| Author |
Message |
Ben Lobenstein 90 TR (Benjet)
| | Posted on Sunday, March 18, 2001 - 5:15 pm: | |
How about when you are ready to clean your baby, what has to be one of the dirtyest parts of your car - the wheels (rims). Before you get the car wet take a dry (stress the DRY) shop (or terry)towel and just gently wipe off the brake dust. If you have mud or other road debis that require a bit more work try a foamy (aerosol) window cleaner or basic 409 (use these sparingly) without the use of water. Then when you are washing your car just finish with a quick soaping of the wheels with regular car wash. Rinse along with the rest of the car when done. You'll be surprised at the great results achieved with simplicity.
DO NOT USE COMMERCIAL "QUICKY" wheel cleaners aka Brake acids, they aren't good for much, especially your delicate parts.
-Ben |
Warren E. Smith (Magoo)
| | Posted on Friday, March 16, 2001 - 10:08 am: | |
Craig, to add to your comments RE:hood strut. When finished with the overhaul put a couple of drops of STP in the cylinder. This gives the strut smooth action and prevents future corrosion. Magoo |
HEATH VAUGHN (Heath)
| | Posted on Friday, March 16, 2001 - 8:50 am: | |
Hey Magoo
Go on a diet?
Best Regrds,Slightly fat
Heath |
Warren E. Smith (Magoo)
| | Posted on Thursday, March 15, 2001 - 11:59 pm: | |
If your drivers seat or pass. seat on your 308 has started to sag, catch it before it's too late. I noticed that mine was doing just that. So I removed the drivers seat and found that the thick piece of foam under the seat was starting to seperate. I purchased a piece of fiberglass screen from the local hardware store,this screening is the type used as a enclosure for your patio or pool area. Cut a piece of the screen the same size of the foam area. Then coat the foam area with weldwood contact cement and also coat the screen. Wait approx. 10 min. then put screen over the broken foam area pushing the foam down to it's orig. position. Let dry. After 24 hrs. Your seat should be as good as new. MAGOO |
Warren E. Smith (Magoo)
| | Posted on Saturday, March 10, 2001 - 2:40 pm: | |
MAR HYDE ONE STEP rust preventative is the brand name. Found at auto stores or paint supply stores in 10 oz. spray cans. MAGOO |
Warren E. Smith (Magoo)
| | Posted on Friday, March 09, 2001 - 11:35 pm: | |
Sorry, The rubber stop is not on the bonnet but on the roof rail where it meets the 1\4 panel. MAGOO |
Warren E. Smith (Magoo)
| | Posted on Friday, March 09, 2001 - 11:22 pm: | |
I have noticed a lot of metal body GTS's rusting out where the roof panel meets the rear 1\4 panels. The water is getting in around the rubber stop plug on the engine bonnet cover. I don't have the problem on my car but I preped it anyway. Remove the rubber stop,plug, and spray MAR HYDE rust preventative back into the hole where the roof panel meets the 1\4 panels, using the tube on the spray can. Spray liberally. When replacing the plug use liquid black silicone on the threads. This will seal it. Use only MAR HYDE it has a protective coating that will prevent further rust.Magoo |
Mike hughes (Mph)
| | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2001 - 3:28 pm: | |
Has anyone had any experience with Speed lingerie?
Rock chips are making me crazy! |
David Prall (Davidpra)
| | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2001 - 11:14 am: | |
Hey Rob, not to diss on your very good tips, but with regard to number 1, I would also point out to be careful as flipping the plate can sometimes prevent engaging 5th gear. I learned this (quite embarrassingly) when a client brought his 308 in for service, and after reassembling the center console, I inadvertently reversed the plate. He brought the car back an hour later because it wouldn't snick into 5th -- oops!
Seems not to be a problem on all cars (that good old Ferrari QC). So, one could dry test by flipping, and checking 5th engagement before hitting the road -- not that it is a safety issue, but it certainly is a nuisance. |
Craig Dewey (Craigfl)
| | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2001 - 10:44 am: | |
You do have to watch the "gas spring" type without the button. The original does not exert any extra force on the bonnet because it is just a latch mechanism. The gas spring exerts a considerable amount of force all the time. I tried the gas spring replacement on mine but it doesn't work so well for two reasons:
1. My hood has a very slight kink/bulge because someone tried to close it without releasing it or more likely, the strut was partially seized and was dragging. Because of this and the constant force it exerts it doesn't seem real "safe" for me.
2. I think the gas spring is less safe anyway. It fools you into thinking that you aren't going to get the kink. Operating the bonnet too quickly, I believe, will cause the same problem.
Anyway, I rebuilt mine and it's back on the car. Of course if anyone wants to by my virtually unused gas shock (with "Ferrari" on it), I'd be willing to part with it. |
Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
| | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2001 - 9:32 am: | |
Craig, my car evidently had a bad experience with this in the past. I now have an aftermarket shock on mine that doesn't require pushing in the button. I can just see the thousands of people that have gone... "dang, the bonnet won't close"... [snap] |
Craig Dewey (Craigfl)
| | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2001 - 6:37 am: | |
Is your front hood strut sticking or not working properly on your 328 (or 308)? Catch it before it causes the dreaded kinking in the front hood! Expensive to fix and looks bad! This little device with the release button can be rebuilt easily. Typically, water gets in and causes the piston to stick as well as the spring to deteriorate. Take it apart, clean it up, put in a new spring if yours is rusty & lube. |
'75 308 GT4 (Peter)
| | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2001 - 3:00 am: | |
I still can't believe how smoothly this works, but replace the ventilation cable housings with bicycle brake cable housings. The Teflon inside makes it incredibly smooth and it costs about a buck a foot. Works only for the older cars, newer ones use vacuum to operate the flaps. |
Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
| | Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2001 - 12:03 am: | |
How about we all list the little tricks and tips we've picked up over the years, I'll start...
1) On the 308/328 and I don't know which others, if you don't want to have to push down to put in reverse, you can unscrew the gate and twist it around. This way you'll be able to go straight into reverse, but the reason Ferrari designed it the previous way was to keep you from going into reverse on accident.
2) Sliding floor mats - I know there were times when I thought I had cruise control, but it was just my mat up on the gas. For a $1 you can buy these "Hook and Loop" velcro fasteners. You cut the length you want and take off the protective backs so you reveal the sticky stuff. Put them under your mats and they won't slide anymore. But, if you want to remove them for cleaning, you just pull and the velcro will let go.
3) For those little rock chips - find a local body shop and get touch up paint. I was given a little bottle for free and it will probably last years. |
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