This evening, I went on my first proper drive with my Ferrari 308 after Carl worked (laboured????) on it. As those who know me, I've been somewhat disappointed from my initial (3 year) experience with the car. She looked beautiful.....sounded beautiful......lovely gearbox.....but the brakes were terrible, the steering was all over the show, poor clutch take up and lazy throttle response (thanks PP for that insight)....but tonight, in the cool air, she drove beautifully. I drove her briefly this afternoon with another F-chatter and it was pleasant. But not really special in the truest sense of the word. However, tonight I was amazed just how MUCH better the engine performed in the cool air (I know, ram effect from the air scoops on the sides), and she sounded amazing on the overrun with crackles and pops emanating from the exhausts. The brakes worked well. She steered straight and gave lucid feedback. Tonight was the first time that my tempestuous machine lived up to expectations. Like all truly beautiful women, she can break your heart with her cantankerous nature but she came close to redeeming herself. If only she had lighter steering whilst parking, she just might be perfect (as much a 308 can be,that is). I know a GTB is better-looks even more beautiful, feels tauter and drives crisper but when driving a well sorted GTS in the cool evening air, with the roof off and heater on, you can briefly allow yourself the folly that the GTB really isn't the better car. Are all "vintage" Ferrari's like this? Now Carl, all we need is to do is tension that water pump belt and stop the b@#$h squealing and I'll just might be a happy 308 owner.
Or is this just a wank when I think my Ferrari is so much nicer to drive in the cool evening air? STFU PP
Multi carbureted cars love cool moist air as it increases the density. My Maserati V8 Loved cool winter days went noticeably better,
Is it as simple as that? Wouldn't the scalloped air scoops accentuate any ram effect from cooler denser air? It sure felt that way. I once had a Stag that drove much better at night and it had a air box that connected to an opening above the grill and I believed that i could perceptibly feel a "ram effect" caused by cool evening air.
Is it my folly to believe it drives better at night? A few weeks ago, you described how a QV (K-Jetronic car) has a lazy throttle response and I think that is an accurate description. But tonight, she didn't feel lazy at all. She had so much more beans. Does your car perform better at night?
LOL..........well over 100kph in a 60 zone in the Stag.......but very fair point. In the Ferrari, perhaps 100-120 kph on the freeway and elsewhere. Its not the speed......it the way it felt.....the way it responded. Speed is immaterial as we both know on the street. Thats why we drive "vintage" Ferraris.
I would be scared too if I saw you at night. Seriously, I prefer driving at night but I do wear yellow tinted glasses at night as my natural eyesight is not the greatest. During the day, my eyesight is fine.
I don't have new headlights....but my car does I haven't driven with them yet. Probably never will! Anyway....if you were to say that compared to on a 35 degree day you noticed a difference driving on a 10 degree day ...then I'd agree....but you're comparing driving on a day in the mid teens to what is currently 10 degrees in Melbourne. If there's a difference I would have thought there's something wrong. Horse should know.....if he remembers.
as I said, you're comparing 15 degrees to 10 degrees....if the effect varies, which I doubt.....the temperature difference is insignificant. My old 930 was a friggin rocket when the air temp was 4 deg compared to 20+, but that was for completely different reasons. So...in a word, NO....I don't believe a few degrees between the last time you drove the car and tonight would have changed anything UNLESS you're sucking air from the engine bay or something wrong like that.
If your wearing a jumper in the morning and take it off in the afternoon when its 19 C, I'm sure the temperature difference is not "insignificant". And yep, I think my car will be nicer to drive in the crisp morning air...........if I can be bothered to get up early enough.