Ferrari likes to preserve its brand through cease and desist orders. This rare chop-top Italian supercar is no exception.
Ferrari tends to push legal drama onto everyone. This includes online influencers to big name celebrities. We all like to make modifications to our cars in an attempt to drive something unique. This Italian exotic car manufacturer views some of these special touches as blasphemous.
As a kid in the 1980’s, you had a choice of posters to plaster on your wall. The Porsche 959, Lamborghini Countach, and Ferrari F40 were the go-to’s. Some of us may have also had a poster of Cindy Crawford from her Pepsi commercial with a Countach.
Those of us that rocked Supercars from Ferrari were dreaming of the F40. Production of these cars was set to be rather low at 400 units. Demand for it pushed the company to produce 1300 examples. Of the 19 models produced as a Ferrari F40 LM, the Italian automaker recognizes only 18 today.
Designing A Chop-Top Ferrari Is No Backyard Build
When Belgian billionaire Jean Blaton acquired the F40 LM in 1993, he knew that serial number 79890 was a special car. It was a prototype model, and one of two LM’s that competed in the IMSA GT. Jean was a veteran to motorsports competition. He would not settle for a car that had eighteen other examples owned by fellow wealthy collectors.
To stand apart, Blaton commissioned Tony Gillet, designer of the Gillet Vertigo. Tony also brings Michelotto into the mix. Michelotto, a Ferrari race car builder, put together the design that converted 19 Ferrari F40’s into their LM spec for competing in the IMSA GT. Even with talent like this behind the wheel of the project, the automaker insisted on removal of all Ferrari badging.
Owning A Rare Ferrari F40 Requires Bold Modifications
Yellow Ferrari F40 LM Barchettavia MonochromeThe most aggressive alteration, and the most obvious, is the absence of a roof on this Ferrari F40 LM. Further bodywork tweaks allow the modifications to work with the F40’s new look. This includes a competition-style windshield. Another bold move comes in the form of a color change. Jean chose to paint the car yellow which, regarded as the official historic racing color for Belgium.
Gillet’s removal of the Ferrari engine restrictors results in a total of 760 horsepower, a 0-60mph time of just over 3 seconds, and a top speed of 229mph. To continue the blasphemous modifications, a custom exhaust routes as a side-exit system through the lower rocker panels. A roll-cage wraps the LM for safety, and the suspension changed over to an F1-style pushrod system.
Pro Racer Clout Is Not Enough To Stop A Ferrari Cease And DesistYellow Ferrari F40 Barchetta in Garagevia MonochromeJean Blaton raced in the 1950’s and 1960’s under the pseudonym of Jean Beurlys. Beurlys finished several 24 Hours Of Lemans endurance competitions. He placed 3rd during the race in 1965. Jean favored Ferrari’s, so purchasing Ferrari F40 LM number 79890 was a no-brainer.
This particular F40 LM saw a build date in 1989 and then piloted by F1 driver Jean Alesi. It placed 3rd at Laguna Seca in an IMSA GT race that same year. In 1990, Jean Pierre Jabouille took the wheel for a 2nd place win during the IMSA GT Championship. Beurlys took possesion of the successful chassis in 1993, and soon after, it was no longer recognized by Ferrari.
This Is How The Ferrari F40 LM Barchetta StartedRed Ferrari F40 Studio ShotFerrariThe F40 LM design focused on competing in Group B racing, but the outrageous rally class was abruptly cancelled in 1986. Michelotto was able to retrofit the chassis to compete in the North American IMSA GT instead. Reinforced carbon fiber and a new suspension setup were the start. This included Koni suspension bits, thicker sway bars, 17-inch alloy wheels from OZ Racing, and 355mm Brembo brakes.
Ferrari used their Tipo F120 B engine for the F40. It is a 3.0L twin-turbocharged V8. Boost peaked at 38psi with an 8.0:1 compression ratio. Michelotto installed large Behr intercoolers, a custom camshaft, and a dual fuel injector setup for each cylinder. This pushed the LM to a regulated 720hp at 7500rpm due to the 38mm air restrictors required for competition. Gillet removed those restrictors for Blaton to unleash the Barchetta’s full potential.
Auctions Are Unkind To An F40 Not Recognized By Ferrari1990 Ferrari F40via Gooding & CompanyWhen cars like the Ferrari F40 LM Barchetta hit the auction block, there is substantial due diligence performed by potential buyers. Shelling out that kind of money means making sure the car is not a piece-meal of parts posing as the real deal. Documentation of previous sales and maintenance are also key.
Items that came with the car should also include manuals and original parts if the car to ear the highest bid. In the case of the Barchetta, the extensive modifications deemed it unrecognized by Ferrari. This caused the car to not hit its $195,000 target back in 2005. A well documented example, that Ferrari stamps its approval of, can fetch upwards of $4M.
Auctioneers Gooding & Company sold its last Ferrari F40 LM for $2,090,000 in 2013. For perspective, the auction company sold a non-LM 1990 Ferrari F40 at Pebble Beach in 2022 for $3,965,000. Shame for the current owner of the iconic Ferrari F40 LM Barchetta.
