Satan's barge - 1983 Ferrari 400i

[NomduJour]

bolidemichael said:

What's this car?

Facellia

[bolidemichael]

NomduJour said:

bolidemichael said:

What's this car?

Facellia

Thanks. I wasn't previously aware of this model from Facel, but it does bear a strong resemblance.

[Rumdoodle]

bolidemichael said:

NomduJour said:

bolidemichael said:

What's this car?

Facellia

Thanks. I wasn't previously aware of this model from Facel, but it does bear a strong resemblance.

It's a distinctive little car. Not as opulent as the big Facels, but very elegant.

[paulguitar]

Rumdoodle said:

Not as opulent as the big Facels

A typo away from being awkward.

[Rumdoodle]

Vichy was very agreeable and there was far too much to see in just the evening we had. It was great weather today for a fairly long trip from there to Mulhouse on the Swiss border. Superb and mostly empty roads. We stopped halfway in Beaune, and got some mustard at the mustard joint

and did some early Christmas shopping in the wine shops. Since leaving Angouleme yesterday, I've eaten a lot of raw meat and bought a lot of petrol. I'm not completely confident that my fuel pumps are both working properly and the fuel gauge and odo definitely aren't, so I'm stopping regularly for top-ups and put in around £200 of super today. Some of it was even Italian, for extra performance

bought from an old fashioned garage where the shop smelled of engine oil and Kitkats.
The car has been faultless, and is so well suited to these roads and the auto transmission makes perfect sense for this sort of driving. Just cruising for hour after hour at a constant speed.

Arrived in a little town near Mulhouse just after 6pm.

[Rumdoodle]

paulguitar said:

A typo away from being awkward.

???

[paulguitar]

Rumdoodle said:

paulguitar said:

A typo away from being awkward.

???

Just some juvenile humour.

[Rumdoodle]

paulguitar said:

Rumdoodle said:

paulguitar said:

A typo away from being awkward.

???

Just some juvenile humour.

I suspected as much, and am disappointed in myself not to have got it. I'll go away and have a think. No clues.

[bolidemichael]

Rumdoodle said:

paulguitar said:

Rumdoodle said:

paulguitar said:

A typo away from being awkward.

???

Just some juvenile humour.

I suspected as much, and am disappointed in myself not to have got it. I'll go away and have a think. No clues.

I’m going for the brutish suggestion of ‘balls’ in place of ‘Facels’. If so, disappointed that the luddite got it.

[Rumdoodle]

A day of mooching about locally in Colmar, Riquewihr and Ribeauville.

The quality of the local produce is unbelievable - not least this 3/4 scale sculpture of a Bugatti, with patina like the cars racing at Angouleme, and made with 400kg of chocolate.

[bolidemichael]

They’ve even got the accurate after eight engine configuration.

[theadman]

This is a thread that keeps on giving. I'm sure a number of us are living our 'best lives' vicariously through you Rumdoodle.

Whilst you were taking the 400 for a jaunt round France, we took my Golf diesel to Guernsey! Enough said!

[bolidemichael]

I spotted one today (albeit at a Ferrari specialist!).

[TR4man]

bolidemichael said:

I spotted one today (albeit at a Ferrari specialist!).

Judging by the tail lights, that looks like an earlier 365 GT4 which then evolved into the 400.

[Rumdoodle]

TR4man said:

bolidemichael said:

I spotted one today (albeit at a Ferrari specialist!).

Judging by the tail lights, that looks like an earlier 365 GT4 which then evolved into the 400.

Very smart. Is that a non-UK plate?

[jeremyc]

Rumdoodle said:

Very smart. Is that a non-UK plate?

No, it's a UK 'plate DUK3F.

Owned by Merlin McCormack at Duke of London. His instagram has many pictures of the car (and it's restoration): https://www.instagram.com/duke_of_london/

[Rumdoodle]

jeremyc said:

Rumdoodle said:

Very smart. Is that a non-UK plate?

No, it's a UK 'plate DUK3F.

Owned by Merlin McCormack at Duke of London. His instagram has many pictures of the car (and it's restoration): https://www.instagram.com/duke_of_london/

Ah, yes. I recognise it now.

Crossed over to Germany today to the Vitra Design Museum near Basel.

As far as interior decor is concerned, I'm mostly a Chesterfield, shag pile rug and candlabra man, but apparently there is a world of colour and light out there. I was heartened to find that the Austin Powers / Ron Burgundy style is very much "in". That is a big egg in the corner. Just a big egg.

This is a slide. You slide down it. I slid down it.

And, in the giftshop, a book that is not afraid to tackle the big topic of our times.

Tomorrow, a trip to Molsheim and then an afternoon at the Schlumpf collection.

[Rumdoodle]

The only wear and tear noted so far is the loss of one of the exhaust hangers. I should have one of these

here

I've tied it up for now and ordered some replacements from Eurospares for when I'm back home.

[bolidemichael]

A cock ring from a local specialist shop should do the trick. Perhaps ask the missus to stroll in and ask for a handful.

[paulyv]

Needs to be one sized from the eighties though, not the sausage of the future.

Lovely vehicle and apologies the above has been my first comment on this thread after admiring it for some time.