Lurkers -- come out and play

Just found this site after having a fantastic weekend viewing and getting a chance to drive in a 360 during track day of the French Quarter Classic weekend. People were nice, cars were beautiful, and the weather was perfect. Had the bug since I was a teenager for Porsche, having worked on weekends with my brother-in-law's repair shop. Got to drive lots of Porsche's around the block after washing or changing oil in a few 60 & 70's models of 356, 912, 911's back when the had T, S, and E model 911's on the street.
Friend of mine's Dad had Ferrari cars under covers with racing number's on them in his garage around 1967-68. At that time I had no idea what a Ferrari was, but I do remember those cars to look fine under those tarps with the racing decals on them. The man owned a camera store in New Orleans, and he had pictures of Ferrari's in his store that I remember. His name was Alfredo Olivari, his store is long gone, but I think he may have a son still living here in New Orleans. Wonder what ever happend to those awesome cars that were in his garage?
Just lurking here, and will post some pics of track day at this years FQF. Driving trucks these days in my business, dreaming of owning a 360 after having the ride of my life on the track, it had racing slicks on the car, and it was driven to the limit, then some!
Dennis

 

hey there guys....a bit late but here is my intro...

My name is Bryce...
I live out in Johannseburg, South Africa....
Huge ferrari fan and future owner....
in the process of shopping for an F40 & F50 & 288GTO and i must say that this site has been a huge database of knowledge and experience so im HOOKED .

keep up the good work guys...this site is awesome.

cheers for now.
B

 

Hi, my name is Andy. I found the site a week or two ago, and found so much great info. I'm a student, and IT guy, and have been hooked on Italians cars since I bought my Alfa, and can't stop. Loved classic cars since I can remember, went to my first car show when I was about 6 and among the Fords and Chevys there was a beautiful red Ferrari. I decided that one day I would buy one. Now I'm looking for a Ferrari, maybe it will be practical in the next few years, but until then, dreaming and looking for the right car.

 

Hi names Bryan from surrey uk, pro detailer, paint restorer, love anything with 4 wheels & an engine ( a screaming V12 preferably!). Sadly don't own anything with a prancing horse (yet! lol) Have however had the pleasure in detailing some very nice ferraris, including a 246gts , cpl of daytona spiders, and this classic (no prizes for guessing what it is lol). Apologies for the quality of pics crappy old phone.





And my fave ferrari pic

355 foreground, Daytona Spider middle & just peeking in the back 246GTS

 

Hi there. Only came across this site yesterday. I live in Hampshire, UK and currently drive a 2005 Porsche 997 Carrera 2S, but I'm looking for an F355 GTS F1 (doesn't depreciate at £1000+ a month!). Problem is, so's everyone else by the look of it! The response from the specialist dealers is "get on the list mate" and I'm not paying franchise dealers' prices.

Guess I'll just keep on trying!!

 

Hi everybody my names dave and unfortuantely I dont own a Ferrari yet, I don't even own a car!! Im taking driving lessons at the moment and hopeing to pass soon. Im from England and I live in a town called Pontefract you sometimes see the odd porsche but sometimes if your really lucky there's a lamboghini Murcilargo driving round. Right Im off to have a look around see you soon.

 

Hey all,

My names Ryan, 20 years old, and I am a uni student in Brisbane Australia (studying international business and Asian Studies, dual degree). I dont own a ferrari, but shall do in the future sometime (hopefully sooner then later). Basically I joined because owning a ferrari or supercar would be the perfect representation of success, and I respect anybody who has had the means to earn any supercar in their garage.

I expect to float around a bit and just be one of the admirers waiting for the day when i can start my own supercar.


Cheers,
Ryan

 

My name is Matthew

I am 23

I am in school for mechanical engineering at CSULB (its a challenge)

I look forward to one day parking a Ferrari in my garage... I really like the 360's and 575's.

I live in Southern California and I see Ferraris several times a week but I never ever get tired of that sound or the way they look. WoW I can only imagine being the one at the wheel...

I'm still trying to figure out how to get from where I am to where I want to be

 

Hello everyone!

