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1982 Ferrari 400i for a Rain Man-Approved $23,995!

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MushyHeirloom
06/05/09

In reply to 1982 Ferrari 400i for a Rain Man-Approved $23,995!
You know, I gotta say, with the automatic and the suspicious -

*looks again at the whole-car shot*

Nice Price.
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P161911 probably shoudn't have
06/05/09

In reply to 1982 Ferrari 400i for a Rain Man-Approved $23,995!
There must be a MAJOR service due at 50k miles. This just seems like a really nice price for a V-12 Ferrari with a known service history.
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akier
06/05/09

In reply to 1982 Ferrari 400i for a Rain Man-Approved $23,995!
425 produced isn't terribly "rare" for a Ferrari.

Repair costs will melt your face off.
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smalleyxb122
06/05/09

In reply to 1982 Ferrari 400i for a Rain Man-Approved $23,995!
There are cheaper ways to get into a V12 backed by a TH400:

If my Jag has taught me anything, the TH400 isn't a great transmission to be behind a (relatively) high revving engine. The shift points on the GM transmission are far too low. A 4500 shift point at WOT wastes the meat of the powerband.

That said, the price is about right for a 400i in that condition. Around $20k is about normal, and they mostly go up from there. I've seen sellers asking nearly $50k for them, and I think the cheapest I've seen a driver was around $18k. I still kick myself over the $6500 salvage 400i that I missed out on a few years ago.

I digress. My vote is nice price. I'd prefer a manual transmission, but a passable "next best" option would be a full manual, reverse pattern valve body in the existing TH400.
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brandegee
06/05/09

In reply to 1982 Ferrari 400i for a Rain Man-Approved $23,995!
The Ferrari for old people and poseurs.

With that budget, what you are looking for this:

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tonyola
06/05/09

@brandegee: A malaise V6 Dino that officially never even carried the Ferrari name? Gawky styling - there is a reason that Bertone never did many Ferraris and this is one of them. This car was something of a flop, and it prompted Ferrari to rush out the much-prettier Pininfarina 308. You can keep this car.
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Bret
06/05/09

@tonyola is not Dino expert: The Dino 308 Gt4 came with... a 3 litre 8 cylinder engine. The 4 carbs make a sweet sound (and smell), and the chunky styling belies the fact that it is a useful 2+2 car. It would be a fun hot-rod project to swap in a later engine or home-brew a Megasquirt injection and twin turbo setup on this one.

If for no other reason than to put the Magnum fans, Miami Vice poseurs and guys with more dollars than sense in their place at the track days. That said, I would de-Scuderia this one and place a Cheese Eating Surrender Monkeys sticker on the fenders.

As to the 400i, Nice Price all day long.
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Uncle Bo
06/05/09

In reply to 1982 Ferrari 400i for a Rain Man-Approved $23,995!
Am I the only person who thinks it does not look good in red?

These cars were not your traditional bling Ferrari's. They were designed for people who wanted a nice Ferrari grand tourer, yet needed something low key due to rising taxes, fuel shortages and increasing attacks on conspicuous consumption, including terrorists targeting the wealthy in Europe. Flash was way out, low key was in. How does a bright red 400i fit into ones low profile personality?

You why these cars had autos? Ferrari thought it would make them more appealing to American buyers. But most of these cars were grey market conversions, so who knows what the deal is with this particular one. At $24k, I'd buy it and drive it into the ground. It'll never be worth much, anyway. Besides, who has money to blow on Ferrari repairs nowadays?
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Six Flags Over Tomsk
06/05/09

@Uncle Bo, piston forger: IIRC, none of the 400/412 family was ever officially sold in the U.S., so they'd all be gray market.

I vote nice price, BTW.
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engineerd
06/05/09

In reply to 1982 Ferrari 400i for a Rain Man-Approved $23,995!
NPOCP seems to be crossing lines with PCH lately.

