Your classic
Three years ago, while looking on the web for an obscure car part, my search returned this unrelated Ferrari Testarossa located in California. It was a project car that had been started (the roof had been chopped off and strengthening added to the chassis), but other than that it was a rolling shell with an engine and gearbox bolted in place, and hadn’t been on the road for well over 20 years.
I told the seller that anyone else buying his Ferrari was likely to break it for parts because it was worth far more in bits. But I promised him that my sole intention would be to get the Testarossa built and put it back on the road.
It arrived a few months later accompanied by two huge wooden crates of parts. At the time I owned another Testarossa coupé, so was lucky enough to use that car as the blueprint for my ‘Ratarossa’.
Why the unfinished style? Part of the enjoyment of this project was that it didn’t have to be perfect, with its ‘rat’ look, so I just took my time and enjoyed the build. With the two massive crates of parts that came with the car I have been like a kid with a giant puzzle; it’s been a lot of fun and very satisfying figuring out where each item belongs.
Ferrari made only one official Testarossa Spider for Gianni Agnelli (C&SC, February 2016), and it’s estimated that around 15 more were subsequently converted by aftermarket companies, making these a pretty rare sight. It’s also the car that many believe Ferrari really should have put into production.
Obviously there have been a few head-scratching moments. Testarossas are 30 years old now, and the expertise on them has been whittled down to a few gurus worldwide. I have no background or any kind of training in this sort of thing, other than a hobby and passion. For the most part it was on-the-job learning for me.
I faced a number of difficulties during the build. The engine hadn’t run in many years and the wiring was missing or not connected. My first job was to hear the engine roar once again. With a bit of luck and plenty of perseverance, I was able to bring the flat-12 back to life.
Another challenge I’ve had is getting hold of parts. Many are no longer stocked by Ferrari and I’ve had to source items from around the world wherever available. But it’s amazing what pops up on auction sites across the globe. For example, I picked up a brand-new original dashboard in the correct colour for £180, shipped. If Ferrari still made the dash, it would have cost me £5000.
Suspension was another massive problem; steel bars had been fabricated and welded into the mid section to reinforce the car’s structure and rigidity where the roof had been chopped off. They did a great job of keeping the car from flexing but the bars’ added weight caused the front end of the Testarossa to lift up. The factory suspension is pre-set and fixed, so I had to work with a suspension company to create custom shocks and springs. Eventually it took three sets of custom springs to get the right height I wanted.
Other bits I’ve had to modify to work properly on the Spider include the safety belts; even with the original luggage straps behind the seats, the belts had to be anchored differently. Unless you really know Testarossas, however, you’d never spot the changes.
When the Ferrari first arrived in the UK it was like the Flintstones’ car: there was no floor, wheelarches, carpet etc. It now looks really good and, eventually, I plan to have a mechanically perfect car, in pristine condition under the skin, yet clothed in a ‘rat’ look.
Although it’s only recently been put back on the road, I have already taken it to a couple of events and really enjoy the reaction the car generates. It’s a bit like Marmite: you either love it or hate it. It doesn’t bother me either way because I built it to have fun!
The Ferrari is by no means finished – it’s an ongoing project. I have blogged the build each step of the way, and you can follow my progress at www.ratarossa.com