Photo: H.R. Owen Ferrari Service Centre
Every once in a while, one lucky individual comes across a hidden gem. In the auto world, that’s what they call a barn find, and few others have the potential to tug at your heartstrings as this one can.
This is the story of a 1995 Ferrari F355 Berlinetta in Verde Silverstone, that was abandoned for years, taking extensive damage in the process. It was discovered by pure chance in Macau, flown to the UK and, after a painful restoration, brought back to its initial condition, Insurance-Edge reports.
The current owner was in Macau looking for a Ferrari 512 TR. He found it but, next to it, under a sheet, he noticed another Ferrari. He pulled the cover and realized it was run-down F355 Berlinetta in Verde Silverstone, a color that’s actually hard to come by.
At the recommendation of a fellow Ferrarista, he did some digging around and learned that the F355 had been registered in 1995 in Macau, so he took steps towards buying it. Then, he had it shipped to London, where the London-based H.R. Owen Ferrari Service Centre would bring back to life after a very painstaking restoration process.
This F355 comes with the much sought-after gated manual gearbox and optional carbon-fiber racing bucket seats. It has 6,200 miles on the clock, covered between 1995 and 2007, and was abandoned around that same year, never having been started again. Until the restoration, that is.
When it was brought in, the F355 had key wiring components chewed by rodents, corrosion and wear and tear to all the mechanical functions, and an engine that obstinately refused to start up. The staff at H.R. Owen Ferrari Service Centre removed the engine, replaced the damaged parts and deep-cleaned those that still worked.
The clutch was replaced, a new catalyst system was installed, a new battery, AC, brakes and shock absorbers were put in. A new set of wheels and tires were the finishing touches needed to bring this machine back to life but, as you may notice in the gallery attached, the body is yet to be restored.
According to the same media outlet, a full bodywork restoration is underway and the new owner is looking to have it painted in the same Verde Silverstone color. After that, H.R. Owen Ferrari will have the F355 submitted for a Ferrari Classiche certification, which should considerably drive up the price, should the owner consider selling it – somewhere in the vicinity of $130,000.
“We’re delighted to be able to showcase the extraordinary level of training that our H.R. Owen Ferrari aftersales technicians go through with a project like this,” Ken Choo, H.R. Owen CEO, says in a statement.
“The F355 was one of the most advanced sports cars of its era, and it’s no easy task to restore one to perfect working order after having spent 12 years parked. What the team at H.R. Owen Ferrari Aftersales have achieved here is spectacular, and we’re delighted to have been able to play a part in the recommissioning of this rare and important piece of Ferrari history,” Choo adds.
The current owner was in Macau looking for a Ferrari 512 TR. He found it but, next to it, under a sheet, he noticed another Ferrari. He pulled the cover and realized it was run-down F355 Berlinetta in Verde Silverstone, a color that’s actually hard to come by.
At the recommendation of a fellow Ferrarista, he did some digging around and learned that the F355 had been registered in 1995 in Macau, so he took steps towards buying it. Then, he had it shipped to London, where the London-based H.R. Owen Ferrari Service Centre would bring back to life after a very painstaking restoration process.
This F355 comes with the much sought-after gated manual gearbox and optional carbon-fiber racing bucket seats. It has 6,200 miles on the clock, covered between 1995 and 2007, and was abandoned around that same year, never having been started again. Until the restoration, that is.
When it was brought in, the F355 had key wiring components chewed by rodents, corrosion and wear and tear to all the mechanical functions, and an engine that obstinately refused to start up. The staff at H.R. Owen Ferrari Service Centre removed the engine, replaced the damaged parts and deep-cleaned those that still worked.
The clutch was replaced, a new catalyst system was installed, a new battery, AC, brakes and shock absorbers were put in. A new set of wheels and tires were the finishing touches needed to bring this machine back to life but, as you may notice in the gallery attached, the body is yet to be restored.
According to the same media outlet, a full bodywork restoration is underway and the new owner is looking to have it painted in the same Verde Silverstone color. After that, H.R. Owen Ferrari will have the F355 submitted for a Ferrari Classiche certification, which should considerably drive up the price, should the owner consider selling it – somewhere in the vicinity of $130,000.
“We’re delighted to be able to showcase the extraordinary level of training that our H.R. Owen Ferrari aftersales technicians go through with a project like this,” Ken Choo, H.R. Owen CEO, says in a statement.
“The F355 was one of the most advanced sports cars of its era, and it’s no easy task to restore one to perfect working order after having spent 12 years parked. What the team at H.R. Owen Ferrari Aftersales have achieved here is spectacular, and we’re delighted to have been able to play a part in the recommissioning of this rare and important piece of Ferrari history,” Choo adds.
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