| Author | Message | ||
| Dr. Erik Nielsen (Judge4re)
New member Username: Judge4re Post Number: 19 Registered: 4-2003 |
There is one more thing that you have to worry about in a pre-95 challenge car. The roll cage is not homologated for street use. For it to be really street legal, its got to come out. I presented all of this at the IAC/PFA board meeting in 2001 (nice 30+ page report) and the consensus from the meeting was if it had the kit, it wasn't street legal. Regardless, I'm still not sure that I'd want to drive a car with a roll cage without a helmet. | ||
| Martin - Cavallino Motors (Miami348ts)
Senior Member Username: Miami348ts Post Number: 5030 Registered: 5-2001 |
 Hi guys. 348 can be re-converted. What you need to do is put 3 point harnesses in the car, add the passive restrain system (mouse) and add DOT approved tires and you are ready to go. Adding such "luxories" like AC etc will enhance your driving pleasure but are not DOT necessary. CATs may have been removed and need to be added the Challenge muffler may as well. The 355CH is convertible from only 1995. After that they were imported to the US as race cars and will never be elidgable for street use. Yes, I am driving the 355CH on the streets in Miami. Actually did this moring to watch the race. It is fun and pain at the same time. No AC and the ride is very, lets say hard on your back. This also means that in 1995 and during the 348 run, the cars were converted for racing by the dealers or the privateers. My #17 355CH was a FoHouston conversion. Nick, You have to know what you are looking for. AC in these cars is a "nice" feature. Doody, I actually had the 355CH on the track on Thurdays at Moroso. Lots of fun. Boy the car flies. without giving 100% it still did 140 on the front straight. I drove a 1.4628 and the previous owner of this car had a 1.36 but with the faster straight in Moroso and the hairpin shikane missing. Also he is a semi pro driver. So I guess I did pretty good. | ||
| Jon P. Kofod (95f355c)
Member Username: 95f355c Post Number: 748 Registered: 8-2001 |
348's and 355 Challenge cars were all built on a Ferrari factory production line as normal street cars first. All 348's came to the state as fully legal street cars and then were given very minor modifications for racing. In the case of 355's it was a matter of whether they were built with the kit at the factory or at a US dealer. The 355's had much more extensive modifications that would make it quite hard to make them street legal and this would only apply to 1995 model years. The 360 Challenge is not built on the same production line as a 360 street car and it is built as a race car from the ground up from the start. Regards, Jon P. Kofod 1995 F355 Challenge #23 (converted by Ferrari of Washington) | ||
| Mr. Doody (Doody)
Intermediate Member Username: Doody Post Number: 1338 Registered: 11-2001 |
Martin may be seen cruising time to time in Miami with his 355C hmmm - i believe you mean "bring the car to a car show" or "heading to join a parade", right Martin? doody. | ||
| Byron (Bmyth)
Member Username: Bmyth Post Number: 873 Registered: 10-2002 |
Oh yah.. I left out the lights and stuff... most of that was left on the cars anyways... the only other thing that was replaced was the front brake cooling ducts... the fog lights were re-installed. | ||
| Byron (Bmyth)
Member Username: Bmyth Post Number: 872 Registered: 10-2002 |
Doody... I believe it only applies to 348's. 355's and 360's are not street-legal. (although Martin may be seen cruising time to time in Miami with his 355C!!) | ||
| Nick tenhulzen (Nickmpower)
New member Username: Nickmpower Post Number: 2 Registered: 7-2003 |
Thank you for your reply Byron!!! I think that me adn my dad might leave most of teh challange stuff and only install stuff that is required for street use such as proper lights and turn signals Thanks for your help | ||
| Mr. Doody (Doody)
Intermediate Member Username: Doody Post Number: 1336 Registered: 11-2001 |
interesting data. sorry for my incorrect flippant initial response. is it true that 355 and 360 challenge cars all started out as street cars and were converted to racing duty? or is the 348 special in that regard? doody. | ||
| Byron (Bmyth)
Member Username: Bmyth Post Number: 871 Registered: 10-2002 |
Nick, Welcome to FerrariChat. I have a converted 89 348 Challenge that has been re-converted for street use. During the conversion to street, this was what was done: - new A/C unit was installed - street tires put on the challenge wheels - stock single-chamber exhaust (I had the factory challenge on for 6 months, but just became a bit loud) - full roll-cage removed - challenge OMP seats removed and replaced with Carbon Fiber daytona seats - interior retrofitted (carpeting, etc) - fire system disconnected - ignition-kill disconnected - decals removed and car was repainted from challenge yellow to original rosso corsa What remains: - Lowered suspension (it rides fine on the road - not too rough at all... just a bit low!) - Upgraded brakes (355 spec) - Brake-proportioning valve - test pipes - roll-bar - single disc racing clutch + lightened flywheel - drop gears - 18" challenge wheels - challenge steering wheel - challenge pedals and label ("348 Challenge") - tow hook mounts are still there, but I still haven't replaced my tow hooks - challenge ECU's I've added/will be adding the following: - custom stereo - full Carbon fiber interior - carbon kevlar series speciale lip - carbon fiber shift knob - carbon fiber front grill plate that's a good run-down, off the top of my head... there's probably more under the covers, but that's it for now. Hope this helps! Btw, to expand on Dave's comment as "348 challenge cars all started as street cars"... this is true... in 1994, Ferrari rolled out 32 "factory" challenge cars, which, in the US, were essentially street cars that were prepped with the challenge kits by certified dealerships. Also, I agree... many challenge race cars were heavily modified beyond the limits of the challenge rules... | ||
| Jordan Witherspoon (Jordan747_400)
Intermediate Member Username: Jordan747_400 Post Number: 1451 Registered: 12-2002 |
Byron from this website has a street 348 challenge car. Just wait until he responds and he will let you know what you need to know! | ||
| Dave328GTB (Hardtop)
Member Username: Hardtop Post Number: 624 Registered: 1-2002 |
348 challenge cars all started as street cars, so it's just a matter of reversing whatever mods make them illegal. The only internal mods that could be done to motors was minor cam timing changes, so they should be easy to put back to smoggable. After that, it's a matter of using street tires. For drivability, a person would probably want to raise the suspension back to stock, remove hard bushings if any and change the supension settings back to normal. I used to have a 1994 348 challenge rule book and there really wasn't a lot you could do. If someone has since modified a car beyond the original rules, that's another matter. Dave | ||
| Mr. Doody (Doody)
Intermediate Member Username: Doody Post Number: 1333 Registered: 11-2001 |
you mean besides giving the DOT two of them to crash test? :-) doody. | ||
| Nick tenhulzen (Nickmpower)
New member Username: Nickmpower Post Number: 1 Registered: 7-2003 |
What would it take to make a 348 challange street legal? |