Let's start with, this is based on our observations of compressors sent to us for rebuilding. That's our version of YouTube's "this is not financial advice" that I know you've all heard before.
The biggest mix-up in Ferrari compressors... York, TCCI, Tecumseh, & Aspera. If you have a Ferrari built before 1990 chances are this rings a bell. As far as fit and function, they all will work. But for many Ferrari owners, details matter, and they want what came off the car to go back on the car. If that's the case, rebuilding is the way to go... I know a guy. Just saying.
Aspera was the compressor of choice for Ferrari up to around the mid 80's.
Aspera mostly used the HG700/HG700AP compressor design that they licensed from Tecumseh and manufactured in Italy. The Aspera HG700 can be easily identified by the large circular rear plate. Many of them, just as the one in the photo below, are missing their ID tag. This compressor always has the ID tag location on the rear, whereas York compressors have them on the front.
After 1983 Ferrari started to use various manufacturers for their compressors; Aspera, Borg-Warner, and Sanden. It appears that Borg-Warner's York 206 design was to replace the Aspera/Tecumseh HG700 having identical mounting, hose connections, clutch fitment, and similar pumping displacement. And this is where a lot of confusion comes into play. Borg-Warner made three styles of the full size York compressor; 206, 209, 210. There are only two differences between them; the stroke of the crankshaft and a slight design change on the compressor shaft. The only version that we've seen original to Ferrari has been the York 206. It's a theory that it's because of the shorter stroke it's able to handle the RPM's of the engine better than the York 210. But due to the availability of aftermarket York 210 units and for years the cost of the OEM York 210 being about 1/3 of the price of a York 206, that's what you're going to see as replacements.
You can still get OEM York 210 compressors, made in USA, but they no longer bare the Borg-Warner or York names. Borg-Warner sold the York product line to T/CCI back in the late 80's. Since then T/CCI has kept the York 210 alive and made in USA but sadly discontinued production of the York 206.
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