My name is Mike, I'm 36, and I've had the bug since I was ten years old. My father was a fighter pilot and we were assigned to a base in Germany in the fall of 1980. He picked up me and my mother at the Frankfurt airport and we had a two hour drive to our new home. At some point during the drive he said, "Michael, look behind you!" Way off in the distance I could see headlights blinking on and off and closing fast. Before I could register what I was seeing, there was just a streak of red and black and it left us standing still at 85mph. When you're ten years old, that kind of thing makes a hell of an impression. I found out later that we had been passed by a Boxer, but by that point I'd already decided that a Ferrari was easily the coolest thing in the entire world.

Most of my four years in Germany were spent scouring parking lots and back roads and the Autobahn for glimpses of Ferraris. I was even lucky enough to have a church youth counselor who was kind enough to take me to a club meet in Luxembourg.

When I got back to the States I was fourteen and living in Albuquerque. There was a shop not far from my school that specialized in Ferrari repair, and I used to hover around that place like a damned vulture, taking tons of pictures and generally making a nuisance of myself. The guys were kind enough to tolerate me, and I saw far more Ferraris than I ever would have guessed existed in New Mexico.

My first ride was in an '81 308. In addition to lurking at the shop, I made myself a regular fixture at some of the high end used car dealerships in town. There was a silver GTSi with Boxer trim at one particular dealership, and I must have drooled enough that one of the sales guys finally tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Get in. Let's go." It was a brief ride, but it was great and it fueled the passion that much more.

My first drive was in a '67 330 GTC. It's a long story, but one of my dad's fighter pilot buddies bought the car in Italy in the early 70's and had been reassigned to Kirtland in Albuquerque. He needed somewhere to store the car while he found a house, moved his family, etc. We kept the car in the garage for about a month, and when he finally came to claim it he asked me if I wanted to go for a ride. I jumped at the chance and he asked me to guide him to some open roads on the edge of town, so of course I happily obliged. The noise was fantastic and I was deliriously happy just to riding around in this beautiful car. But when we finally reached the edge of the city, what he did next continues to blow my mind to this day: He pulled over, turned off the engine, turned to me and said, "Okay, it's your turn." I looked at him like he'd grown seven more heads -- you don't hand over the keys to your 330 to an eighteen year old kid, but that's exactly what he did.

I was already familiar with the layout of the cabin (having spent countless hours fantasizing in the driver's seat while the car was safely locked in the garage...), but I think I wasn't prepared for how easy it would be to drive. I gently babied the car and he finally said (with mock irritation), "What are you waiting for? See what it will do." I didn't need any more encouragement. My right foot dropped and it seemed like there was no end to the travel on the accelerator pedal. John just grinned and we went through the gears several times before the car started to cough and lose momentum. All that time spent in storage killed the fuel pump, and we limped home with El Caminos and Hyundais passing us. It didn't matter. I got to drive a real, honest-to-god 12 cylinder Ferrari. I got to hear the scream, and I got to feel the rush. That was easily the best day of my eighteen year old life at that point.

I could go on for pages, but the point is that I never lost the bug. I live in Nashville now and I drive a beautiful 1990 944S2, but it's not the same. I still long for a Daytona, but until the Powerball kicks in I'm simply yearning for a nice 308. That's still a few years down the road, but in the meantime I'm enjoying reading the posts and learning more about these wonderful cars.

Best wishes,

- Mike

 

Hi everyone, I'm Colin: 28, living in Antrim (Northern Ireland, UK). My username is because I used to live in Belfast, and also as a tribute to our finest ever footballer / soccer player - George Best.

I'm a lurker for one reason: I don't own a Ferrari, but like many of you, I'd love to own one. I come to the site because I enjoy finding out about the practicalities of owning, living with and maintaining these wonderful vehicles. I could also say that I'm a frequent visitor here because I find jealousy of current Ferrari owners to be a powerful motivator in my own attempts to improve my bank balance! If and when I ever become a Ferrari owner, I'd expect that my own contributions to the site will increase dramatically; until then, I'm content to be a lurker. Until I become an owner, I personally feel that my contributions would have little value. My immediate dream Ferrari is a 430 Spider, but (if the sky was the limit) I fantasise about owning an Enzo, especially in black...(sighs)

 

I too have been lurking; I own a 2003 10th Anniversary Mustang Cobra that's mildly, but professionally modified (emphasis on chassis stiffening). I use it as my work truck.

