My friend, I have bought 3 amazing cars from you. I respect your integrity, honesty and loyalty to do the best in your power to provide your friends the best car, exceeding their expectations. Also was impressed the follow up that Doug did with the Daytona, and Janet's persistence to make sure all the shipments were done to my satisfaction.
I know I'm young (comparing to most of your clients), but if I ever want any car, not only a Ferrari, you are the FIRST one I will approach. An example of my trust is that please let the money stay with berlinetta, and we will adjust it to my next purchase.
I thank you (all) for the experince of knowing that there is one company that I can fully trust.
- C.B. Arya
PS: my special regards to Janet. -- She's always been very nice to me.
“When asked, ‘ What most impressed me with the car ?’ my answer related to the fact that not only did I purchase the car, but also commissioned modifications solely by telephone.”
-Ron Busuttil, M.D., Ph.D.
"Doug, your reputation is beyond reproach. I have bought several Ferraris in my lifetime, and I know when I buy from you I am buying a car from a reputable person."
-Joe Perella
"The exhaust and engine work you did are spectacular! The car sounds completely wonderful - I can actually hear it swallowing air, and I have no doubt the bad headers were causing all kind of backpressure issues -- the increase in power is kind of breathtaking. Obviously the timing correction has a lot to do with that as well. I feel pretty sure the car runs better than it did when it was delivered new to Sonny Crockett back in 1997. And it sounds like a Ferrari again, not a landscaping truck!"
"The engine compartment is vastly improved as well, and the resurfaced console etc. looks most excellent."
"None of this was cheap, but it was all well worth it. A job really, really well done!"
-Mike Offit
Last issue, we divulged arcane facts about the 365 GTB/4, the 365 GTS/4, and the 365 GTB/4 Spyder. The responses we got to our Fun Fact were overwhelmingly positive and we plan on including one in every issues. One reader pointed out:
" What you did not explain is why USA Spyders were called 365 GTB/4, instead of 365 GTS/4." That's a great point, Steve. We now turn to Doug for his expertise.
"The 365 GTB/4 coupe was already accepted into the US with EPA and DOT clearances. Not wanting to crash more cars, Ferrari decided to call their USA model Spyders... 365 GTB/4."
Thanks, Doug!
As you'll read later in this issue, we've got several Dinos in for restoration. Dinos are all the rage these days, some fetching more then a quarter of a million dollars. But did you know that in 1972, when the Dino 246 made its debut, the UK launch price was just 6,620 British Pounds Sterling (that was $16,550 back then). For a six cylinder car that bears no external Ferrari badges, she's come a long way.
The first 246 GTS -- a European model -- was built in June or July or 1971, serial number 02174. It was Rosso Chiaro with black leather, and was the 1972 Geneva Show car. The last one. 08518, was built in 1974-- also in June. During those four years, Ferrari made a total of just 1,274 GTS Dinos, 235 of which were RHD. These numbers are roughly half of total GT and 308 GT4 production, respectively. The 246 GTS is rivaled in Dino rarityonly by the original Dino roadcar iteration, the 206 GT (152 total units from '68 through '69, two RHD).
The engine type for the 206 GT was 236 B. When the 246 GT came, the engine type changed to 236 L (the GTS engine type changed to 236E). The first 246 GT was even referred to as a 246 GT/L.
The first person to correctly reveal the letter L's meaning in this engine/model designation will win a Berlinetta Motorcars baseball cap: BerlinettaMotorcars2@gmail.com.
What would you expect for a launch party from a club whose membership fee is six figures? Ostentatious ice sculptures? White tie evening dress adorned British butlers passing out cigars? How about gilded nymphs swimming in multi-colored, strobe lit pools? Maybe you'd throw in a unicorn for good measure. When you're shelling out a hundred grand for membership. even the most epicurean party goers would associate a surreal decadence with a gala this importance. The kind of evening that would make Friday nights at Studio 54 look like Sunday school taught by Falwell himself.
