It was a cool call.
Our backyard is currently being redone. That means a complete tearing out of what was there (outside of a beautiful tree) and a lot of digging. My wife told me to check her Instagram, which I did. Something had been unearthed in the excavation. I had to share it too:
That is Matchbox Ferrari 308 GTB, made in 1981. Obviously we have no idea how long it has been there, but it obviously was there before we moved in a few years ago. Nonetheless the famous buried Ferrari Dino came to mind.
No foul play here, just a toy car lost or eventually ignored by a previous resident. But it was a Ferrari. I still haven’t seen the discovery in person, but it is sitting on my desk waiting for me to return home. I can’t wait to see it.
So the question is, what to do with it? I am keeping it to be sure, but go back and forth on what its future will be. I will photograph it as is for sure in the Lamley Studio, I promise. But after that?
I created a poll, and I want to see what you think. Vote below. Let’s see what its future will be.
May I suggest contracting it out to a Matchbox restoration flogger. My suggestions would be Marty’s Matchbox makeovers in Australia, Lee with Tme Riders Wee Little Cars in Minnesota for Paul in beautiful Las Vegas from fat guy Productions. Either of these three guys would do a top-notch factory restoration and in the end you would also have a video diary of the restoration as it happens and we your followers get to see the restoration too
Attach Lamley to the project and there is an advertising mecca. These three know or know of each other.
Would there be cost involved? Probably. Is it worth it? Indeed. Imagine the 1/64 scale tale of the Ferrari unearthed in John Lamberts Back Yard sent to a well known Matchbox restoration specialist for a complete *off frame rotisserie* makeover!? And a video of the process?
Thats my vote.
Marty is quite good, although he has yet to do a superfast model. Not his cup of tea. Still, present the story and link the blog – that might just real him and Kevin in!
Send it to diecast heaven. Spray it with AquaNet and burn it. Channel your inner 12 year old.
I think it deserves a special place on this website. Just like the undestroyable 1988 Toyota Hilux in Top Gear: https://topgear.fandom.com/wiki/The_Indestructible_Hilux
I have a soft spot for Customizing & Restoring! I think I have about 100 customs done and about 200 completely stripped down to the metal, tapped, bolted and waiting to be finished. Basically looks like a collection of Zamacs! Haha
I vote to have someone restore it! Or maybe a mild Custom (stock paint w/ real riders). I am excited to see what comes of this!
Give it two more lives at least:
1.) Clean it and put new star Real Riders on it. Feature all its earned patina in a photo shoot.
Then:
2.) Send it to a customizer. Feature the paint and details in a photo shoot.
man if you could restore that it could be a part of the history of the Lamley Group’s timeline. A LANDMARK!!!
Keep as is, as a shrine. My sister 4 years ago moved to a new house. The garden was a mess. As she and family were digging away my sis found a Mbx tanker mb 11 which I think was red. Given to me of cause. The sad thing is more things were found as debris. It was a site later found out a liberator b17 USAF, lassie come home crash site. The gardens at the back taken impact. RIP to 8 crew on board. Also children who were at the time the playing. Rye avenue , Norwich. UK. To all a shrine has been placed in the area.
I will be in the minority, but I say give it a quick rinse and display as is. It will have a patina that tells the story and will provoke questions. But it wont shed dirt all over that wonderful office.
So far I have 2 I have found at my houses and one from my childhood. People know they have a story when they see them among the other mint models.
I say you should send this car to baremetalHW. He would do an amazing job on customizing this Ferrari.
Guess I’m too late to vote. Given the opportunity I would’ve voted to keep it exactly as is, dirt and all. There is not another in the world exactly like it.. The evidence to go with the story of how it was found disappears once it has been cleaned. Restoration is senseless: there are thousands of them out there in brand-new condition. I am a customizer, yet I suggest NOT to customize this one. You can get another for a dollar or less to do that with.