Kato 3.0QV vs Cavello 3.2QV initial thoughts...

Hi Folks, well we've had both cars together now for a few weeks and have both driven them back to back so to speak.
Kato 3.0QV has been lightened, lowered and engine tweaked.
Cavello 3.2QV is standard.

Mods to Kato 3.0QV: 178lbs removed.
Suspension lowered by 1.5inches but returned back to standard again until new springs arrive.
Camshaft timing changed slightly from standard, more overlap gives greater power up the rev range at the expense of slight loss of torque.
Front suspension geometry changed from standard to reduce typical Ferrari understeer.

Cavello has an immaculate service history solely with Talacrest for entire life, enough said, doesn't get better than that.
Both cars are on TRX tyres

Warp factor......
So driving the 2 cars back to back is very interesting.
Kato 3.0QV is, we are both agreed on way faster in a straight line than Cavello 3.2QV
Cavello 3.2 pulls well low down and gradually builds to a strong, smooth and eager acceleration as one approaches 7,000rpm.
But, Kato 3.0QV is a different animal altogether, he pulls well at low sub 3000rpm but not quite as well as the 3.2 however it's further up the rev range that Kato comes into his own.
By the time the rpm is at 4000 Kato is besting Cavello and at 5000rpm Kato goes absolutely ballistic! At 5000rpm there is a massive surge of power, it's quite distinct and the engine note hardens as the rev needle races frantically for the 8000rpm mark. This makes Kato very exciting to drive and that 5000rpm power band highly addictive, it's kind of a ''TURBO'' rush experience, it's bloody great fun.
Emily was most disappointed that the 3.2 didn't have that Kato ''RUSH'' factor.

Threading the needle.......
Katos steering is also better than the 3.2 but this is due largely to the setup changes I have made. Obviously turn in on Kato 3.0 is way more precise and crisper than the 3.2, my aim being to try and give my Ferrari that ''Lotus'' feel as best as I could.
Using the Lotus as a control I got the Ferrari as near as possible given the dynamics of the car.

Control the roll......
This is where, at last Cavello beats Kato.
Kato 3.0 may turn in better than the 3.2 but there is a fair bit of roll, this I was reluctant to do anything about as I feared it might make the back end of the car really snappy and take away some of the feel, however I was wrong. This is because on day 2 I took Cavello 3.2 out with 4 people in, and put the car in a wonderful sideways drift around a roundabout with such control and precision that it left me feeling a bit gobsmacked!
This has made me seriously rethink Katos standard roll setup and so I've decided to upgrade the roll bars to the 3.2 setup.
The softer roll bars really date the feel of Kato more than anything I can think of. Kato rolls like a 1970s car whereas Cavello feels like a 1990s car, this is a huge step change between them.
Cavello ultimately corners far flatter and changes direction through fast chicanes with more precision than Kato but best of all you actually get more feel and control rather than less so stiffer roll bars are a must do for me now for Kato.

Fuel economy......
Ha ha, isn't it ironic, I've been fairly quiet about Katos astounding fuel economy 34mpg!
I thought you'd all think I was talking rubbish so I've played it down.
Well I'm happy to report Cavellos 3.2 fuel economy is pretty much what you Guys are getting i.e. 24mpg. How strange that the faster of the 2 cars is way above in fuel efficiency.

Comfort.....
Well out of the 2 cars Cavello the 3.2 is the more comfortable and civilised. It's the car one would take friends out in. It is a little more developed, refined and quieter; it really is an enjoyable and wonderful place to be........However.....it is not the weapon of choice.

Duelling Pistols.....
If it's a scrap you want in a traffic light Grand Prix then Kato is surely the weapon of choice. Once on the cam he's bloody quick and will happily stay with a Ferrari 360 no problem. Now I know that a Ferrari 360 isn't the fastest of cars these days but given the age gap and percieved performance gap between them it's fairly impressive I think and remember in a Mondial your friends and family can come too.
Truth is at the end of the day we both love the 2 cars for different reasons although I think Emilys heart is ultimately with Kato...

All the best Bell Bloke.

Ps. I do much prefer the dark interior now....damn it!
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Cheers for your comments Guys, I think what's nice to know is that for me all the improvments I did to Kato elevated him from a technically slower than the 3.2 to a faster car and this was done not by spending lots of cash but mearly by adjustments and weight loss. The change of roll bars on Kato will make another massive difference I'm sure.
I like that Ferrari evolved the set-up for the better over the years.
Hank it's interesting what you say about the look of both cars, I really can't decide now, but I do like the look of Kato from the side, he really looks like part of the 308 family.
Cavello is nicer inside though, I've kind of gone off Katos light interior, I much prefer the 3.2s dark cockpit cosy feel, it looks and feels rich, like dark chocolate.

