1977 Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxer For Sale

A new arrival to Oldtimer Australia is this UK delivered, factory right hand drive 1977 Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxer. One of the 101 RHD cars ever produced.

Documentation on file from the Maranello Concessionaires Archives confirms that this particular car was ordered on the 21st September 1977 (order number 914). It was completed in December 1977 and finished in ‘blu scuro dino’ (20-A-357) with a beige leather interior (VM3218) and ‘bruciato’ carpets.

The car was supplied as a tax-free sale to its first owner, Mr C Van Vuuren from London in the UK and registered as UHX834S in June 1978.

Van Vuuren was planning to emigrate to Australia and there is correspondence on file with Maranello Concessionaires (Australia) Pty Ltd dated 3rd April 1978 discussing what was required to bring his Ferrari to Australia.

The service book confirms the first three services were executed by Maranello Concessionaires in the UK. The last time they serviced the car was on the 21st May 1979.

It is understood that Van Vuuren brought the car to Sydney, Australia late 1979. The next service noted in the service book, executed on 12th March 1980, was performed by K. G. B. Engineering in Wahroonga (Sydney), NSW. This was the 6, 000 miles service, though the exact mileage was not noted at the time. The following service was executed on the 6th October 1980 and at that time the odometer read 9, 408 miles.

By 1995 the car was owned by Ross Pengalo from Sydney, NSW and he had some significant engine work completed by Piccolo Scuderia Pty Ltd in Enmore (Sydney), NSW. Amongst other things, both cylinder heads were removed and reconditioned with new valves, guides and seals, the carburettors were overhauled, the AC compressor, the water pump and the alternator were overhauled, new fuel hoses were installed and a new ANSA exhaust was installed. This work was completed in October 1995 and at that time the odometer read 15, 912 miles.

The previous owner acquired the car from Pengalo in 1999. He continued to further improve his 512BB and had a lot of work done, mostly mechanical, over the years. There are numerous invoices on file detailing all the work done by Piccolo Scuderia and later Racing Red. He was very particular about his car and whenever something needed to be done it was done.
The last cam belt replacement was completed by Racing Red on the 21st August 2019 and at that time the odometer read 34, 848 miles.
The current owner acquired the car in October 2023 after the previous owner had passed away. At that time the odometer read 35, 484 miles.

In his ownership the interior has been freshened up by B. M Leather Creations in Cemorne (Melbourne), Victoria. In addition to cleaning and reconditioning the leather, both seats were refoamed. The wheels were refurbished and new Michelin XWX tyres were fitted.

Today the odometer reads 35, 637 miles, which based on the information in the history file and the service book is most likely genuine.
At some stage in its life this car has undergone a colour change from the original ‘blu scuro dino’ to red. It is not known exactly when this was done. What is known is that it must have been either in Pengalo’s ownership or prior to that. Therefore, the current paint on the car is at least 26 years old. We suspect the paint is most likely 30 something years old and how it presents today is a testament to the quality of the repaint and how the car has been cared for by its previous owners. The red, from say a meter away, presents really well. The paint presents with a nice gloss finish and it has retained a strong depth of colour. There are a few minor defects in the paint consistent with a car that has been used and enjoyed. The most obvious defect is a one inch scratch, which has been touched up, just above the right front indicator. The satin black lower half of the car presents with light gravel rash and stone chips. The front bumper shows wear underneath.

The wheels are in excellent condition with no signs of any kerb rash, though the wheel spinners are starting to show some light wear. The wheels are shod with the period correct Michelin XWX tyres size 215/ 70 VR15 at the front and 225/ 70 VR15 at the rear. These tyres are date stamped 3522 (week 25, 2022) and are in excellent condition. The car has only travelled some 200 miles since they were fitted.

The interior presents really well. The seats are in excellent condition and provide ample support. There are no cracks or tears in the leather. The same can be said for the carpets, the centre console and the headlining. All are in very good condition, consistent with a car which has only travelled c35, 000 miles and has been well cared for. The dashboard generally presents well but upon closer inspection you will notice a few small marks. There is some damage to the top right hand corner of the dashboard. This could easily be repaired by a good leather doctor. All the instruments are crisp and clean. The orange markings are often faded on Boxers, however, on this car, they are vibrant. On our test drive everything looked to be in working order, including the clock! The car is fitted with a factory air conditioning system which works well and blows cold air.

