News & Features December 13, 2007, 12:09PM EST

Ferrari's Winning Boxer

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1982 Ferrari 512 BBi "Boxer"

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But what about this car? The catalog description, as usual, leaves lots of unanswered questions. As with any 12-cylinder Ferrari under $200,000, status of the maintenance can influence the value as much as $20,000. SCM's man on the ground, Richard Hudson-Evans, had this to say:

"The odometer had 23 more miles by sale day compared with cataloged mileage. So the good news was that it must run, even though, allegedly, it had been mainly static whilst in a private collection from 2001 to 2007. In terms of body panels and paint, it appeared to be largely original, with no signs of being restored. The black leather seats with black herringbone cloth inserts exhibited only minor wear and looked like they had less than 20,000 miles. The engine bay was nothing special, though clean and tidy, and ECU and battery may well have been renewed recently as claimed. I did not, however, have cause to personally peruse the paperwork, if any, to authenticate what precisely had been done. Overall, I judged the condition as a #1-."

Many well-documented exotics sell privately for far more than examples that show up at auctions with no service history or documentation. A stack of repair bills and photos backed by a believable owner are worth real money and peace of mind. Was this Boxer a good buy? Only time will tell. It will either be a high fun-per-dollar car and a good buy in this market, or it will be a major engine-out service away from the money pit. But for some brave bidder, the gamble was obviously worth it.

New book details competition history

What of future values? Will Boxers continue to appreciate? As with all second-tier collectibles, it depends largely on the price levels of more desirable items. But one new factor is a recently published book, which devotes over 100 pages to the competition history of the Boxer. Nathan Beehl's Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer: The Road and Race Legends (www.rardleymotors.com), is an excellent, well-researched book with extensive coverage of both the 32 factory-prepared BB/LMs and the many privately prepared racers.

Association with racing is what makes many Ferrari models valuable, and until now the story of the ten-year Boxer campaigns by private entrants had not been told, so this book alone will boost the bragging rights of any Boxer owner, and perhaps the value of his favorite mount. As to the claim that the Boxer is an unloved car, tell that to the many supporters who keep the fires burning for the Boxer on the forums of Ferrarichat.com.

Caveat lector: The writer is just finishing an expensive refurbishment on his 365 Boxer, and has the following recommendations: For frequent driving, buy an injected BB; for raw excitement, find a 365; for maximum value, buy a carbureted 512. Just be aware that buying a Boxer without paperwork is akin to playing Russian Roulette -- with all the chambers loaded.

(Introductory description courtesy of Sportscar Auction Co.)

Details

Years Produced: 1974-84

Number Produced: 327 (365 BB); 927 (512 BB); 1,007 (512 BBi)

Original List Price: $35,000 plus DOT/EPA ($15,000)

SCM Valuation: $65,000-$85,000 (BBi)

Tune-up Cost: $3,500; add $2,000 for belts

Distributor Caps: $350

Chassis # Location: Frame tube in engine bay

Engine # Location: Top of engine block

Club Info: Ferrari Club of America, PO Box 720597, Atlanta, GA 30358; Ferrari Owner's Club, 8642 Cleta St., Downey, CA 90241

Website: click to visit