Emily I think just wants to keep the 3.2 car standard for now, the aircon is actually working, so she doesn't want to remove it. She just wants to clean the engine and do a cam belt service she said. Belts are 5 years old on 2000miles which I'm comfortable with but she wants a Ferrari belt change under her belt, she's watched my video and wants to do it herself. This weekend she did her X19 valve clearances using.......my Ferrari tool! It fits she found out, so she's had all the Fiat shims out measured them and ordred new ones at $2 each. Clearances were too loose we felt from the beginning but the book said they were correct, another book also confirmed this until we found the original specs that said both books were wrong, huh duplicated mistake, haha. Incidently X19 clearence is the same as the Ferrari.

 

Yes I agree Antwan, the big steering wheel sensation ha ha it's very vintage and body roll does seem to contribute to it. When I have time I will compare the 2 cars and do some roll bar measuring. I think as far as I can tell, that the spring rates are the same.

 

Hi Rapalyea, the valve timing is adjusted by moving the pins on the standard Ferrari drive sprockets. It wasn't something I talked about here or put in my videos for fear of muddying the waters. Also I didn't want to be responsible for any problems that might occur from folks doing the same and possibly not getting it right. It's ok when you know how but it's a bit more specialised than just changing out a cambelt. Mind you there are plenty here that do this kind of adjustment, they are mostly in the 308 section.
I got the idea years ago when I did it to my Aston V8 Vantage ( I was 25 at the time)
The Aston engine doesn't have timing marks on the cams at all, you can only set it up on a dial guage. I noticed that the cam profile on the V8 Auto and V8 manual was the same and yet the cam timing was completely different, the manual had more overlap.
I was passing the Aston workshop in Newport Pagnel one day and in those days you could just drop in and chat to the guys whilst they were making the cars, no health and safety. They explained that because the auto has to pull from 1000rpm the cam timing was set up to give more torque. With the manual you can rev the engine to 3000 and drop the clutch, basically you can stir the manual up more than the auto, so the manual cars have a fiercer overlap that gives more power higher up the rev range.
The 5.2ltr 4 cam V8 Aston motor from the 80s was unbustable at 7500rpm so really benefitted from from this adjustment.
Since I drive Kato in 2 modes...pootle and flat out I decided to tweak the cam timing to suit my style of driving....and it does ha ha.
All the best Bell

 

Ha ha yes it's nice but Crowndog, I've seen your car and there's no way I'd be parking next to you at a show.
Don't be modest, put up a link to your build for the good folks here, it's a bloody masterpiece.
See this is why it's a shame that we can't double post or even post links to relevant stuff in the 308/328 section and visa versa. I mean I didn't even know about your lovely restoration until I stumbled across it by chance.
But hey thankyou for the very kind compliment, I feel like Liberace next to your Beethovan ha ha.
All the best Bell.

 

Cheers Hank, you know Emily has been trying to talk me into returning Kato back to black butresses and bumpers she likes the original look but I'm stalling, I just don't know.
I do like the fact that Kato looks like a 308 from the side with red bits...

 

HA ha Todd, it's England.......brrr if it's not raining it's cold. Actually I like the hard top cars and both have sun roofs.
Hank you are right I'm not worried about concours. I admire the self control of the folks that do concours but we just love driving the cars. Seeing some of the perfect restorations done here is very inspiring but totally impractacal for us. All that sexy zinc plating and anodising just won't last here in England unless you only drive the car in the dry. My flat floor pan on Kato keeps the engine looking sexy but roll bars and suspension start to tarnish no matter what you do. 1 year here and even the most perfect of cars will end up looking just like ours.
Lifes too short to worry about how clean the underside of our toys are, in the end you just have to go and have fun splashing in the puddles and so what if you come back dirty..
We were out playing in the cars at the weekend, it was freezing!
All the best, Bell and Em.
PS, we did do a sound off engine revving video and would you believe it the mic failed to record it so only got a picture damnn!! ;-)
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Hi Journiacois, I think the black rubberised buttress was probably more of a styling feature rather than anything practical, both Pini'' and Bertone did some fairly whacky things in their time styling wise, much of it emulated by others even to this day.
I personally prefer the look of the older car when it is lowered by an inch which I will do as soon as time allows.
Anyway it's great to have the choice, we are very lucky... This Easter we will be out playing with the Fiat X1/9......Emily has just got the correct figures for the valves and is doing the clearances tonight ready for tomorrow, she is very excited, it's her first valve job.
Regards Bell

 

Ha ha it's 10pm here she's down in the garage with her lab coat on and protective gloves and goggles, she looks like she's tuning up the Cern Hadron Collider.
I'd post up some pics but I'm nice and cosey here watching Inspector Morse. Will try and get some of her later, it's worth a chuckle.