Under the front clip everything is clean and tidy. There is an original spare wheel, shod with the correct Michelin 105 R20 X tyre, which has probably never been used. It still has the correct warning sticker on it. There is also the original Glidden Salchi paint code sticker!
Using a two step process you unlatch the rear clip and then open it up to reveal Ferrari’s majestic 4, 943cc flat 12 engine. The presentation of the engine bay is also clean and tidy.

With a Ferrari 512BB it is all about the drive and when this one arrived at our showroom we couldn’t wait to take it out for a test drive. When you start the car from cold you turn the ignition on then wait patiently for the fuel pumps to fill the carburettors. Then you turn the key further to start the car. This car starts easily, even from cold. Once it fires up you can use the accelerator to warm the engine up and it will then quickly settle into a smooth idle. The combination of the engine and exhaust noise is breath taking.
Out on the road this 512BB is an absolute delight to drive. Having the correct tyres on a vintage Ferrari makes a huge difference to the way the car presents, drives and handles. Fortunately, this car is fitted with the correct Michelin XWX tyres which are relatively new. As a result, it is tight on the road and the ride is surprisingly smooth, which really enhances the driving experience. The engine feels really strong and the car pulls powerfully through the rev range. It just wants to go and even when cruising the car feels very much alive, it is like it is begging you to press the accelerator to the floor so it can show you what it can really do. The gear changes are smooth and precise, both up and down the box. The brakes work well and easily pull the car up in a straight line when needed.

Accompanying the car is a spare wheel, the original tool and jack kit, books and an excellent history file.

Highlights:
- A UK delivered, factory right hand drive example.
- Effectively an Australian tourist delivery example.
- Confirmed by the Maranello Concessionaires Archives as ‘matching numbers’ (chassis, engine and gearbox).
- Books, including the original warranty book.
- Original tool kit and jack kit.
- Excellent history file.
- Ready to use and enjoy.

Price AUD $449, 950

 
Background

Apple, Coco-Cola, McDonalds and Nike are brands recognisable the world over. So is Ferrari and interestingly the iconic Italian luxury sports car manufacturer was named ‘The World’s Strongest Brand’ in the 2019 Brand Finance Global 500 Report.

Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1939 out of Alfa Romeo’s race division as Auto Avio Costruzioni the company built its first car in 1940. The Second World War halted Ferrari’s dream, which was finally realised in 1947, when the first car bearing his name, the Ferrari 125S, was built. From that day on Ferrari race cars dominated the world over, winning race after race and many world championships in Formula One, sports car racing and endurance racing. Ferrari built exclusive sports cars for the road too, but in the early days, this was primarily to fund his motor racing!

The Cavallino Rampate or ‘prancing horse’ was the symbol chosen by Ferrari and like the ‘golden arches’ it is recognised by just about every man, woman and child on the planet!
Twelve cylinder engines are synonymous with Ferrari. In fact, Enzo Ferrari’s very first car, the 1947 125S was powered by a 1. 5 Litre V12 engine. Throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s the majority of Enzo’s masterpieces were powered by V12 engines of varying capacity. Interestingly all of these cars had the engine located in the front. Cross town rivals Lamborghini introduced their stunning Miura in 1966, which was powered by a transversely mounted V12 engine located behind the driver. This spectacular car took the motoring world by storm and sent shock waves throughout Ferrari HQ in Maranello. Ferraris answer, the 365 GTB/ 4 Daytona, was a fabulous motor car in its own right, but there was always something about the mid-engined sports car that gave it an edge.
It took until 1971 for Ferrari to unveil its first mid-engined sports car, the 365 GT/ 4 Berlinetta Boxer. The Boxer was very well received and it ultimately went into production and replaced the Daytona in 1973. Interestingly Ferrari opted for a ‘flat 12’ rather than a V12 engine configuration. The engine was mounted longitudinally rather than transversely as Lamborghini did with the Miura.
The Boxer was a great success for Ferrari and along with the Lamborghini Countach was one of the very real ‘supercars of the seventies’. The 365 GT/ 4 Berlinetta Boxer (387 cars built) was replaced by the 512 Berlinetta Boxer (929 cars built, 101 RHD) in 1976, which was then replaced by the 512 BBi (1007 cars built) in 1981. The Boxer was ultimately replaced by the Testarossa (or ‘red head’ so named to commemorate the fabulous Ferrari race cars of the 1950’s – the Testa Rossas) in 1984.