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Prancing Horse Limousine: 1981 Ferrari 400i

UPDATE 4/13/2022 – With a car like this Ferrari Limo, it’s not something easy to forget and is very recognizable. So, we knew as soon as it showed up here on eBay that it was the same example that we featured back in 2021. What is different this time is who is offering it and where it’s located. It’s now in Fenton, Missouri and the dealer states that it has recently been serviced. Bidding is currently at $18,800 with an unmet reserve. It’s certainly unlike any other limousine on the road, but what do you do with it? A high-strung V12 isn’t exactly the most dependable engine for a limo and it’s long enough that you’re going to need a warehouse or hanger to park it. Thoughts?

FROM 10/27/2021 – This is something you don’t see every day: a 1981 Ferrari 400i, converted into a stretch limousine. While the classic Rolls-Royce or Bentley may be the upper-crust limo of choice, I would absolutely take a V12-powered Ferrari stretch conversion any day of the week over that Grey Poupon nonsense. This 400i likely began its new life as a livery vehicle when values for this model were quite low, and such a conversion seemed like a logical idea. The Ferrari was listed on eBay but seems to be simultaneously listed here on Garage Dream Auctions.

Now, when we think of vintage limo conversions, we often think of poorly-executed hack jobs that otherwise mar what was once a decent luxury or sports car. I’m not sure why this is, as you’d think the owner of such a vehicle or conversion company would be pursuing high-end clientele, who can certainly tell which limos were built on an assembly line and which were conceived in someone’s backyard. This 400i was clearly done by a professional company, as the interior is exceedingly well done and looks downright luxurious, in addition to looking like this 400i stretch rolled off the assembly line in Maranello.

The 400i has been unloved for decades, but that’s slowly starting to change. Credit the exorbitant price seemingly every vintage Ferrari commands and the 400i starts to look downright reasonable. But what about one like this, that’s clearly no longer an original car? Can it still hold its value, or better yet, increase over time? There’s a novelty factor for sure, but the preservation crowd likely won’t find it all that charming. But for the open-minded collector who just wants a car that no one else has, this 400i is a home run.

The interior is a serious high point for this 400i, and gives me confidence the conversion was completed at a high level. Limos don’t hide their secrets well, so if the original builder cheaped out in the conversion, you’d see it in places like the interior where they would just jam any chair they could find inside as opposed to actually building a proper limo interior around the design and style of the original interior. This 400i isn’t for everyone, but I personally love the idea of a vintage sports car limo – just don’t hack up anything too valuable or rare in the process.

Comments

  1. Avatar Euromoto Member

    Yuck.

    Like 17
    • Avatar Solosolo Member

      I love it, although the rear doors don’t appear to quite line up with the bodywork at the top. One mans meat is another mans poison heh?

      Like 6
  2. Avatar PRA4SNW

    Okay, NOW can we say that we’ve seen everything here on Barn Finds?

    Like 22
  3. Avatar DayDreamBeliever

    Why?

    Like 20
    • Avatar Fitz

      Why not?

      Like 0
  4. Avatar A.G.

    This is the only limo I’ve ever seen where the driver’s door were longer than the passenger’s doors.

    Like 6
    • Avatar nlpnt

      And how else would you build a stretch limo starting from a two-door?

      The Hofmeister kink in the rear doors makes me wonder if the doors were taken from something GM, most likely a ’75-79 Nova or a firstgen Cavalier and reskinned and otherwise modified to fit the Ferrari lines.

      Like 7
  5. Avatar Rumpledoorskin

    Finally, a Ferrari that I can take all 6 of my children for a ride in.

    Like 15
  6. Avatar SebastianX1/9

    I’m very surprised the words “Miami” or “Las Vegas” were not anywhere in the ad.

    Like 15
  7. Avatar 86_Vette_Convertible

    As others have said: Why?

    Like 8
  8. Avatar Gary

    Does it come with an unreliable and expensive to fix V12? Maybe, if this had a Chevy 350 in it, then it might be worth it.

    Like 6
    • Avatar Quidditas

      The most reliable of the older Ferraris. Bullet proof motor, Bosch electricals and GM box.

      Easy to maintain.

      Like 6
  9. Avatar Milt

    I suspect every pimp in Vegas is salivating in lustful greed

    Like 8
  10. Avatar Steveo

    Sold for $20k. Sounds like part-out money.

    Like 9
  11. Avatar Chris

    just why !!!!!!

    Like 3
  12. Avatar douglas hunt

    if i could post a meme it would be of eyes burning……….

    Like 1
  13. Avatar Steve Clinton

    Whoever built this should be taken out and shot.

    Like 9
    • Avatar Robert G

      Steve. My thoughts exactly. However did you know that it is not very difficult to restore this to the original configuration?.

      Like 1
      • Avatar jwaltb

        No, and I strongly doubt that!

        Like 0
  14. Avatar Frank

    I’ve driven 400i’s. What a nice touring car comfortable, quiet and fast for the size. Now its a Prancing Tank! Who did this? Enzo is probably rolling around in his grave. Do we have Cruelty to Ferrari website?

