer. I 'm in Torrance. I have access to both a carb and FI. Damn too many decisions. Thanks for the help guys. Parkerfe, Do you really think the wider tire is a problem? I can't imagine. The car is capable of triple digit speeds and 12 cyl make pretty big torque. Maybe on a race track with grippy slicks but I have never met a street tire with any decent grip but that is just me. Do you know guys who have ripped the tansaxle? Is this problem more on early vs late bb's? I think that since I intend to drive the car don't you guys still think the rule of later in the model year = more refinement and less problems which means BBi over BBcarb? It sure make a huge difference with 308's and 348's unless lots of sorting are done which is extremely rare
I disagree. I owned a TR for several years and put almost 50k miles on it . I test drove several Boxers, including BB512s and 365GT4/BBs but opted to buy my current BB512i. While the carbed Boxer does sound good, the BB512i does too and the benefits of the F1 far outweigh the marginal sound difference between the two. Plus, with the better torque curve, the BB512i feels faster in that it pulls off the line much better up to the speeds you can drive on US roads. The fact that a carbed Boxer may have 3-5 more mph top end is of no value on US roads anyway.
i can attest to franks claim regarding the transaxle ...nearly 20k dollars later, i am back on the road. williamh has done this too on a tr if i recollect. i may be wrong on william's car but the tech that we share has told me that i am not the first guy to have written a check like i did. bigger tires and stickier rubber only compounds the problem. do not romp on the gas in 1st gear and you will not risk damage.
