He restores an abandoned Ferrari 512, but a beginner's mistake may have ruined its V12 engine

Restore a Ferrari is already a delicate exercise. Restoring a Ferrari 512 BBi abandoned, engine removed, bodywork under construction and rare parts to be found, it's something else again. But in this latest stage of the famous Youtuber's project Ratarossa, The problem was neither a mysterious breakage nor a hidden defect discovered after dismantling. It stems from a simple, almost banal error, which the owner himself admits: incorrectly storing the V12 engine. And on a Ferrari 512 BBi, this kind of mistake can quickly turn into a bill running into thousands of euros.

A V12 that has never restarted since the rescue

When this abandoned Ferrari 512 BBi was recovered, it was virtually abandoned in a driveway. Since its arrival at the workshop, its engine has never really come back to life. It didn't turn over, it didn't start, but it wasn't blocked.

The decision was quickly taken to remove the engine. An initial inspection revealed something worrying: cylinder number 12 appeared to be much dirtier than the other eleven. This suggested a problem with the cylinder head gasket, or at the very least a localized anomaly in this part of the V12.

So far, nothing insurmountable in a restoration of this magnitude. The engine had even been dry-cleaned, restoring it to a very clean appearance. But it was after this stage that the trouble began.

The mistake: leaving the engine running in a cold workshop

After dismantling the two cylinder heads, the engine was left on a pallet, simply covered. As for the cylinder heads, they were placed on a shelf with some plastic film. All this in a cold, unheated workshop, where temperatures could drop below zero during the winter.

At the time, this may have seemed sufficient. But in hindsight, the owner recognizes that it was a big mistake. The cylinder liners, exposed to humidity and temperature variations, began to rust. And not just on cylinder number 12: both engine banks were affected. The real danger isn't surface rust. It's the pitting. If corrosion has attacked the material in depth, the liners may be beyond repair.

Remote diagnosis by a specialist

To find out for sure, he dismantles the cylinder head on the right-hand side and films the condition of the cylinders. The visual impression is worrying: the cylinder liners are rusty, some areas seem marked, and cylinder number 12 remains particularly dirty. The cylinder head, too, shows traces of oxidation around some valves.

The images were sent to David Moore Engineering, already involved in the rebuilding of another Ferrari engine. The specialist's reply was straightforward: the liners would have to be removed, the engine completely disassembled, and then fully inspected.

He also explains what should have been done right from the start: oil the surfaces, or at the very least protect them with WD-40, to prevent moisture from settling in. In a cold workshop, simply turning on a heater can cause condensation on the metal. And this condensation is enough to create rust. The specialist does not immediately condemn the engine. One possibility remains: that the rust is only superficial. In this case, the liners could perhaps be recovered after cleaning.

A costly mistake

The price of a cylinder liner for a Ferrari BB/BBi gives an immediate idea of the scale of the problem: around 493 pounds each, excluding VAT. Multiplied by twelve, the cost already exceeds 7,000 pounds (8,000 euros or 9,500 dollars) for the liners alone. And that's not counting labor, inspections, possible pistons, machining and complete reassembly of the V12.

Nevertheless, the specialist suggests several scenarios. If the pistons are still within tolerances and the liners can be salvaged, the bill will remain contained. If the liners are worn but salvageable, it may be possible to re-bore them with suitable pistons. But if they're too deeply pitted, they'll have to be replaced.