Ferrari Classique Certification has been a item of debate, but it’s certainly not going away. It’s been well over 10 years since it was was first instituted by the Ferrari Factory, and has changed a lot of the aspects of ownership.

Classique Certification is a process that the Ferrari Factory sells to owners to certify the car they own is as delivered from new. From a sliding scale of fees, a “red book” certification book issued from the Ferrari Classique Department for about $5000 and up. Sometimes, a “red book” can be issued even if the car does not have it’s original matching number engine, provided it has the correct engine type! So having a certified car, does not necessarily mean it’s all correct, and definitely does not mean the car is concours correct!

In most cases, however, a certified car means the internal numbers, engine stampings, gearbox stampings, rear differential numbers, and even chassis metallurgy is “as delivered” when the car was new from the factory.

Today, many new buyers like to have “Classique” along with the tool roll, or owner’s manuals to sweeten the deal when purchasing. In Europe, it seems, they demand it!

Since many owners have embraced the whole Ferrari certification process, many shops have seen more work getting cars to pass certification by installing correct exhaust systems, alternators, carburetors, and even transmissions!

Ferrari Classique also needs pictures of the various components to publish in the red book, so cars have to be put on lifts so clear photos can be taken. With the early Ferraris, the gearbox “numero interno” can only be photographed after most of the interior is removed!

One of my customers plans to have his 330 certified, and we decided since the car was at the shop, gaining access to the transmission number now would save us the trouble later.

Now that we have this number documented, the other numbers will be easy to photograph when we perform the actual certification process with a representative from Classique.