But rather than a lavish soirée replete with the aforementioned indulgences, Rand Luxury, the event planner, felt that the Monticello Motor Club was better suited for a function of class and sophistication. And that's exactly what they provided. On Tuesday, 29 April 2008, attendees arrived at the invite only celebration, held at Cipriani's in New York City. The invitation required cocktail attire; one of our Conoscente noted that Nicolas Ghesquière, Karl Lagerfeld, Angela Missoni and Manolo Blahnik were also honored by both genders on this night. It was an evening where addressing the audience actually merited the term "ladies and gentlemen".
Rand Luxury's organization of the Monticello Motor Club's launch party was flawlessly executed. When mouths weren't agape from the cars on display, they were full with the sumptuous foods prepared for the guests, while an open bar refreshed palates. The cars on display represented what my garage would look like, if I had the kind of money that would allow me to join a club for $100,000: A Porsche Carrera GT, a 2.65 liter turbocharged 1,300 pound 1998 Reynard- Ford Grand Prix car driven by Bobby Rahal, a Porsche 910, a Bugatti Veyron, a Ferrari 430 Scuderia and a Lotus 2-Eleven.
While I futilely angled to go home with the Lotus, my charming advances were only good enough to let me sit in the Bugatti. The Veyron, Bugatti's latest iteration of speed and luxury, yields the type of class and magnitude normally associated with the person who bought it: Werner Pfister, sales manager of Miller Motorcars, in Greenwich, Connecticut. Aside from being an authorized dealer for Ferrari, Maserati, Aston Martin, Bentley, and Rolls Royce, Miller Motorcars is now an authorized Bugatti dealer as well.
Other notable personalities at the party included racecar drivers Mario Andretti, Brian Redman, and Bobby Rahal, as well as funny man and Monticello Motor Club member Jerry Seinfeld. Jerry's premium shtick was car-related and provided a clever segue from arriving and mingling to learning about MMC. Later in the evening Rahal, Redman and Andretti raced around Monticello's racetrack via the virtual arcade-like systems that were set up on stage. A big screen projector allowed everyone to watch the race while none other then Formula One announcer Bob Varsha gave us all a play by play of the friendly competition. The race only made me want to see the real facility even more.
Located in scenic Monticello, at the foot of the Catskill Mountains, the Monticello Motor Club is a 650- acre facility whose state of the art racetrack and amenities make it the premier club to join. Motoring enthusiasts will forget all about public track days when they learn of MMC's 4.1 mile course, whose access is only limited by their availability. The combined inputs of renowned track architect Bruce Hawkins, and world famous racecar driver Brian Redman are responsible for the track's layout. With over a mile and a half of straights, 22 turns, breathtaking elevation changes (literally, if you're going fast enough!), and 12 different course configurations, you could drive it every day and feel like you're somewhere else each time.
Monticello Motor Club is just an hour and 15 minutes from the George Washington Bridge, and only 25 minutes by helicopter. How cool is that? "Honey, can you pick up some milk on the way home?" "Sorry, dear, there's no room in the 7-11 parking lot for a chopper." If you don't have a helicopter, don't sweat it- the Club provides those too. The facility includes a skid pad where you can practice and hone your driving ability. While you're doing donuts, your family or guest(s) can enjoy MMC's 30,000 square foot clubhouse, host to exercise and spa equipment, a hot tub, game room, five-star restaurant and more. They can soak in the nature preserve via a walking trail, picnic areas, and a playground (for the kids; the adult playground is covered with asphalt).
If, by some extraordinary memory lapse, you forgot to bring your car to the track, Monticello Motor Club has a fleet of automobiles on hand, from which you can choose: contemporary sports cars, vintage and open wheel racers-- even a Formula One racecar (I asked if I could test drive it from this article, but they just laughed and handed me an application). Alternatively, if you bring your own fleet and don't feel like lugging it all back home, Monticello Motor Club offers on site, climate controlled storage-- and 24 hour security is provided by the Club. Generous run-off areas and a staff of track professionals ensure that every aspect of your Monticello Motor Club experience is just as safe as it is fun.
The application for membership might as well have the seal of the Pope, because the inquiries lead you to believe that you're applying to get into heaven. The questions solicit your track and non-track related interests, like: conference and office space, transportation to and from home and/ or work, overnight accommodations (like the luxury suites in the clubhouse!), entertainment and concession for your spouse, private jet service, and wine storage and selection, just to name a few. What does that tell you? It means they're considering implementing all of those things into the Club--some have already been set in motion!