F cars are simply the finest expression of artful machinery and that is enough for me. I am a 512 TR/M fan, with hopes of someday being able to acquire one of these.

I do struggle with the idea of doing my own work as I have for the last 20+ years - but on an F car. The question is whether I'll continue to have the inclination to handle a whole new level of technical skill and patience...

Mint

 

I would not say I am a "lurker," but with a post count under five, I am certainly a newbie. I don't own a Ferrari, but as an automotive magazine editor, I get to drive them... and that is the next best thing, right?

Anyway, to follow suit. I am Brian Scotto form NYC, I run a few magazines including RIDES and my new baby 0-60 (0-60mag.com).

 

Hi, my name is Erik. I'm 16 years old!

I've been a member since October 30 and I finally decided to post because lots of people here seems to be nice. I'm a full time high school student and don't own a Ferrari. I'm thinking about owning one someday! The reason why I'm on this website is not only because I love Ferrari's but I also want something to inspire me to do whatever it takes to achieve my goal.

I currently drive a '07 BMW 335i and a 350Z.

 

Hey my names Michael. I live in London for twelve years and am now living in SB, CA. Im not even old enough to drive but my dad recently got a black ferrari 612 and Ill mabye post some pics soon. He also owns some other cars, but nothing more exciting than his ferrari. Ive alread posted a few threads and it seems EVERYONE is friendly here. I lurked it out for only a week and now this is my new myspace.

Cheers,

Michael.

 

Newbie here--just wanted to say hi..

 

here are some suggestions[1] go to abebooks.com find the ferrari books site and look in the listing for prices 'from lowest to highest'. there are a lot of books for under $10.00. some suggestions to get you started[a] "enzo ferrari a life" by R williams "the complete ferrari" by g eaton. [2] the e-bay listing for ferrari cars and 'parts and accessories' is also fun and a real learning experience. good luck. tongascrew george

 

Newbie here!

Just like thousands of other people, I'm trying to save my pennies in order to eventually pick up a decent 308 or 328 to join the Ferrari owner ranks...

I live in Jacksonville, FL and have done some amateur autocross/drag racing with Mustangs and would like to take that to the next level with a Ferrari (well not so much the drag racing)... I've also done a little mechanical work on many of my V8 Mustangs before so I'm kinda looking forward to doing a little wrenching on an Italian V8...

I started collecting the basic Ferrari books like "Original Ferrari V8", Keith Martin's "Collecting Ferrari", Ferrari Dino "The Collector's Guide" and Ferrari - A Complete Guide to all models... Good reads, all of them just furthering my desire to get behind the wheel of an F-car...

Anyway - thanks for the welcome and hopefully I can move from Ferrari lover to Ferrari owner/lover soon...

- Troy

 

I’m coming out of the closet - I have been lurking for a few weeks now.

It all started out innocently enough, finding a link to FChat where there was something called a P4/P5. I started reading and really never stopped. Thank you Napolis for your generosity in sharing what to the rest of us is only a wet dream. You really made us all feel like part of the project; just like your kids so to speak. And thanks to everyone else too for making this a wicked car site.

I have always dreamed of Ferrari, every since childhood. The epitome of a sports car. Though I have never driven one or even sat in one for that matter, someday I’m gonna make it happen and a proud day it will be!! The image in my mind’s eye is pretty sweet, and it can only get better from there!

Ciao!

 

Matthew,

You are on your way! You have a dream and someday if you want it bad enough it will happen for you. I was in your same shoes, only at Cal Poly, Pomona majoring in Chemical Engineering. just finish school, work smart (it differnt than working hard) and make it when you are young (you can then coast when you get older).

Good luck and stay in school!

 

My name is Hunter and I currently do not own a ferrari but hope to change that in the next 3 years or if I happen to find a great deal, then now. I joined because of my deep passion for Ferraris, the wealth of information and the racing section (hugh ferrari F1 fan).

