The life of one Ferrari: Awesome story!

[fletcher21]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FERRARI- ... 6105102999

THE ONLY FERRARI ALLOWED BY MR. FERRARI TO BE DOCUMENTED DURING CONSTRUCTION.

The last REAL Ferrari. I say real Ferrari because the 512BBi was the first Ferrari super car and last coach built car at Ferrari. Following the end of the 512 production the 328 and Testarossa were built on Fiat installed automated production lines. Seeing all this coming and an end of an era, I wanted to preserve some piece of the original Ferrari. I approached Mr. Ferrari and asked him if I could order one of the last 512BBi’s and document its construction. He said no at first telling me that they had never allowed anyone to do that including the press. I told him that I felt it was important to document all this before it was gone. He understood exactly what I was saying and allowed me to do so as long as I never published anything about it in his lifetime. I never did. Now the time has come to downsize and sell this car. So here is the story. This car has 3,453 original miles. Almost all of them in Europe. The plastic is still covering the door sills. After blasting up the Autobahn from Stuttgart to Brussels without being passed by some German…..well how can you top that in the U.S.???



The big day came in late October of 1983. I showed up at the Scaglietti factory in Modena the day before my car was to be born. All the chassis and bodies were hand built at Scaglietti and then trucked to Maranello for final assembly. Pietro was my Ferrari interface and translator. The employees were told that I was a journalist, but they all knew this was my car. As we walked around to get familiar with the process and get a feel as to how I would capture all this, Pietro said to me….”You know Gary….Ferraris are not all equal…..some are better than others. I tell you this because you have too much passion to be a journalist. This is your car isn’t it?” I said yes…….Then he said ( I wish you could hear it in Italian) ….”A Ferrari is like a woman because it is “the” woman who decides whether you get a good car or not. You see that guy at the number one station? He welds your chassis together and if his girl friend was nice to him last night and his wife didn’t yell at him this morning then his nerves are very calm and you get a good chassis. With a good chassis everything fits and everyone is happy. If he had problems the night before then his nerves are all potso (crazy) and you don’t get such a good Ferrari. The woman controls everything here.” So I told him I understood and then asked him, “Pietro, how do I make sure his nerves are calm tomorrow because my chassis will be the first one?” Pietro repiied, “Noa problem! You give him a bottle of grappa to calm his nerves.” I asked Pietro, “Where can I get a bottle of grappa?” Pietro replied, “I have an extra bottle in my locker and I will get it for you.” And he did. I was introduced to Franco the chassis man and gave him the bottle of grappa and told him it was to calm his nerves tomorrow morning and he smiled and said ciao. Pietro said, “Noa problem!” I stayed at the Fini Hotel down the street from Scagiietti where I always stayed. Best hotel in the world. I was truly and expectant father. The next morning came and I arrived an hour early. Pietro met me and I had the feeling he knew something I didn’t know. All the workers were happy and everyone said Buon Giorgno as I walked toward the first station. Production was set up with a series of stations all requiring the same amount of time to complete the assigned work. At the end of that session a bell would ring and the chassis would be hand pushed on a cart to the next station. As I remember, the time interval was an hour and twelve minutes. As we waited for the starting bell to ring we had already had two espressos and one grappa! The starting bell rang and the workers began loading the chassis jig. Franco was taking his time and his welds were complete perfection. But he was not moving very fast and time was passing. Finally at the hour mark I said to Pietro, “He’s not going to be done in twelve minutes!!!” Pietro just replied, “Don’t-a worry.” The bell rang and all stations moved except my car. Pietro came up to me and explained that each day they are allowed to miss one bell and today they missed the first bell that would give my car twice the amount of time to build as the other cars. It was to be a “good-a” Ferrari. Three days later the car was done and ready for transport. As the car was rolled out to the truck I asked for a group picture with the car and everyone was happy to join in. They were very happy that someone cared enough to document their artistry. As soon as the picture was done they made a presentation to me of one of their blue Ferrari shop coats and declared me to be one of the family. What an honor!



The car was transported to Maranello where it was put into the rotation for paint, interior and final assembly. This could take as long as two weeks just to begin paint because only when all parts were completed including the engine, would the car begin its ten day journey to final assembly. The people at Ferrari suggested that I document the build of the engine the next day and the cutting of the leather for the interior the next day then they would have the Ferrari photographer document the car until it reached final assembly and then I could come back and pick up the story then. I agreed and saw the engine built and dyno tested and the next day the black leather interior for the car was cut and sewn together. With that accomplished I returned home for three weeks until the car was ready for final assembly.



