1983 Ferrari 400i

A gentleman’s express in a smart and stylish Pininfarina business suit. The appealing "Celeste Blue" paint has a consistent coverage and a positive lustre. There are a handful of minor marks and evidence of overspray around the front and rear screen seals. The top of the nearside rear wing boot well has some minor marks but overall, there is nothing that distracts. The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please take the time to fully assess these high-resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint. The exterior presents positively, confirmed by flush fitting panels and positive shut lines. The floor pan, wheel wells, boot floor and engine bay are solid too. A treatable dent was noted on the lower section of the nearside door. All doors open and close with ease. The car has minor under-paint blemishes that look to have come with age. We spotted a cluster on the lower nearside rear wing and lower offside wing near the arches and there are a couple of minor bumps under the paint on both front arches. There were also imperfections noted on the left-hand side of the scuttle panel, nose edge, offside corner of the bonnet edge and on the offside C-pillar near the rear screen. We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our high-resolution images and videos, so please take time to look through all the media files for a detailed view of what’s on offer, and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves. The leather dashboard is free of damage but shows mild signs of age in places. Some wear was noted on the edge of the binnacle padding. The centre console switches show signs of age, but David has informed us that all work as they should. The dials are all legible. The Berber carpet headlining looks good. The driver-side leather door card has worn but like the seats all free from rips. The boot is tidy, suggesting evidence of careful use. The 400i appealed to those familiar with the brand, appreciating the luxurious interior ambience and the airy glasshouse. It cruises sweetly at urban speeds, with the considerable advantage of a supercar surge once the no-limit signs appear. For such a heavy car the 400i handles well, with no negative feedback when cornering. The test drive consisted of a 30 to 50-mph drive, which perfectly highlights the 400i’s cruising ability and ride comfort. Once the engine had nicely warmed up, it pulled well with no hesitation. This allowed David to demonstrate its wide-range torque as he gently prodded the accelerator. It steers without any negative feedback, and the power steering works well with no play or vibration and stays true upon braking. Both the windscreen and rear screen have signs of de-lamination, but the windscreen is only limited to the driver-side bottom corner. The lights and lenses all look good, although the nearside front indicator has sun faded. The chrome trim is complete and in good shape. The bumpers are flush to the body and free from scuffs, with some minor signs of age noted on the paint. The alloys are free of significant damage and present well with a little age-related wear, they look like they would clean up nicely with a bit more elbow grease. The Michelin TRX tyres are over 10 years old but have not travelled more than 1,200 miles. They all have even tread and look in good shape visually. The blue leather seats show age-related creases, but considering the age have generally dated well. There are no major rips or tears to note, there are some spots that look to have sheening to the leather colour or staining as pictured. The carpets are complete and are all damp-free. The engine fires up without any issues. There were no knocks or unwanted noises. The dashboard warning lights all remained off as the engine idled. There was no initial exhaust smoke upon start up but we did notice a little when idling after the engine came up to temperature but it wasn’t plumes of black smoke. The engine is cleanly presented, showing evidence of maintenance, with decent ancillaries and hoses. There are minor signs of age on some metal components. The gearbox operates without any reported faults, engaging drives smoothly without any unwanted noises. Watch the video to see and hear the car in action. The original electronic ignition is no longer functional and has been replaced by a reliable MSD unit mounted in the boot. The digital odometer has been converted by specialists to analogue. The boot and fuel cap release buttons don't work as mentioned in the video, but the factory manual over-ride mechanism for both work fine. Registered in January 1983, it comes with a binder of invoices, notes, MOT certificates, owner's booklets and an invoice for its purchase when David bought the car in 2004. Since buying the Ferrari, David has diligently taken notes of its expenditure, which tally up to more than £9,000. Early work under his ownership includes an overhauled metering unit, renewed brake lines, new discs and pads, refurbed injectors and general maintenance work to resolve minor leaks and running issues. There are further invoices back to the mid-90s. More recent work includes a new fuel pump, cable turret, copper gaskets and a 2017 invoice for £2,350 which covers a valve clearance check, resolving minor leaks, engine cosmetic clean-up and a service. It comes with 15 service stamps in its original booklet and 6 more recent instances of servicing - the most recent one carried out around 400 miles ago by a Ferrari specialist. It comes with its complete Ferrari wallet and its booklets, workshop manuals, MOT certificates back to 1988 and several photographs documenting some of the mechanical and bodywork repairs. Despite it being legible for free MOT and Road Tax, it has an MOT to April 2026 and comes with two keys. We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a history check on the vehicle - this is a professional check operated by HPI that will highlight if the car has been previously stolen, recorded as being in an accident, or have any outstanding finance - note, this does not include a mileage history check. We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment of the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming. If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bids, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house. The suspension deals with the road with no outstanding faults, absorbing the surface without significant noise from the wheels. The car brakes confidently, even and smoothly with no squeals or vibrations. The classic Ferrari Momo steering wheel has a little age-related wear but displays well generally, and could be further improved with the right product treatment. The automatic gear selector is clean, and the centre console surround looks good too.