So this is what happens when a Ferrari gets neglected! What a shame! This 1986 Ferrari 412 is listed for sale here on craigslist in Beverly Hills, California. The seller is only looking for $36,995, which may seem inexpensive for a “rare” Ferrari but let’s chat about that figure further on in the post. Thanks to Ikey H. for submitting this 12-cylinder find!
The seller tells us that they purchased the car to fix it up, but now given a financial crunch need to sell it. We’re told it only needs “a good engine service, exterior paint on some of the panels and a nice detail” to be ready to go. Oh, and a battery, since that is the excuse they give for not having tried to start the car. Seriously? You are willing to purchase an Italian exotic (which by the way, isn’t wearing US license plates) and you can’t spring for a $100 battery to see if it will start? Or, apparently, the time and effort to wash and wax the car before trying to flip it. By the way, I found one reference to a Ferrari engine service costing between $3,000 and $7,000!
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan of the 412i and love the clean, Bitter-esque styling, especially with what appear to be Euro bumpers (warning siren goes off — probably a gray-market car — has it passed smog tests?) But this one worries me a bit.
Interior detail? Okay, if you say so. Either the camera is extremely flattering or the seller has much higher standards than I do. It’s a good thing it does look this nice, though, because NADA says that the average retail price of a 1986 412i in Beverly Hills is only just above the seller’s asking price. That makes me wonder about this car even more!
The 412i was fitted with a 4942 cc V-12 that when new produced 335 horsepower at 6,000 rpm. It also had a maximum speed of 158 miles per hour! That’s pretty darned good performance even today. So what do you think about this Beverly Hills jalopy? Would you give it your time?
Unlike the other Ferrari that was recently discovered on the site this one is a huge gamble. Imagine the amount of money having to “service” the twin Bosch KE jetronic fuel injection systems. Even if you don’t suffer from hemorrhoids this one will leave you bleeding when it’s all said and done!
outstanding comment on rectal injurious nature of this vehicle, lol funny – cheers
Run Forest,run…
Are those valid number plates? They don’t look like anything I’ve seen to date.
Like the car.
Might go 20k…but you’ve got about a 30k minimum spend to get it right.
These were all gray market cars.
I think I recall Car and Driver testing one that had been converted by a company called Amerispec. The thing is that this one doesn’t have any indications that it was ever federalized, and getting a 1986 car SMOGGED in California without documentation of that process plus the ability to pass a SMOG test is only for the politically advantaged. This car may be worth something to someone, even if only as a source of parts. I’m not seeing the asking price in value though.
Supposedly a search of this plate lists the country as a vehicle registration plate of Kyrgyzstan. Where is Kyrgyzstan?
It’s a country north of Afghanistan and is one of the 7 “Stans”. Wouldn’t touch this unless I knew what country it actually came from.
@Billy1, How did you find that? I spent some time looking at a used car site in Kyrgyzstan, but couldn’t find a similar plate there. Starting to wonder if they were just bought from EBay; yet another reason to run away from this car.
And thanks for motivating me to look for used cars there – it was the most fun I’ve had all day.
It’s a Norwegian license plate if I remember correctly
WOW – a cheap Ferrari.
(Could there be anything more expensive than that?)
Only thing more expensive would be a “free” Ferrari
Never officially imported into the US, but money talks, and a few of each generation found their way in.
Just think of what an upgrade this would be in the good ol’ days, with Elly May Clampet in the passenger seat cruising in full Beverly Hillbillies style (the back seat and roof full of wordly belongings!)
I have worked on a few of these and they are not bad. The problem with them is that they are just not that fun to drive, and if you want an Italian limo just get a Qporte.
Best thing for this one is to yank the engine and put it in a P4 replica and drop a SBC in this thing, you already have the GM transmission in it. And no I really wouldn’t do this.
During the last financial crisis I purchased a Gallardo at a fire sale price. I kept it for less than a year and marked that adventure as done. I am admittedly looking for bargains but have yet to find anything really interesting, and this Ferrari is neither a bargain or that interesting
If the notes inthis example are anything to go by these are worth more in parts
https://www.eurospares.co.uk/cars-breaking-for-spares/car/23
Must be parts that can be used on anther model, if that 34K mile cherry wasn’t worth a replaced exhaust system.
“I have not tried to start the car as the battery is missing”
let me translate into mid-80″s Ferrari:
“I tried to start the car two months ago and found out that the engine has a terminal rod issue, so I pulled the battery and put it on Craigslist”
If the car cannot pass the SMOG test in California, you cannot register a vehicle after you are foolish enough to buy it. Just to make sure they get their pound of flesh, the state requires a car of this vintage to pass SMOG before you can transfer it to someone within the state. So unless Uncle Jed can find an out of state buyer, its his to keep.
The owner got a shock when he found out true cost to get it on the road, now trying to pass it on to another unsuspecting dope. I service these at my shop, my advice is buy one that runs great with proper records or you will get shocked too. Its a 20K car and a BIG gable at that.
Knock 30 K off the price, 502 Chevy Ram Jet F.I. , 4 speed Automatic O.D. trans and call it a day. And count your lucky stars you have 7 K in your pocket.
@kralik I just googled the plate number and went to images. A lot of countries have unique license plate patterns. At first I thought it might have been a Swiss license plate.
I would love to own a 488(@$250k), but this car may cost a 1/3 of that to get it to perfection.
@kralik I just googled the plate number and went to images. A lot of countries have unique license plate patterns. At first I thought it might have been a Swiss license plate.
I would love to own a 488(@$250k), but this car may cost a 1/3 of that to get it to perfection.
“That’s pretty darned good performance even today”
Exuse me author but are you in Colorado? My goddamn 2014 impala econobox has the same top speed (and very similar hp). 6.5seconds to sixty on all season econo tires.
Dame goes for pretty much all v6 minivans available today. I.dont see any modern preformance in this ferrari even if.it was new.
Brownie points for.the Bitter reference but butter was actually influenced by an earlier ferrari 365 gt4 2+2 (looks like the 412 but way older)
Also it took 30 seconds on wikipedia to.find out these are all gray market cars in the States (literally the second paragraph on 412 page):
Although the option of an automatic transmission indicates it may have been designed for the American market, no version of these grand tourers was ever officially imported there as Enzo Ferrari believed that constantly evolving environmental and safety regulations of the ’70s and early ’80s meant it wasn’t worth federalizing and then continuously keeping the cars updated to US-spec for the limited market of a top of the line expensive GT. It was decided the company’s 8 cylinder cars would suffice in the US market.[2] Many, however, entered as grey imports.
Pass
Spoiler alert: Every 412 in the USA is a gray-market import.