I have to admit that I got hooked when Miami Vice introduced me to Ferraris at a young age.

 

Nice story Mike, but there is only one way to go: front V-12.
Saluti,

 

Hi my name is Jonathan I am 27 live near Baltimore in the state of Maryland this is my first post. I have been a member for only a short time but I am in the market for a used 360 in the next 12 months, and also standing here waiting for preorders on the 420dino. I hope the wait isnt untill 2010 , I am an avid ferrari lover and hope to have one soon. Life and income willing my ferrari dreams will soon come true! I hope to meet plenty of great people and have some good times.

 

Hi all,

I’m Ben, I’m 27, and I live in Edinburgh, in bonnie Scotland. Been lurking for two or three weeks, and thought it might be time to say hello.

I’m generally an all-round car obsessive. When I hit 17 and got my driving license, through the dubious tastes of friends, I got interested in the Max Powered, Vauxhall Nova-strewn world of modified cars. Thankfully common sense intervened just before I spent a substantial amount of money trying to ruin my first car, a 998cc (60.9 cu in for those across the water) Nova saloon. Ouch.

Then I had my epiphany. Somehow, I got it into my head that older cars were better. I thought, ‘why try and give a dull, faceless car some personality by bolting things on, when for less money you can get something rarer, better looking and with lots of character?’. So, aged 20, I bought a Triumph TR7. Then progressively, I spent more than the car cost me upgrading it! Stiffer springs and shocks, stainless sports exhausts, tubular manifolds, a new engine….I still have it, and I still love it. I have spent countless hours learning on it, from doing the engine swap to retrimming the seats.

Growing up, my parents always had everyday, sensible cars. They still do. None of my relatives ever had anything remotely fancy, or fast, so I wasn’t exposed to exotica first hand. I do however vividly recall the Glenvarigill Ferrari dealership in Colinton Village, about 5 minutes drive from our house. As a young kid I would, at every opportunity, press my face up against the heavily tinted glass to peer inside – the glass was so dark it was hard to make out what car was what, no doubt adding to the air of exclusivity. I remember when they got a new F40 in, it was like looking at God. Recently my exposure to more exotic cars has increased very slightly, compared to peering through dealers’ windows. A former colleague of mine gave me a couple of rides in his ‘90s Maser Ghibli Cup, which was pretty impressive, and the wealthy boss of a family member on my girlfriends side is apparently a multi-Ferrari owner – an Enzo and 575 SA among his stable I’m told. I’m also a big fan of classic motorsport, and make sure my Goodwood Revival tickets are secured each year! It’s quite a trek from Edinburgh to Chichester just to watch cars going round and round (as my other half reminds me), but it’s quite simply superb, with face-to-face access to the finest cars and drivers. I’ve started my collection of books about cars I like, the latest being Bluemel/Pourret’s 250 GTO book, which I picked up on eBay just recently for cover price.

So I don’t own a Ferrari, and my salary dictates that I probably won’t, if not ever, for a long time yet. If the lucky numbers were to come up for the big win, I honestly don’t know what one I would buy. Probably several. On a recent drive to Italy in our new (to us) Fiat Stilo Abarth, we visited the Galleria Ferrari in Maranello, and I had a good look round a 599 on display there, and would be very tempted by one of them. A good 275 GTB/4 would be high on the list, as would an F40 and a 288GTO. But my first stop would be www.motorclaasiccorp.com for the 330LMB!

I may post here and there, but mostly I think I’ll be lurking. There seem to be some very, very knowledgeable people on here and the likelihood of me having anything worthwhile to add is small!

Cheers,

Ben

 

I've been lurking here for some time. I don't post often because of two reasons:
1. I have little experience with actual Ferraris' as I don't own one and have never ridden in one.
2. I don't like to post just to see my name on the page. If I don't have insight that adds to the board discussion I don't post.

I am 37 years old and have a great family. I make approximately 65K a year as a police officer. I have a nice house and great job.

For me owning a Ferrari represents a long term goal at best. Still I enjoy the insight of the Ferrari owners and experts on these pages.

Still, maybe someday..............

 

Hello everyone... I joined a while back, but I just started posting. Lots of good info and photos here.