1984 Ferrari 512

This 512 BBi is a beautifully-preserved unrestored car with extensive documentation. It was imported to the United States new, and its original owner purchased the car through Algar Ferrari in Pennsylvania. He collected it at the Ferrari factory in December of 1983, an event documented by photos of the car and its owner at the factory. He drove the car around in Europe before importing it. As the 512 was never officially imported to the United States, it was federalized by Amerispec, with the EPA release completed in April of 1984. Federalized as a 49-state car, this 512BBi did not receive California BAR certification during this process. Though the car was officially federalized, it escaped the unsightly additions of side reflectors and impact bumpers that saddled so many gray market cars at the time. The car comes with its original invoice from the factory, which notes that this example was finished in red without black Boxer trim, over a black leather interior.
The first owner kept the car until August of 1989 when its second owner acquired it. He owned the car until December 2005, when its third owner purchased it with 15,539 kilometers. The car has regularly received major services (including belts) in February 2005, May 2007, October 2015, and August 2021. The most recent service also included 12 new injectors, rebuilt CIS fuel distributors and warmup regulators, and new fuel pumps, which, along with the major service, totaled more than $26,500.
Overall, this 512BBi presents as a well-preserved unrestored car that is not without flaws but still shows nicely throughout. The body panels are straight, fit, and operate well, while the paint appears to be largely original, with a few small marks that have been touched up over the years. The wheels are in very good shape, as are the spinners, and the tires are correct Michelin TRXs in a unique 240/55 VR415 size although they are old and due for replacement. Exterior trim is very nice throughout, as are the lights and glazing. The car has Cibié flat front headlamps and Cibié airport fog lamps. The overall impression of the car is of an honest, well-cared for low, mileage car that is aging gracefully.
The interior also appears to be substantially original, the seats have a nice, even patina with light wear on the drivers seat back piping, and the various leather-trimmed items, such as the headliner and center console, are all in very good condition. The dashboard benefits from a recent recovering in original specification black leather and was completed to a very high level. The original Ferrari-branded Pioneer head unit, speakers, and equalizer are still in place, and the carpet remains in good condition, although the passenger floor mat is missing.
The front compartment is also in very nice shape, with the spare cover present, as is the strap for the tool roll, which is affixed, complete, and in excellent shape. The inner fenders are in very nice original condition and show no signs of damage. Under the rear bonnet, the engine compartment is also very clean, in keeping with a well-cared-for largely unrestored car, but does benefit from refinished intake runners and manifolds, and the foam on the underside of the engine lid has also been replaced.
This is an outstanding opportunity to acquire a superb late-production example of one of Ferraris most important models. It is worth noting that BBi is noticeably faster than the Testarossa that replaced it, in addition to being arguably better looking and rarer. One thing thats for sure is that the driving experience is wildly different from a Testarossa. While the Testarossa is civilized and nearly easy to drive, being most in its element as a comfortable long-distance tourer, the Boxer has an intense and hard edge that makes it much closer to the beastly character of a Countach or Miura. As a flagship Ferrari, it stands alone in that respect, and it demands a level of finesse from the driver that gives it a lot of appeal for the experienced driver.