[Newman]

I have to add to the vent confusion. The 512 has the vent mesh and its painted black prior to being riveted in place. I found loose pieces of this mesh floating around inside the structure that Pino, Pasquale or Guido left behind and it was black. Tough to say if the black strip was added before the mesh was put in but I suspect that to be the case and after body colour was applied of course. On this original paint 365 is the mesh black but just lacking the strip?

[JazzyO]

Interesting, Paul. Can't be any help unfortunately as I've never looked closely at the mesh and I haven't seen that many 365's in person.


Onno

[tazandjan]

Paul- If I am not mistaken, that is the very first 512 you are restoring. It probably has a mix of 4.4 and 5.0 practices. Virtually nobody will be able to tell you that you are wrong whichever way you go.

Was that car used as the model for the sales brochure or was it a later car? Might be some helpful hints there. Had several of those, but sold them in the 90s.

[Neopolitano]

Originally Posted by JazzyO

#19677............................

The car looks fantastic, but I don't like the BBi wheels, they are out of place on a 1976 car (it's not built in 1977 but in fact in 1976).

I'm also quite sure that the nose has been changed to a BBi one, indicated by the short grille (with exposed fog lights) and different spoiler. The nose on the BB before it, 19271, looks quite different and to me that one is original, not this one.


Onno

Classiche certified?

[JazzyO]

Originally Posted by Neopolitano

Classiche certified?

BBi wheels wouldn't matter for certification. It is possible the nose was changed after certification (but not likely), or that Ferrari Classiche overlooked this, but it is also possible that I don't have enough knowledge on those noses. It certainly does look like a BBi nose to me, but to be fair there are some 365 BB's with uncovered foglights as well. It is a bit of a puzzle. Any more experts out there?


Onno

[Neopolitano]

Originally Posted by JazzyO

BBi wheels wouldn't matter for certification. It is possible the nose was changed after certification (but not likely), or that Ferrari Classiche overlooked this, but it is also possible that I don't have enough knowledge on those noses. It certainly does look like a BBi nose to me, but to be fair there are some 365 BB's with uncovered foglights as well. It is a bit of a puzzle. Any more experts out there?


Onno

I don't profess to be an expert......dangerous advisor is more like it. However I think more than a few carbed Boxers were "upgraded" with BBi modifications. Back in the early-mid 80s the BBs in Italy could be taken to a shop and maybe even the factory for the BBi pieces. Easiest was the TRX wheels and tires, followed by the mirrors, short grill with driving lights on each side and lastly the rear valance with fog lights. By doing so you could have an older BB and make it look like a new BBi for a few Lire. My past 21171 77 BB had the TRX, mirrors and rear valance mods done by the previous owner in Italy. Today installing these types of mods would be seriously frowned upon. Incidentally I can tell you with certainty that the driving lights behind the grill on the BB do not work nearly as well as those on the BBi version. This could have facilitated more BBs to have BBi nose looks. The TRX's.......well that was just a bad idea all around.

One day I'll catch up with Dick Fritz and ask him about the long vs short grill in the carb cars. I would guess that there were only long grills. Dick will know as he is a BB expert. His company Amerispec homologated quite a few BBi's to be legal stateside.

[Neopolitano]

I knew I was a dangerous advisor. After proclaiming that the carbed Boxers all had long grills with the driving lights behind I found out that I was wrong. I located an old book on my shelf......"Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer 365 & 512 series" by Mel Nichols. The book was published in 1979 before any BBi's were built. Here are pics showing an early BB with the long grill and a later carb car with a short grill. Shows you how much I know.

[JazzyO]

Yes, I have that book so I was aware of that. I still don't know if any 365's were ever delivered with the short grille. My guess is - not, but who knows? Boxer history seems to have more uncertainties than other Ferraris. I still have not found anyone able to tell me if any 365's were ever delivered WITHOUT the two-tone paint job. The white 365 in Mel's book is one colour but if this was done in the factory is not at all clear.


Onno