    Like 3
    • Avatar douglas hunt

      i too always like the 400 styling [i am a huge fan of the 4 small headlight cars], but far too few manual trans cars, i just never thought a Ferrari V12 should be automatic

      Like 1
  15. Avatar Frank

    Twenty K was a steal!

    Like 2
    • Avatar stu

      “Twenty K was a steal” I think gasoline and a match is what is needed to fix this thing……..

      Like 2
      • Avatar DayDreamBeliever

        That does happen to some cars which are stolen….

        Like 1
  16. Avatar Howie Mueler

    It sold 10 days ago, and that was cheap, there is nothing worse than a cheap Ferrari.

    Like 5
  17. Avatar Steve

    I’ve said it before on this site: just because you can doesn’t mean you should!

    Like 2
  18. Avatar Richard

    Nonsense. But it looks nicely done.

    Like 5
    • Avatar douglas hunt

      yes, all those auction pics do look good, even the undercarriage.
      says done in period so it has been a limo for a long time……..

      Like 0
    • Avatar stu

      Who cares it’s nicely done! Put ones talent into something that really has potential!!!

      Like 2
  19. Avatar Gary

    Just because you can should you?

    Like 1
  20. Avatar Chris Webster

    Convert it back? Parts car makes more sense.

    Like 1
  21. Avatar BQuick Member

    Once again proof that just because you have money and ideas, doesn’t mean you have good taste and common sense.

    Like 1
    • Avatar douglas hunt

      Auction ad says done in period
      Makes ya wonder why as when “in period” this would have been a valuable car???
      I could see it if it was later in its life and a wreck not worth restoring but even then the parts would have been $$$$$ so 🤷‍♂️

      Like 0
      • Avatar SubGothius

        What to do with two totaled 400i’s, one wrecked in front and the other in back, when you’re a Miami drug lord in the ’80s with plenty of cash to l̶a̶u̶n̶d̶e̶r̶ burn…

        Like 0
      • Avatar jwaltb

        So it was a PMS thing?

        Like 1
    • Avatar Bil Hall

      Money, brains and good taste are three things that are very rare combination.

      Like 1
  22. Avatar Cattoo Member

    How hard would it be to undo the conversions and go
    Back to a stock 400i? Seems like it could be a cost effective way to get into a Ferrari.

    Like 2
  23. Avatar scott m

    Kind of scary- why does it have bars on the windows🙀

    Like 0
    • Avatar Howie

      Scott, i hope that is a joke.

      Like 2
      • Avatar scott m

        Oh wait, it’s the fence behind the car 🤭

        Like 0
  24. Avatar That Guy

    Ugh. Parts car.

    Like 0
  25. Avatar cidevco Member

    Something tells me I need this, but I really don’t want to drive it. If only I could grow a mullet and have 2 big hair women in short skirts and heels in the back seat with me. I digress…

    It just says 1980’s and Radwood all over it.

    Like 0
  26. Avatar Frank D Member

    Regardless what we all think, its been taken care of. Ship the thing to Dubai a Sheik will buy it to take it for a ride.

    Like 0
  27. Avatar Graeme T

    Convert it back to original? Who would buy a Ferrari with two halves welded together?

    Like 0
  28. Avatar Gerard Frederick

    I think it´s a gas. Not being a fan of Italian supercars (having owned a Maserati 3500 GT and two Alfas, which makes me sort of a masochist), I like this example of in-your-face excess and damn the purists.

    Like 2
  29. Avatar jwaltb

    What a shame.

    Like 0
  30. Avatar MotorWinder

    I have to buck this trend … Simply Beautiful !!!

    This is not some piece of trash built by uncle john in the back forty, this is a one of a kind classy Limo built by Pininfarina, as listed for the intended purpose of one day event. It would be a fantastic offering along side other stretched vehicle for someones limo biz.

    The use of a Turbo 400 says a lot about GM’s engineering to add a great trany to support the work load! Could you imagine sitting in the back while some races through the gears of a stick with everyone head snapping back & forth ..

    As for the back door, it does look a lil funny as compared to the front, but from inside looks fine with the scaling of the smaller interior.
    Give me the chauffeur’s hat, I’d love to pilot this thing for someones event!

    Like 0
  31. Avatar DeeBee

    Fenton Missouri? That says something when a sucker couldn’t be found for a public atrocity like this in Branson!

    Like 0
  32. Avatar Jasper

    Look a lot like XJ6 rear doors. Another yuck from me! How to ruin a cool car.

    Like 0
  33. Avatar Greg Moore

    It appears to still be available…. Auction closes on Tuesday.

    Like 0
  34. Avatar Danny V. Johnson

    It looks to me like it would not be out of place in the United Arab Emirates.

    Like 0
  35. Avatar t-bone bob

    Located in:
    Fenton, Missouri

    Like 0
  36. Avatar Araknid78

    Ended: Apr 19, 2022 , 12:15PM
    Current bid:US $45,904.00 [ 73 bids ]
    Reserve not met

    Like 1

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