First Drive This Year

I parked the car last Fall in about October and drove it once in either late November or early December. This was longer then I intended to let it sit but its inside the garage with my 1988 Mark VII in back of it. So I was lazy. This time I parked the Mondial behind the Mark VII because I believe it needs exercised more.

Anyway, the car started first turn of key, a bit jiggly for a few seconds but a quick stab at the throttle and it settled right down. I put in about 15 or 20 briskly driven mountain miles and everything is routine. Lots of full throttle but short shifted mostly at about 5,000 rpm.

Incidentally! I ran my car at the WannaGoFast event last Spring at Heavens Landing about 30 miles from my house up here in the N. Georgia mountains. Its a private airplane gated community and we run a 1/2 mile on the runway for speed only. Times are not recorded. Some of the Lambos break 200 mph and lots of fun.

So I had a test plan for three runs. The first run I would shift at 7,500, then 7,000, then 6,500. But a funny pattern emerged. Each run was a few tenths FASTER! So I then shifted at 6,000 and got my fastest time at 114.8 mph. All the runs were within one mph.

So you can save scattered clutches (like I did) at 7,700 rpm on a hot day AND go faster if you shift at 6,000 rpms. This should not have been as surprising to me as it was. That is because this car will lug up my little mountain where I live in third gear and less then 1,500 rpm. For YEARS I asked myself how a car with 7,700 rpm red line could do that!

Now I know. Its all part of the Ferrari Show. The engine is cammed like my 2007 3.5 Malibu MAXX. Though in all fairness to the Malibu it pulls right up to 6,500 rpm. Its a pushrod engine with variable cam timing. In all fairness to the Ferrari it makes about 270 hp while the Malibu only puts out 220. Both cars weigh the same and the Ferrari has the proper gearing and is WAY faster then the MAXX.

Out of about 200 cars that day all but three of them beat me. But my car was one hell of a crowd pleaser. There was only one other Ferrari that day which surprised me.