a numptie question

[bordseye]

toying with buying a ferrari v8. on one of the junk TV channels in a program about ferrari I saw that they made the bodies from welded aluminium. Is this the case on all V8? Or is it recent? I am wondering about steel panels / rust etc.

[Johnnyforeigner]

Quite happy to be corrected but I think it was the 360 that was the first all aluminium Ferrari - so it's a relatively recent change.

It might not be as bad as steel but you can still get corrosion, don't assume it'll be corrosion free because there's less steel.
As with any car, get it looked at by someone who's familiar with that model, get it up on a hoist and have a good look around.
You can't put a price on piece of mind.

Happy hunting!

[jayemm89]

Pretty sure Johnny Foreigner is correct - 360 was the first aluminium Ferrari. 355 and 550/575 were definitely Steel. I believe 599 made the switch to ally too?

[Slickhillsy]

100% correct on the 360

[Kyodo]

Following on from the above, the 360 can still suffer minor corrosion and has a few small areas where slight bubbling under the paint may be found. That said, it's a whole different ballgame to wondering whether a steel car has a nightmare rust scenario about to burst through the paint (applies to many cars of course).

[LukeyLikey]

360 was first car to use 'all aluminium' monocoque tub and panels. 355 certainly used a steel sub-frame, from which hung the non-stressed outer panels. Might those panels have been aluminium though?

[348jeff]

The bonnet and rear engine deck on a 348 is aluminium - the rest steel so assume the 355 is built the same way.

[jayemm89]

348jeff said:

The bonnet and rear engine deck on a 348 is aluminium - the rest steel so assume the 355 is built the same way.

355 bonnet and rear engine cover feel light enough to be aluminium. Unfortunately don't have a 355 and magnet handy at the minute