Upon my return I saw the car in color with it’s complete interior installed. I had asked that the aluminum colored cooling fins on the front bonnet and rear bonnet be painted red to match the color of the body. They did this for me. I can still remember my feelings at that moment…..”from a twelve year old who write a letter to Mr. Ferrari to now as I stand at the Ferrari Factory looking at “my” Ferrari being built.” I felt and still do feel like the luckiest guy on this earth.



The chassis was loaded on the final assembly line and began its journey. The engine was dropped in, the suspension added, then came doors and the two bonnets. Finally the wheels were put on and the big moment had arrived….turn the key and start the car. It fired right up and there was a big cheer from all the workers……they knew it was my car. I could feel their pride.



From there the car went to quality control to make certain every detail of the car was correct before it would be taken out on the road for testing. They would take the car into the environment surrounding the factory on Italian roads. Up in the mountains on small curving roads to test handling and brakes and then on the Autostrada to make certain it would achieve top speed. This was a two-day process and the car passed all the tests.



The car came back to the factory for final detailing and then what few people know, it was only declared a Ferrari when the final act of placing the Ferrari emblem was completed.



At this point my wife joined me in Maranello as we would take delivery of the car at the factory and drive it down to Monaco and then up through the Alps to Stuttgart and then up the Autobahn to the Ferrari Dealer in Brussels where the car would be shipped to Michigan.



The big day had arrived and as I signed all the paperwork for delivery I got a message from Mr. Ferrari’s secretary that I should bring the car to the Firanno test track across the road from the factory for a short meeting. When we arrived we were greeted by Ferrari’s Secretary who introduced me to Georgio Enrico, the head test driver for Ferrari. It was suggested that Georgio take me around Firanno at speed since Georgio held the lap record in a Formula 1 car at the test track and then I could take Georgio around the track. All I can say is that is an experience I will never ever forget. And I have it somewhere on video tape.



Then it was back to Mr. Ferrari’s office at the track where we were presented with luggage for the car made from the same hides as the seats, the owner’s manual portfolio also made from the same hides and a Ferrari agenda (date book) with cover made from the same leather as the seats. In the agenda was one of Mr. Ferrari’s famous purple pens. All these leather pieces carried the serial number of the car. Then I was given Mr. Ferrari’s autographed biography in a leather covered binder and the three ear knock-offs for the car that were illegal in the U.S.



We were then ready for our departure to Monaco about 3:00PM. I can’t describe the feeling….just unreal for someone who lived and breathed Ferrari as a kid and then began their business with $500 and achieved a life long dream. Just an experience I can’t begin to explain.



We drove a leisurely 125mph to Monaco and arrive there is anout two and a half hours. We spent the night and next day there before heading for Stuttgart over the Gotthard Pass in Switzerland. I had Felenni’s music from Amercord playing on the radio. The next morning it was the begiinning of a grand day on the Autobahn in Germany. I would drive from South to North…….and never allowed myself to be passed. Oh there were challenges, but never a threat for the twelve cylinder Ferrari engine. We arrived victorious in Brussels at Garage Francochaps where the car was to be shipped to the U.S.



The car had 3,200 miles on it when I dropped it off and today it has a little over 3,400. The car has been impeccably maintained by Skip McCabe in Chicago. Somehow I-75 doesn’t do anything for me. It’s all about world class experiences that I will take with me…..



So why am I selling it? Downsizing. I may not end up selling it because it’s all based on what goes first. I need the space. Recently I sold all my airplanes including a World War II Corsair. I therefore didn’t have a need for my hanger any longer and recently sold that, but the problem is that I have no place to put everything that was in the hanger so it either goes to my office or my home and if it doesn’t fit then it goes to someone else. This includes boats, vehicles, music boxes, scale models, steam engines and much more. www.thegkcollection.com

I have every piece of paper for this car from the original invoice, transit plates, delivery sheets, MSO, and more. Every piece of paper! And the car is 100% original except the air conditioning system was updated to the current system, but this did not change the car. The red louvers on the front and rear bonnet were changes I requested at the factory and done at the factory. Every system works in the car and nothing has been changed or replaced. The car is exactly as it came from the factory including the wheels and tires. No one has messed with this car!



As for this Ferrari……it’s far more than a 512BBi…….and it will go to someone who understands and appreciates that. If you think you are one of those people then call Gary at 248 252 4010 U.S. EST. I CAN SEND YOU AS MANY PICTURES AS YOU WOULD CARE TO LOOK AT. I'm in Michigan. I have the ability to ship it anywhere in the world.