So when you consider all of that, plus the fact that, if you want to, you can drive on the track over 200 times a year, a hundred large doesn't seem so bad, does it? But wait; there's more. MMC will feature a racing program. If you're so inclined, you can enhance your driving skills to the point of competing against other members and even entering national endurance races. If you've never been on a track in your entire life, the Monticello Motor Club still welcomes you with open arms. Whether you just want to cruise around the track without any competition looming in your rearview, or you want to rub open wheels with other would-be Schumachers of your day, the MMC will fulfill your dreams. The only thing that would make the Monticello Motor Club even better, is if you could live there. Um, wait...
There are a limited number of plots scattered about the facility upon which houses will be built. Imagine that; living at the racetrack. Next door is the country club with the five--star restaurant and the spa. Picture your typical Saturday going something like this: you wake up to the sound of cars-- really awesome cars-- racing around the circuit. A combination of factors- V8s, V12s, turbos and varying exhausts-- orchestrate a symphony of sounds that are way cooler than any alarm clock. You roll out of bed, throw on some Nomex, and walk over to the storage facility. You pull your car out, get on the track and flog it until your stomach tells you that it's lunch time. After a quick bite- in the clubhouse's restaurant, or in the cafe in the 20,000 square foot Member's Paddock-- you head back out onto the track to expel more gas and rubber. Around the time the sun is setting, you're returning your car to vehicle storage and heading over to the clubhouse for a massage. Enzo Ferrari lived on a racetrack and even he didn't have it this good.
The Monticello Motor Club's membership is limited, so check out their Website or call their Manhattan office for more information. The launch party was fantastic, but the facility is still under construction and isn't scheduled to open until the summer of 2008. I bet they'll have another party then, too (hopefully hosted by Rand Luxury). If so, I'll be pushing for those gilded nymphs.
Monticello Motor Club
Jason Bannerman 877-578-7223
JBannerman@MonticelloMotorClub.com
www.MonticelloMotorClub.com
Rand Luxury
Seth Berk 212-655-4505 x 244
SBerk@RandLuxury.com
www.RandLuxury.com
Miller Motorcars
Werner Pfister 203-629-3890 x 301
WPfister@MillerMotorcars.com
www.MillerMotorcars.com
Miller Motorcars
Michael Parchment 203-629-3890 x 104
MParchment@MillerMotorcars.com
www.MillerMotorcars.com
Let us get rid of that gooey, sticky, deteriorated factory coating on the inside door handles and center console/ ash tray panel of your 348 or 355.
We remove the door handles, the consoles and the gauges. We then disassemble the panels, remove the gauges and controls from the climate control panel and completely strip off all of the old, sticky rubberized coating. We prepare the surfaces and refinish the pieces in a beautiful satin black. We also clean the gauges and climate control buttons and ash tray while they are out of the console. $2,900 including removal and installation of pieces, or send them to us for $2,400.
You've read about it; you've seen pictures; maybe you've even been there; John and Alicia Barnes' Cavallino Classic. For almost two decades, The Breakers Hotel in West Palm Beach, Florida, has been host to one of America's premier Ferrari events. From the earliest iterations of Ferrari racing and road cars, to the latest and greatest track and street manifestations to emerge from Maranello, the lawns of the Breakers are littered with the rarest, most beautiful cars the world has ever known. So what does it take to get your car on that grass?
Berlinetta Motorcars has been restoring, maintaining and prepping cars for concours for three decades. Every year, Berlinetta Motorcars is commissioned to look after various Ferraris and tend to the imperfect minutiae that would otherwise be cause for point deduction. The slightest things of which you may or may not be aware are common knowledge here at BMC. A period correct car is essential to bringing home silver, gold, and especially platinum. From hose clamps to valve stems, books and tools to knock-offs, we know exactly how your car left the factory- even if you're unsure. We presented four customer cars at this year's Cavallino Classic. We came home with two major cups- oh, and four Gold Class awards, too.
