Which is the Best Boxer?

I expect you will get votes for each of the Boxer models. Personally, I prefer the carb models, but if possible you should experience both (or all three) and make up your own mind.

The carb cars have more power (Frank will argue with this) and a better sound. They require a bit more maintenance, and are less tolerant of sitting than the injected cars. If the carbs are not right, they can be harder to start and not as user friendly, but if the carbs are in good shape they are very usable.

As for color schemes, again I like the single color, but that's me.

 

More or les what Don said but personally I would go for the 512BB

 

Have you seen this 1984 512iBB. Fuel Injection (S/N 48935). The car was brought into the country privately and legalized for use on U.S. roads. The car traveled 18,000 kilometers (or 11,000 miles) in Europe, and just over 6,000 miles in the United States, for a total of just 17,600 miles. The car is at PhiVille Classis Autos with an asking price of $89,800…It looks real nice.

http://www.philvilleusa.com/text.php?PageName=Inventory

He also has a sweet 1991 348TB with 133 miles! I almost bought the TB a few months ago, but decided on a 1989 328 GTB instead. I also considered the 512….It really does look nice.

 

Ooooooh nooooooooo.....here we go again, lol. I personally would pass on the 365 mainly because it doesnt look a nice as the 512 series. Im not a fan of the pee shooter 365 exhaust, no NACA ducts, lack of a front spoiler but the triple lights are kind of neat. The 365 is also wetsump rather than drysump like all the 512's. I like carbs as well as FI, they both have there pluses, the peak HP numbers are higher on the carb cars but the torque numbers and the rpm at which the engine develops its HP is at a lower rpm range on the injected cars. I would say they are so close togehter in performance and that they are all great cars appealing to slightly different tastes.

Ive always been a fan of the solid colour and when I bought mine, I had reservations about the boxer paint scheme it has, its grown on me and now I prefer it over the solid red.

If you buy any BB, you will fall in love with the flat 12 push and sound. Its awsome!

P.

 

Really considering getting a Boxer. Stupid question though, will a car like the one in the ad linked be able to be titled in California?

I guess the question to Ca. Boxer owners would be are your cars registered and smog certified for California??

 

Rich, Maybe the type of driver your pop is will dictate whether a BB or BBi. I have a BB, and love it, but I don't think it's as smooth a drive as a BBi. The carbs are evidently pretty difficult to set up exactly, and consequently maybe a little harder to start, and not as smooth running at low RPMs. Getting the car smog certed, at least here in CA is more difficult as well. But once warmed up and rolling the carbs offer instant throttle response, and an absolutely glorious sound. In fact, part of the reason for my semi-lousy gas mileage, other than it's a 12 cylinder Ferrari, is that I have a hard time not pushing the throttle just a little harder just to hear the Webers gulping air! To me, the 12 cylinder engine and Webers were just made to go together so I'm happy to put up with it being a little finicky. Maybe your pop wouldn't be.

Martyb,
Buy a CA car if at all possible. Then you'll at least get it smog certed at purchase, have all the CA required equipment on the engine, and the previous smog history. CA cars will have a State of California Bureau of Automotive Repair ( BAR ) sticker on the driver side door jamb.
As I mentioned above, getting a carbed car to pass is difficult, but certainly possible. And certainly worth it!

 

Which is the Best Boxer?

#44815

 

Thanks, So look at a car that was brought into California and had the conversion done here?

Nice picture of your car!

 

Any Boxer is the best.
Seriously though, its probably more important to buy the best example you can find as there is much to do to a car not taken care of. For me the BBi was the only way to go, but thats my choice, I personally prefer the looks over the early car, and being the last of the series they are the most completely developed. Just fit a Bell sports exhaust and the sound is among the most charismatic you will ever hear.
Good luck in your search.
Steve

 

I like all three myself. When searching for a Boxer in late 2002 the only ones I could find in decent shape were BB512is, altough I did test drive 365GT4/BB and BB512 models. I myself like the FI model better because I drive mine more than most Boxer owners do. As far as which one is faster...who cares...they are all plenty fast and no one that buys one is likely to race it anyway. IMHO, the FI model "feels" faster because of the lower gearing and torque comes on at a lower RPM. And with an exotic-toy car, perception is everything IMHO. Ferrari must have thought FI was faster though as when they went racing with the BB512LM, they chose FI rather than carbs; albeit with Lucas rather than Bosch.

 

365 GT4/BB is the best, purest , lightest and most powerful of the 3 BBs.

It also looks the meanest with the six taillight/exhaust tips combo..

 

"Best" is a subjective term like beauty, which is the eye of the beholder. And, the most powerful depends on whether you equate "power" with HP or torque. The 365 model is the lightest though.

 

As were all Boxers in the US.

 

This is my 3rd BBi in the past 15 years.
I am Not Prejudice!
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Those are sexy cars...and I have driven them all...and the 512BBi is by far the easy choice.

Ciao'

Steve
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The carb Boxers are more old school Ferraris from the 50s and 60s. Even with stock exhaust you'll need ear plugs at full throttle at high rpm especially through tunnels or a wall next to you and they make incredible sounds, then they are also docile putting around at low rpm.

 

Martyb, Look for a car that has been in CA at some point. One that has recent smog history here will make things easier.

 

Southern California Boxer Club .
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Hey! We need to get a SoCal Boxer run together.
Who's in?

 

I love the 512, but always worried me about the realibility on them and who would work on it.

 

Oh but Mr Parker! How you've mellowed!
lol

 

No, I still like the BB512i better and out of the three Boxer models I have driven the BB512i "feels" faster as far as acceleration is concerned. And, as I have posted before, with a toy car such as most Boxers, perception is all that counts. After all, who is really going to race their Boxer whether it is a carb or FI model? Even BB512LM owners rarely race their cars, and when they do it is ib a "gentlemen" racing series with no "rubbing" allowed.

 

I am in the market for a BBi because the FI will require less fiddling and I'm willing to give up both the glorious induction noise in motion and the beautiful quartet of triple Webers pipes exposed at rest. Wait, maybe I just changed my mind...

But the truth is the 365 has a much better power/weight ratio than either 512. In fact, the 365 has a better torque/weight ratio than the 360 Modena. I'm talking max torque and not taking into account the shape of the power band, but there's a reason the 365 has a rep for being a quick steed. "Adding lightness" to a car really helps performance and handling.