I'd spend $24k on a bona fide Ferrari. In fact, at that price I'd buy this and use it as my daily driver.

That's right. Every day. Rain or shine. Maybe not so much in the snow, that's what the FJ40 is for.

Nice Price.
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Elhigh
06/05/09

In reply to 1982 Ferrari 400i for a Rain Man-Approved $23,995!
The styling is 80s all the way. The engine is sweet, even if it is on the wrong end. But it's got the wheels, and the beautiful red, and I'd go for it.
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Miscellanea
06/05/09

In reply to 1982 Ferrari 400i for a Rain Man-Approved $23,995!
For this price, it does appear that something's afoul, but if it is indeed a clean car and ad then nice price. It may not be the prettiest or fastest on the block, but it is a nice rare piece of history for less than most new cars.
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OldeEnglishD
06/05/09

In reply to 1982 Ferrari 400i for a Rain Man-Approved $23,995!
For 23K I get a car that no chick will realize is a Ferarri and a 3 speed auto? Crack!
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Novaload
06/05/09

In reply to 1982 Ferrari 400i for a Rain Man-Approved $23,995!
How am they think do dumb I?

$23k for a Ferrari with that Chevy Monza visual aftertaste?

I see by your voting that you fools are rushing in--wait!

Ask yourself: Why is this so cheap? Is this my lucky day? Or am I being scammed?
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pauljones
06/05/09

@Novaload Misses Murilee: There is no such thing as luck. Erego, you are being scammed.
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Ralph Wiley Is Poised
06/05/09

@Novaload Misses Murilee: Other way round, big fella. GM Design copied Pininfarina coupes pretty openly. The Fiat 130 Coupe, Ferrari 400, etc? Check out the 77 Pontiac Catalina, 78 Chevy Malibu, etc
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Novaload
06/05/09

@LucidRalphWiley misses Eldrock Bolton: Tis true, but that doesn't mean GM didn't taint the design such that when I see this, I don't think Ferrari, I think, modded out Monza?
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mechimike
06/05/09

In reply to 1982 Ferrari 400i for a Rain Man-Approved $23,995!
The headlights look to be drawn on the front of the car.

Automagic and 4,000 lbs? Why not just buy an American muscle car? Or, better yet, a Jensen Interceptor. Now _there's_ a touring car!
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.357
06/05/09

In reply to 1982 Ferrari 400i for a Rain Man-Approved $23,995!
While it is an automatic, it's also a nice Ferrari for 23 Grand. Nice Price.
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bdon
06/05/09

In reply to 1982 Ferrari 400i for a Rain Man-Approved $23,995!
my hillbilly mechanical skills say a thm 400 went with real downdraft and they cheated the ferraris prehistoric injection because it had 4 more cylinders..not that injection was a cure for any real car..a weber convert and 4 cam change back to normal 3 degree classic legend supercar delay...Well, I would still go for the 1982 porsche flat6 with AWD instead, for about the same...and its proprietary tranny to match.
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Novaload
06/05/09

@bdon: How dare you inject reasonable mechanical-based arguments into this emotional and fantasy driven (hah! see what I did there?) discussion.

Heart click.
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clinto
06/05/09

In reply to 1982 Ferrari 400i for a Rain Man-Approved $23,995!
ANY sportscar with an automatic is crackpipe territory at any price.*

*unless you have the skills and knowledge to convert it to a stick.
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mechimike
06/05/09

@clinto: T-5 conversion?
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clinto
06/05/09

@mechimike:

Were I going to swap a car like this, I'd want whatever it would have been equipped with originally.

My Satellite will get one of the Tremec conversions if I do a 5 speed.
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scroggzilla raids again
06/05/09

@clinto: A 400i is not a sports car. It was not designed to race. It has back seats. It was designed to carry it's plutocratic owner, and his or her attractive company, quickly and stylishly over great distances to a glamourous location. A 400i is a Gran Tourismo, and slushboxes are OK in a true GT.
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