Berlinetta has already filled spots for the Cavallino Classic XVIII, taking place 20 through 25 January, 2009. We have some spots open and would love to alleviate any concerns you may have about entering this extraordinary event. Call or e-mail us to schedule an appointment, or just lay all of your questions on us right then and there. We'd love the opportunity to show you why we leave Cavallino with awards every year. We're happy, our clients are happy; shouldn't you be happy too? Click here to learn more about our restorations and awards:
http://www.berlinettamotorcars.com/cavallinoclassic.com.htm
http://www.berlinettamotorcars.com/restorations3.htm
http://www.berlinettamotorcars.com/Professional.htm
A "Berlinetta car" is one that has been prepared for sale to the standards established by our shop; it is a reliable mark of quality. Purchasing a car from Berlinetta, you will experience an unparalleled level of quality and service. Berlinetta's reputation is built on integrity. Purchase with confidence. Whether you drive your car away, or unload it from a transporter, you can expect that your Berlinetta car will be as represented and ready for the road.
Berlinetta's highly regarded reputation and approach toward customer service is a consummate one. When Berlinetta offers a Ferrari for sale, you're not simply buying a car; you're acquiring the first class example that you've worked so hard to earn. A select car that is offered for sale is thoroughly serviced and pampered so that you can execute a worry free acquisition.
Berlinetta's reputation is acknowledged and respected by the Ferrari community. Clients benefit from our ability to source the best examples of the most desirable Ferraris both here and abroad. Although many cars are advertised, some of the finest cars in private collections are marketed discreetly by private arrangement, so you need to inquire specifically about cars you might desire. Although advertising generates the most traffic, some sellers have various reasons to offer a car by private treaty, and you may overlook an ideal car if you don't ask widely, or trust us to do it on your behalf.
Additionally, when it's time to sell a car from your own collection, Berlinetta can assure that you get the proper exposure and price in the current market through a widely advertised program or selective confidential presentation to qualified collectors. If you'd like to receive e-mail updates on cars for sale through Berlinetta Motorcars, please click here.
You will find us to be generous i in sharing our knowledge of Ferrari automobiles and the current market. We are enthusiasts ourselves and are always available to talk cars. So when you have thoughts of buying or selling, we offer an honest consultation about specific models and their suitability for your collection. Let us help you navigate the sensitive intricacies involved in finally getting the car you want. Building relationships is our goal, and we hope you will want to build one with us.
Last issue, we told you that we would have a series of informative restoration articles. Well we'd like to share some pictures of a Dino that's currently undergoing restoration.
While you view these pictures, consider Doug Pirrone's expertise below as he answers some questions about restorations:
" The first question should be, Why do a restoration? "
Well, I think that the most obvious reason to do a restoration is for the desire to restore a particular car you are in love with, and for the love of the work itself. Without this, the restoration would be, at best, second rate. Even though I do not own most of the cars we restore, I always love doing them. When I no longer love doing restorations, I will stop doing them. A second reason for doing a restoration is for the respect of the marque and for the respect of the particular automobile in question. Even though I don't share the same love and enthusiasm for every make and model, I can respect the importance of it and thereby give it a proper restoration. However, for certain models, this philosophy may have an economically unsound disadvantage (at least for the present) when weighing the cost of the restoration against the value of the car.
This leads me to the third reason for doing a restoration: to protect or increase the value of the vehicle. The cost of a total restoration is very high today, but I have seen time and time again that a really thorough and complete restoration inevitably repays the owner. Let me make it perfectly clear here that I don't consider painting a car and/or redoing or re-dying the interior to be a restoration. Many people believe that efforts such as these infer a true restoration when they advertise their car for resale.
A 99+ point restoration will usually bring quite a bit more than an average car when it comes time to sell. I have seen this number go up as much as 100 to 200 percent-- inflation not withstanding. So, even though initially it might not seem economically sound to do a restoration, in most cases it will pay off. Of course, try to find out the projected value of the car in question from as many sources as possible before you begin. Obviously it doesn't pay to do a total restoration on a 1971 Ford Pinto - or even a '72!
So, on that note, I will close, leaving for future issues, questions such as:
We'll also get into such specifics as paint, primers, leathers and more. If you have additional questions concerning restorations, feel free to contact us. We'll include your query in a future issue of the newsletter, as well as that question's answer.