512BB

[jith]

It was the end of our financial year a few weeks back so I thought I would post up some of the more interesting stuff we got up to in the last year.

This is a 1980 512BB, and I have to say it's one of the best I've ever seen. It is also one of the quickest old cars I've driven; I mean seriously quick. The acceleration in 1st and 2nd actually makes your head spin!!

It's not often you see "inside" a Ferrari so enjoy.


Massive rear engine cover


Beautifully made "spaghetti" exhaust




Huge vented discs, four pot calipers, double wishbone front and rear and Konis....unbeatable!!



Ribbed bottom engine cover and twin oil filters to take care of lubrication in the dry sump system. Note no oil leaks.


Unusual and utterly unobtainable 3 terminal electronic ignition coil




The business end where the power begins. Four triple choke Weber 40 IF3C carbs. Don't put you hand near here when it's running; it'll suck you in!


New but original equipment Michelin XWX on Cromadoras; brutally expensive and only made occasionally in batches!

We prepared it for a trip to the Classic Mille Miglia. Upgrade to Iridium NGKs and carbs setup. Over 3000 miles without a hiccup.

A truly great motor car.

Thank you John for your custom.

J

[BlueMR2]

That must sound awesome as well.

Be nice to get videos of some of these running if you get the time whilst doing the work.

[Hooli]

That looks well used, much better than the perfectly cleaned ones

[iSore]

Boxers are just epic, one the last truly heroic Ferraris. Hell, even the starter motor sounds heroic.

[2slo]

Along with the original Lamborghini Countach, the 512BB is a timeless shape. Hard to believe that the design (from the predecessor 365BB) is 40 years old. One point regarding the servicing, I thought the 512BB required engine removal, or has that approach been modified in recent years?

[jith]

2slo said:

Along with the original Lamborghini Countach, the 512BB is a timeless shape. Hard to believe that the design (from the predecessor 365BB) is 40 years old. One point regarding the servicing, I thought the 512BB required engine removal, or has that approach been modified in recent years?

Depends what you mean by servicing!

If you are talking about the timing belts then yes, the engine has to be removed. Having said that, it is very nice to work on and the engine and transaxle comes out as a complete unit.

J

[dbdb]

I remember seeing one of these in a garage whan I was a child. I was so intimidated by it that when the mechanic asked me if I wanted to sit in it I said no because I was too scared of damaging it!

They really are astonishingly beautiful.

[D900SP]

Engine and trans removed from a BB512i for timing belt/valve adjustment service.

[2slo]

jith said:

2slo said:

Along with the original Lamborghini Countach, the 512BB is a timeless shape. Hard to believe that the design (from the predecessor 365BB) is 40 years old. One point regarding the servicing, I thought the 512BB required engine removal, or has that approach been modified in recent years?

Depends what you mean by servicing!

If you are talking about the timing belts then yes, the engine has to be removed. Having said that, it is very nice to work on and the engine and transaxle comes out as a complete unit.

J

Yes, that's what I was thinking of (as in major service), thanks.

[Drew21]

those 4-pot brake calipers look exactly the same as those on my BMW 6er, albeit on the front axle. Surely my common or garden 1981 635csi can't share parts with a Ferrari of legend??

[Martin350]

It is entirely possible.

Some Ferrari from that era use brake pads that are exactly the same as Mk3/Mk4 Ford Escort, I kid you not!


Great pics of the BB there, thanks for posting!

[B Huey]

Thanks for sharing, my dream car as a child in the seventies.

[jith]

Drew21 said:

those 4-pot brake calipers look exactly the same as those on my BMW 6er, albeit on the front axle. Surely my common or garden 1981 635csi can't share parts with a Ferrari of legend??

They are only slightly different in the following manner. The calipers are made by ATE in Germany and were standard equipment on many high performance cars of that era. If you look at the photo carefully you will see that the calipers are sectioned in 2 matching halves with an insert in the centre. This insert varies in thickness according to the disc thickness required on the particular model. The Ferrari is the thickest I have come across; absolutely huge in fact.

These calipers were superb and gave immense braking power. They are also very easily overhauled and kits are available for them from various sources.

What I love about this car from an engineering standpoint is that it had the best of everything as standard. 4 pot calipers front and rear; Konis; double wishbones; port throttles, etc. Great stuff!!

J

[nightflight]

When I was a young lad working at TVR, the then owner of the company had one of these in black with cream leather (his previous car was a Daytona Spyder), and I can remember sitting in it dreaming of owning one one day. Not happened yet, but you never know!

[AndrewW-G]

jith said:

Drew21 said:

those 4-pot brake calipers look exactly the same as those on my BMW 6er, albeit on the front axle. Surely my common or garden 1981 635csi can't share parts with a Ferrari of legend??

They are only slightly different in the following manner. The calipers are made by ATE in Germany and were standard equipment on many high performance cars of that era. If you look at the photo carefully you will see that the calipers are sectioned in 2 matching halves with an insert in the centre. This insert varies in thickness according to the disc thickness required on the particular model. The Ferrari is the thickest I have come across; absolutely huge in fact.

These calipers were superb and gave immense braking power. They are also very easily overhauled and kits are available for them from various sources.


J

There are also slight differences in where the brake pipes / nipples are . . . . . Found that out years ago when trying to rebuild a set using a combination of parts from BMW and Ferrari variants (just to confuse things further, there are slight differences between 400i and BBi calipers!)

[AndrewW-G]

They get a bit gummed up if the car isn't used and left outside under a cover for 2 years

[lazyitus]

I adore these Berlinetta Boxers. Saw a couple at the Silverstone Classic this year. Nice thread.

[LuS1fer]

There is a lovely BB in a garage in Altea. We stopped for a long lingering look. One of the classic designs and I'm no real fan of Ferraris.

[CedricN]

BB512 ?






btw, like the twin shock setup, strange they couldnt make it work with one And the weber noise must be brutal at full throttle! Got a ride in my uncles Dino, this must be twice as nice sound, twice the weber throats and twice the cylinders

[4rephill]

CedricN said:

BB512 ?

512BB LM : Chassis # 35523

CedricN said:

btw, like the twin shock setup, strange they couldnt make it work with one

There's a lot of weight sat right above that suspension and not that much room to fit it, so twin shocks per side was the easiest solution.