Restoring an Abandoned Ferrari Testarossa Race Car: Part 1

Acquiring the Ferrari Testarossa

• 🏎️ The team introduces their new project: an abandoned Ferrari 512 race car, featuring an ultra-rare Koenig Specials body kit.
• 💡 The car is intended for a full restoration and debut at the Exotics on Broadway show during Monterey Car Week.
• 🧐 Initial inspection reveals it's a purpose-built race car with significant upgrades, including a big brake kit and a stripped-down interior.

Unveiling Race Car Features

• 🛠️ Unique race car modifications include a detent pin for door access and a welded tab instead of a traditional door handle.
• 📜 Original photos of the car before its race conversion were found, showcasing its past life.
• 💨 The engine bay reveals active inlets for a factory forced air intake system.
• 💨 The car features a flat-12 engine, not a V12, with a distinctive flat configuration.
• 💨 Modifications include a Lexan rear window and a full roll cage integrated into the chassis.
• 💡 The car was nicknamed 'Silver Surfer' by a previous owner with a penchant for naming cars after superheroes.

Engine Removal and Initial Assessment

• ⚙️ The team begins the restoration by planning to pull the flat-12 engine for servicing and to get it running.
• ⚠️ The engine has not run since 2008, raising concerns about its condition.
• 💰 A replacement engine unit is valued at $30,000-$35,000, emphasizing the need for careful restoration.
• 🛠️ Initial steps involve removing the rear end, exhaust system, and various braces and cooling lines to free the engine.
• 🔧 The engine and transmission are a combined unit, with the transmission located underneath the engine, making it a heavy and unique powertrain configuration.
• 💥 During the engine removal, a carabiner used for lifting failed, highlighting the weight and complexity of the task.

Engine Health and Restoration Steps

• 🔧 The engine is spun for the first time, showing compression and movement, a positive sign.
• 💡 A diagnostic process begins to check fuel injectors, with one found to be stuck and later unstuck using a 20-volt power source.
• ✅ All 12 injectors are confirmed to be working after the intervention.
• 🧐 Inspection of the cylinder heads reveals they are in mint condition, but leak-down tests show significant issues.
• 📉 Bank one shows high leakage (up to 60%), indicating potential problems with piston rings or the short block.
• ⚠️ Four out of six cylinders on bank one have poor compression, suggesting a need for a rebuild.
• 🔍 Further diagnostics on bank two reveal leaks from intake/exhaust valves and the crankcase, with only three out of twelve cylinders having good compression.
• 💡 The primary recommendation is a comprehensive head job to address valve issues, with a possibility of unsticking rings.

Engine Cleaning and Disassembly

• ✨ The engine is sent for dry ice blasting by Ice Tech Solutions, restoring its appearance and removing decades of grime.
• 🤩 The dry ice blasting significantly improves the engine's look, making manifolds and components appear brand new without damaging finishes.
• ⚙️ Despite the cosmetic improvements, the engine still lacks compression, necessitating further work.
• 🔧 The next step is to remove the cylinder heads for a full valve job, starting with pulling the camshafts and lifters.
• 🔩 The camshafts are noted as being exceptionally long due to the flat-12 configuration.
• 🔧 Custom tools are fabricated to remove specific Ferrari cylinder head bolts that are recessed.
• ✅ Both cylinder heads are successfully removed and are sent to a machine shop for work.
• 🚗 The car, with stickers removed, is prepared for transport to Tory Pines Collision for bodywork and paint.