Just Moved to Italy - Looking for Beater Ferrari..

[mockingbird812]

yenko.net......... reaching the far corners of the globe!!! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Keep us posted Scott. Not bad duty. Have fun!

[Stefano]

Last time I was in Milano, I was working a deal on a CSL &quot;Bat&quot; Car, but prices have moved a bit on those cars.

Your not going to be very comfortable in many of the Ferrari
s you mentioned [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/wink.gif[/img]

[bulletpruf]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mockingbird812</div><div class="ubbcode-body">yenko.net......... reaching the far corners of the globe!!! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Keep us posted Scott. Not bad duty. Have fun! </div></div>

Will keep y'all posted. Working on renting a house now. Was worried about finding something with a decent garage, but we've managed to find several with large basement garages (easily fit 2 cars + a LOT of tools) within a few miles of work.

Once we nail down the house I can shift my focus to the car search. One bit of bad news -- appears that I/we can only have three vehicle registrations while I'm here. Already have one pending on the 99 318i beater that I picked up, next will be the wife's SUV, which is on it's way here from Korea. And that leaves one more for my play car. Only way you get another registration is if you have written permission, and that's usually only if one of your cars was stolen or totaled. So I may be up sh*t creek without a paddle when that barn find Iso Griffo shows up for $5,000...

Scott

[bulletpruf]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Stefano</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Last time I was in Milano, I was working a deal on a CSL &quot;Bat&quot; Car, but prices have moved a bit on those cars.

Your not going to be very comfortable in many of the Ferraris you mentioned [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/wink.gif[/img] </div></div>

Stefano -

Gorgeous car, but CSL's are a different breed altogether and well out of my price range. An E9 would make more sense if we head to Germany for our next tour although they may be more expensive there. Was surprised to see that folks were buying 633's and 635's in the U.S. and shipping them to Germany to sell; they're more affordable stateside.

As for the interior size, good point. I have done some research and looks like I will fit in a 208/308 GT4, but not the later 308 GTB/GTS, which are out of my price range, anyway. I should be able to fit in a 348, too, but these don't really fire me up, and start out at $30k. For those not familiar with the 308 GT4, designed by Bertone, click here - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_GT4 - they're not the same car as the Pininfarina styled 308 GTB/GTS - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_308_GTB/GTS

Scott

[bulletpruf]

Good news! We found a place that the wife likes and it has a very large garage! Only about a mile from work, too.



It's 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms in a gated parco (subdivision). Circular section of the house is for a large marble staircase. We have roof access and a nice view of the bay and Mediterranean. Small pool in the back yard, too. We should be here for 2 or 3 years.

Garage will house my tools -- 90% are in storage in the states, but they're being shipped here now and should be here in about 90 days.

Here's half of my garage space (had a detached 2 car garage as well) when I lived in Columbus, Georgia - 2011-2013. Will have to find room for 80 gallon compressor, tool boxes, bench, grinder, parts washer, blast cabinet, welder, shop press, etc, etc.


Scott

[mockingbird812]

Looks great Scott. Sounds like you are set. You, of course, have the light-weight tools that won't blow thru your weight limit!! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/naughty.gif[/img] [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/wink.gif[/img] [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/whistle.gif[/img]

P.S. How do you like your Quincy? Thinking of getting a smaller version for my new (smaller) shop. I also like the dolly under your floor drill press - what's the skinny on that?

[bulletpruf]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mockingbird812</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Looks great Scott. Sounds like you are set. You, of course, have the light-weight tools that won't blow thru your weight limit!! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/naughty.gif[/img] [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/wink.gif[/img] [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/whistle.gif[/img]

P.S. How do you like your Quincy? Thinking of getting a smaller version for my new (smaller) shop. I also like the dolly under your floor drill press - what's the skinny on that? </div></div>

Yeah, we're right up against our weight limit; think it's 15,500 pounds or something like that. If I keep up with the tool buying spree, we'll have to come out of pocket to move back. Just hope I don't find a few anvils, 8&quot; vises, etc, while I'm here.

I like my Quincy, but these aren't cheap. Think I paid around $2k for it.

Drill press came with the homemade dolly. Bought it used a few years back. DP is heavy enough to keep it from moving around when you're using it.

Thanks

Scott

[mockingbird812]

Thanks Scott. My final PCS in mil was over weight limit by 1.5K and I braced, but alas no additional bill. Just my experience but it could be one of them urban legends.

[bulletpruf]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mockingbird812</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks Scott. My final PCS in mil was over weight limit by 1.5K and I braced, but alas no additional bill. Just my experience but it could be one of them urban legends. </div></div>

Ruh roh. Recently got the weight from my stuff in CONUS -- 11,500 lbs! Ouch! That will put us well over the weight limit because I think we shipped 8,000 lbs here. Will have to see what we can get rid of once it arrives.

Scott

[bulletpruf]

Well, it's a done deal. After more searching I really narrowed it down to one car -- the 1965-1975 Alfa Romeo GT Junior/GTV. Second place was the Fiat Dino coupe, but a nice Alfa can be bought at half the cost of the Dino, parts are readily available, and there are 20 GT's for every Dino on the market.

I looked at several, but most were fluffed up turds with shoddy bodywork evident under shiny paint.

The car I ended up with is a 1972 GT Junior 1300. I picked it up for 12,000 euros, or about $13,500 U.S. It's quite original, and appears to have had only one repaint many years ago. The car will need a bit of metal work, but I don't think I will find too many surprises when I strip it down.

It runs and drives now, but as soon as my tools arrive (they're on their way over from the U.S. now) and I get the garage set up, it will be time to set all ratchets to counter-clockwise and tear it apart for a full resto.

Will be interesting working on a DOHC all aluminum engine -- looks like a toy compared to the big American V-8s that I'm used to messing with, but at 2,000 lbs, you don't need 500 hp to get it moving.

Plan is to maintain the stock-ish appearance, but with upgraded drivetrain (2 liter engine), upgraded suspension and brakes, and restored/upgraded interior. I'll bring it back to the states when I'm done.

Thanks for all the input!

Scott