It sounds like an amazing project... Any news about it? Some new photos?
Thanks, and one day, yes! It's a good plan, the primary advantages being the shared wheelbase, and longitudinal layout of the V8 tipo drivetrain, and the suspension geometry configuration is 'very' similar also I found though when making my drawings up, that in profile the front windscreen of the 348/355 could be used, and is fairly close - though not exactly same - to the F40 (288/328/308) windscreen, and so usable, but if I had the choice, as it appears you do with your particular donor car, is to use the 308 windscreen, for best accurate look, particularly the top edge of the windscreens differ The one thing I noticed, and which would make most noticeable visual difference IMO - even though talking about within a couple of inches distance - is that the leading edge of the windscreen is farther back on the F40 than the 348/355 (in relation to the front wheel), and so also the front door post hinge points forward - and outboard as you correctly say - and that if the wheel centerlines axis are positioned exactly between the two, that with the 348/355 ride height, the windscreen top edge is a bit higher as well from the F40's positioned, however that can be easily cured once the 348/355 chassis is lowered. I'm curious how you have positioned your layout, that the windscreen & door posts line up? Designing in an incorporated cage, then one can adjust the cage forward a-pillars into the exact position & angle for a 308 windscreen, and tie them forward to the 348/355 door posts and cowl easily enough, it's a very short distance. I've found that in replica projects, that even slight adjustments in measurements, can make a noticeable difference afterward, to anyone familiar with the shape and visual of the original car, and why I bring up this small differential If Sherpa has a spare roof - that is attainable - then it will definitely be the ideal part to have of any, because from that you can more exactly position the cage tubing & windscreen to the F40 actuals I'm excited to see your progress on this project!
I do have an original roof in perfect shape. I would sell that for a pretty good price for this project.
The next biggest job will be to get the chassis onto a rig and levelled then piecing all the F40 panels around it to get exact dimensions for the cage. The whole body will be dimensionally correct to F40 spec so its the chassis that will have to be adapted to suit. I overlayed the F40 scuttle onto the 355 one and the bottom edge of the 308 etc windscreen follows the same line, the 355 screen only deviates as you go upwards. As we will be using the correct screen and not a 355 version then it does all line up....in theory! Interestingly we put the inner door structure of the F40 alongside one from a early 308 fibreglass car we had access to and its identical in size as well. There is a hell of a lot of 308/328 in the F40 we found. From a practical perspective a rear stretched donor 308/328 would have been easier to use, but thats a backwards leap engineering wise.
Thanks Sherpa, and would be a great help to Paul's project! Glad to read you are doing better since the accident too!
Its all on hold for now, so all I can do is chat about it for probably 6 months sorry. Getting this thread started has got my juices flowing again though. Roll on single life again!
That sounds great, and easier of course with the parts in hand , then just overlaying drawings like I've been using I think the 348/355 chassis makes more sense for several reasons though beyond the 308/328 donor, like not having to re-engineer the suspension geometry, other than to work out the wheel off-sets so that the outer wheel/tire edge(s) come out to the new fender widths I also really like that the 348/355 fuel tank is placed centrally, and much more safe than the outboard 308-F40 configuration
If only you were closer, we do have access to a roof and most panels, ours are yet to be made though. There are about 4 suppliers of panels inc the original manufacturer, luckily we know of one closer to home, and a local ferrari restorer has allowed access to a number of his works in progress for us to pour over with our measuring tapes. These in the pic below are from a helicopter company is Switzerland Image Unavailable, Please Login
Talk to Julian. He has good molds. The best panels come from the original guy in Maranello but I don't know how much you need them to be perfect. With a real F40, you can't take chances. With yours, you have options.
Some more panel shots I have found on my searches online inc the original metal buck Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
That one in the lower left is wrong. The side pods are one piece units and the frame is quite different. As an aside, there are only two sets of original molds and the guys who control those are the guys making the panels for Classiche. All the others are imitations and copies of copies usually. Not saying that won't work for your needs but don't make the mistake of thinking that genuine F40 body panels are available all over the place.
Seriously? There's only 2 sets of original mods available in the world? That's surprising, would have thought way more
Awesome project. I've often considered this in my dreams but never in reality. Great way to salvage a car destined for the scrap heap.
I was skeptical when i opened this but wow. Great work on this. It looks like it is going to turn out awesome.
Managed to take as peek at the rolling chassis over christmas, very frustrating but its sat there just waiting for the next stage to happen now. Roll on summer
Forgot I had taken these ones. I think it looks kinda cool naked. Surrounded by my house restoration, that was priority at the time of purchase. Plus some original F50 tyres we bought for the mock up as we plan to use the same size wheel/tyre size combo on the project. The FF engine for sale in General Discussion area would be an ideal motor. F355 practicality, F40LM looks, and F50 power levels and the superb sound of a V12 on full chat. Oh boy! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Some links that may be of interest to you: F40 Slow but worth it.....BUILD F40 builders step inside. Point me in the right direction...F40 replica Fotogalleri They may not all be the standard of yours but they may help with some elements of the chassis design. For info and putting 2 and 2 together, I think a company called Enzo Designs put together an F40 replica based on an F355 but info on that disappeared after only a few were made (apparently owned by owners of the original). I am guessing it was done on a F355 chassis as they boasted of it still being a Ferrari on the logbook and it used F355 suspension and engine (+ twin turbos). It was the most accurate replica I had ever seen and I've always kept an eye out for a 'proper' F40 replica.
Hi Dom, I saw a few photos of the Enzo designs car, it looked very scruffy. From what I could see it used a damaged repaired F40 frame and a 355 for mechanical parts, so probably had the ID transfered over from the 355. I was told most of these components came from Simpson motorsport as cast offs from genuine F40s that had been repaired in the past. That car needed to be far better built to achieve the £100,000 + that was quoted back then I think it was just a one off, a bit like mine, and they were using it to see if there would be any takers for further cars. Enzo designs has since vanished, pretty sure they were selling MR2 355 kits as well at the time
I am in awe of the guys that build their own bespoke chassis and use alternative engines etc, but for me the components have to remain ferrari based, and by using a 355 all the engineering of the chassis is tried and tested with my example.
