Satan's barge - 1983 Ferrari 400i

[Rumdoodle]

Bonefish Blues said:

Does everyone run TRXs?

Well spotted. That blue 400 was the only other car I checked. I think the earlier 365 had the XWX. The TRX is still available and isn't outrageously expensive compared to tyres for modern Ferraris. So, we need to keep buying them and make sure Michelin keep making them. I think, particularly in the States, the temptation is to fit different wheels and buy cheaper tyres. But, given the typical running costs for these cars, why you would try and save a few hundred on a set of tyres is beyond me.

[Rumdoodle]

Doofus said:

Rumdoodle said:

Doofus said:

Does one sphere (or both) have a small leak which releases pressure at rest, but is small enough to be overcome when running?

I think you're right. That's probably where the problem lies. I took this photo next to a first generation car, which may not have exactly the same system, but it's noticeably higher. This was just after switching off the engines.

It may be the photo, but yours already looks a little lop-sided. Down on the left a bit?

It's not the photo. It does "dress" to one side. A suspension overhaul is a matter of when, rather than if.

[Rumdoodle]

bolidemichael said:

A good opportunity to compare and contrast.

Really good! I had to restrain my impulse to photograph everything. There is a lot of info out there, but the chance to actually have a look properly is very rare. And, I suppose, because a lot of these aren't used as much as mine is, one isn't always comparing apples with apples.

[Rumdoodle]

Nothing to report on my car, but here is the latest update on a US shop's restomod, where swapping in an 812 engine is somehow turning out to be one of the less remarkable aspects of the job.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZc1PskpduE&t=...

[Rumdoodle]

Doors and bonnet now open and close as intended. Smarter ventilation switches have been installed, but I'm still searching for a replacement for one of them.

The saggy rear end is due to worn out accumulators which are no longer available, so the solution is to fit Mercedes equivalents. That will be the next job in the near future.

I picked the car up yesterday for the first time in about ten weeks, and was just bowled over by how fabulous it is. The smell and the comfort of the interior, and the epic sound. I think it's running better than ever. Idling nicely, revving cleanly and shifting approximately when it should.

Had a few hours of dry running yesterday and today, and dropped in to the workshop to have a chat with the people who make this all happen.

It's now sitting outside getting a good soaking. I'm going to check out Rustival at the National Motor Museum on Saturday, and will be at the Bicester Scramble in October. And getting as much driving in as possible the rest of the time.

[Rumdoodle]

Beautiful weather today for a nice run to Gaydon for Rustival. Great venue and well organised, and a bit different from the Bicester Scramble. There was, as far as I could see, only one other Ferrari in attendance - a red 550 Maranello belonging to the Youtube Jayemm. But, that has probably had enough exposure, so here's mine.

For some almost extinct cars, pretty much the whole UK contingent must have turned out. There were lots of VW Sciroccos and plenty of old Saabs


That Amazon was gorgeous. More Austin Maxis than I've ever seen in one place. This was mint, and looked original

All manner of brown BL-related beauties




plus this prime specimen of wedge in the museum

Hillman Imp Californian

[Rumdoodle]

French exotica




More wedge


The Germans

[Rumdoodle]

matrignano said:

Does this car ever spend time in SW London?

If not you might have a doppelgänger

It doesn't. There are a few other silver ones on the road in the UK.

[Rumdoodle]

Stand by a for a completely mindblowing......2 door Cavalier with a boot!

Very cool SD1

Nice and niche Italian

This one just had a yellow badge

So, a good little event. I can recommend!

[Rumdoodle]

trevalvole said:

Mr Tidy said:

Just curious, but what qualifies a car for the event?

Even without checking I thought it unlikely that HubNut and co. would be into excluding vehicles and this confirms it: https://www.rustival.co.uk/exhibit/

It was a great mix. If you're looking for rows of 911 GT3s, you would have been disappointed. A highlight of this was the condition of some of the stuff that was everyday forty years ago but now almost extinct. Real museum pieces.

[Rumdoodle]

BFGTA said:

Greatly enjoy reading your journey with the 400i. Would you mind sharing which garage you use to help you maintain it? Obviously they need specialist knowledge but also the ability to be realistic in their scope of work. These are 40 year old cars and the costs can escalate to unrealistic levels very quickly!

Sure. It's Keys Motorsport at Silverstone. Several reasons:
- the car is stored a few miles from Silverstone, so it's easy for them to pick it up and drop it off anytime
- it's a family business that has been going for decades and the guys I deal with are younger than me (I remember the business from when their father ran it), so I'm hoping they'll be able to maintain the car for as long as I need them to
- they have provided excellent advice about how to manage the car's various (minor) issues, and they have been spot on about things that can be lived without compromising my use of the car, while also avoiding labour intensive jobs that are not critical
- they understand how I want to use the car (i.e. a lot, and it's not a trailer queen) and are helping me to do that
- they're really nice people to deal with

I'm fortunate in that I bought a very sound car that hasn't needed much beyond routine servicing and a few tweaks here and there. Even so, I thought it would be a lot more hassle than it has been to get a good workshop to look after it at reasonable cost and as promptly as they do. In the two and a bit years that I've owned it, it's been with them probably half a dozen times. I'm away for a few months at a time, and when I park it up I usually send a little to-do list. They have been brilliant at tackling everything before I return. When I am in the UK, I usually drop in to see them for a quick chat. There'll come a time for an engine-out overhaul and some fairly extensive bodywork, if I keep using it as much as I do. It'll help that they and I know the car well, hopefully minimising the potential for unknown unknowns.

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Doofus said:

Why did I have the impression it was your daily?

It sort of was, in that it was my only car. But, the car is in the UK and I spend most of my time in foreign cities where I don't need a car. But, after a couple of winters where it just wasn't fun using it in grubby weather, I bought a smoker barge as a back up. I still use the 400 for most of my driving in the UK, which means probably around 3-4k miles a year with a Colombo V12. It's bloody brilliant.

[Rumdoodle]

Did over 100 miles in it today in perfect weather, and off to Bicester tomorrow for the Scramble. Was going to take it to Scotland next week, but a change of plan means it'll be Salisbury on Monday and Ludlow on Tuesday, then various other things culminating in the HSCC meeting at Silverstone on Saturday. That'll be playtime over for a couple of months. I may take it out for a few days in December if conditions are suitable. The main issues in winter are the poor ventilation and weak headlights, which just make it a bit tedious. Harry Metcalf's recent video of driving his Lamborghini to Modena highlighted both these issues as he ended up negotiating heavy traffic in the rain in fading light. It's not fun.

[Rumdoodle]

Doofus said:

Do you work abroad, or just do lots of holidays?

Busy, busy. Being a joyless bore, I dread holidays

[Rumdoodle]

Doofus said:

Rumdoodle said:

Doofus said:

Do you work abroad, or just do lots of holidays?

Busy, busy. Being a joyless bore, I dread holidays

When you first bought the car I knew you weren't boring. But I did expect a lack of joy imminently.

It just hasn't transpired that way! Although I shopped quite carefully, these cars are obviously a huge potential liability. I must say that regular use is the best way to keep on top of things. If it's only driven for a couple of hundred miles a year, you never find out what it's like in different conditions or how it handles or what needs doing to it to make it work properly. When something like this does work properly, it's sublime.