Francois and I finished an engine and transmission rebuild a while back and I built a crate to ship to Canada several months ago. With scheduling conflicts, along with logistical issues shipping these two crates, I offered to drive the whole lot across the border myself to insure the package got delivered safely and securely. My concerns were not only making sure it passed through customs, but also moving an irreplaceable engine transmission with a freight company without fear of damage or loss. The owner agreed that would be the safest way and then offered to accompany me during the 7 hour drive from NY to Toronto!

I think John knew if he came on a ride along with me, there would definitely be more Ferraris to look at and I didn’t disappoint! Our first stop across the Niagra Falls Border was to see Rob’s project. He has a couple of SI 330s he’s been piecing together through the years, and has been collecting parts from all the usual suspects.

If you’ve been following SI 330s for over a decade or two, the “wicker car” is one that some people may remember. This was a SI 330 that had a wicker appliqué installed on its flanks! A Ferrari parts collector named Fred Petroski in Chaumont, NY had it and it was missing it’s engine and some of the mechanicals. Although the car had been sold by the time I visited Fred’s collection over a decade ago, here are a couple blog posts: Part I, Part II. Fred passed away several years ago, but his company still has some parts left. Rob bought the car and had spent the last several years putting this car and a second 330GT back together!

As with most gear heads, we ooo’d and ahhh’d at Rob’s parts stash. Eventually, Rob will be getting these parts installed on one of the cars he has, but he’s been making steady progress!

Our next stop was just 20 minutes away to see what Hugh was up to. His Ferraris consisted of a 330 America, a 330GTC, and a Dino, two of which I had a hand in helping Hugh acquire.

The first car was 330 GTC we inspected Rhode Island. Even inspecting this car was an adventure! She’s been improved since Hugh’s stewardship, but that’s true of all of Hugh’s collection!

The 330 America which was a restoration project in Virginia and I drove down to VA to pick Hugh up at the airport to inspect and inventory the car. Hugh bought the car, shipped it back to Toronto, and started restoring the car himself. Having won a Platinum award for this car was a testament to the level of Hugh’s restoration skills! Here’s fun story about this car from 2016.

I spent a night in Toronto after dropping off the Engine and Transmission. Now that it was across the border, with proper duties paid, John and I delivered the packages to his domestic shipper to transport it directly to his company across Canada. It was a quick two day trip but I not only got the job done, but also introduced a couple of Canadian Vintage Ferrari neighbors living just on the other side of town! Thanks guys, and I’ll see you all next time!