No, Ferrari is not taking legal action against Stanceworks for altering an F40.

      Stanceworks via YouTube

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      It’s been some time since Ferrari threatened legal action against anyone for modifying one of their vehicles, but it hasn't been long enough for people to forget about that possibility. This is why many have been keeping an eye on Mike Burroughs’ latest project at Stanceworks, where he's working on a renowned F40, just anticipating a cease and desist. Sure enough, last week he posted an image of a letter from Ferrari’s legal team on Instagram, suggesting the Italian car manufacturer was making moves again. However, it turns out that's not the case and there’s more to the narrative.

      Burroughs refers to his build as the “F40 Evolution,” and he intentionally avoids calling it a Ferrari. It includes a custom-made tube chassis and an F140 V12 engine capable of reaching 9,000 rpm, which should make it quite fierce once it’s operational. At the moment, though, it’s not ready; Burroughs has been working on the car since October 2024, taking his time to develop pushrod suspension, install centerlock hubs, and undertake other ambitious race car tasks.

      None of this is hidden. Burroughs has been documenting the entire process on Stanceworks’ YouTube channel with 424,000 subscribers and an Instagram account with 523,000 followers. In February, he posted a video titled “Is Ferrari Going to Sue Me for Building My Own F40?” where he tackled the question that many have been asking him. He pointed out that Stanceworks previously created a Honda K24-swapped Ferrari 308, and Ferrari never approached him regarding that project, despite his public criticisms during the build.

      “I’m more cautious about what I say regarding the F40 because I hold it in higher regard,” Burroughs noted. “I also don’t want to provoke them. That said, they aren’t concerned with what I’m doing. They don’t mind if you modify their cars. That’s one of the biggest misconceptions out there… If they were going to reach out to me, I believe they would have done so by now. We’ve moved past that.”

      Last week, Burroughs shared a photo of a letter he received from a law firm representing Ferrari along with an ambiguous caption that implied he might have spoken too soon. Without further details, the reaction was swift; supporters rallied around Stanceworks and criticized Ferrari for seemingly trying to shut down an interesting project and for being excessively protective of its brand. Why shouldn’t a car owner be allowed to modify their vehicle? It seemed like another classic David vs. Goliath story, stirring up frustration once more.

      However, that’s not quite the reality of the situation. After his post went live, we contacted both Burroughs and Ferrari for more details. Ferrari chose not to comment, and while Burroughs initially responded to us, he fell out of contact before we could get answers to our inquiries. But in a private video shared on Stanceworks’ Patreon page, Burroughs revealed more information that put the communication in a different context, saying, “Honestly, between you and me, we’re going to play this up a bit. But it’s not as serious as it seems.”

      In the video, Burroughs acknowledged that the letter is indeed a cease and desist—but not regarding the F40. It pertains to some posters and desk mats that Stanceworks was selling, which depicted the two cars with the Ferrari logo visible. He admitted that he erred in that regard, and that Ferrari is justified in wanting to control the use of its trademark.

      The letter mentions both the 308 and F40 projects, but he stated that Ferrari’s lawyers conceded they cannot prohibit him from modifying them. Instead, they are requesting that he publicly inform his audience “that there are technical and operational risks to using custom or modified components,” and that utilizing “non-Ferrari components… does distort the monetary value and authenticity” of the vehicles.

      “They just want me to acknowledge that. They don’t insist that we must do anything,” he clarifies. “They don’t even demand that we technically remove the logos from the 308, which I kind of expected them to.”

      Essentially, Ferrari might be overly cautious in its effort to protect itself from liability if something were to go wrong with the build, but the automaker is certainly not suing Stanceworks for having fun with one of its most legendary models.

      “Let this clear up the myth that you can’t modify your car,” he concludes. “There you have it, myth dispelled.”

      Some might argue it was disingenuous of Burroughs to share the letter in such a way, knowing it would provoke people and feed into the ongoing narrative of the intimidating Ferrari, while only revealing the full story behind a paywall that makes it effectively a non-issue. However