456 GT Gumball 3000 Team No 49 - Istanbul

Hi everyone.. just wanted to share my Gumball 3000 F456GT
Please note that All interior work is done without drilling one single hole.

TEAM AYTAC
GUMBALL 2007 Team No 49
FERRARİ 456GT - 1997
• 500-520 HP
ENGINE:
• Cats removed
• Tubi Exhaust
• Straight Pipes
• Cam Belt Tensioned
• Chip Upgrade
BRAKES
• 10 Piston Tarox Groovedve 350mm Discs
• Rear 4 piston Originals
WHEELS and TIRES
• HRE 547 R – 3 piece forged
• 295 35 18’’ – 3 wheels
• 255 40 18’’ – 3 wheels
• Brigstone RE 050 Tires
INTERIOR:
• Front Seats Are Removed
• Black Leather Sparco Milano 3 Seats Installed
• Sabelt 3’ - 4 Point Harnesses
• Rear Seats are Removed
• 2 Tires with Wheels Secured and Leather Trim Made
• In the rear parts of the wheels tools kits and emergency kits are carved into custom made padding and secured to avoid loss of spaces behind the wheels
• Roll Bar installed 3’’
• Ash Tray Removed and 6 electronic swithces are installed
• Switch 1: Manuel Fan switch. By passes thermostat
• Switch 2: Manuel Spoiler : Spoiler can now be opened or closed at any desired speed
• Switch 3: Kill Switch : ( Complete rear lights, brake and licence plate lights can be turned off
• Switch 4: Laser Interceptor Switch
• Switch 5: Strobe Lights
• Switch 6: Red and Blue Police Lights inside the Grill
• Police sirens of 6 countries

ELEKTRONICS:
• Valentine V1 Laser
• Laser Interceptor
• Garmin Navigation
• 2 Adet HD Cameras for rally recordings
• 2-500 gig harddrives
• Laptop
• 220 Volt Invertor
• Mini Fridge
• Pilot – Co Pilot Intercom
• G-Tech RR

OTHERS:
• Complete Service Tools
• Extra Xenon Light Bulbs
• Brake Pads
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We are landing in Sabiha Gokcen at noon on April 30th Monday. There will be parade through Bagdat Cad. than to Cıragan Palace. Car display will take place in Cıragan Parking Lot after 5pm. Followed by party in Reina at night. We will head to Athens at 8 on May 1st.
Thanks
Hakan

 

Thanks for comments guys.
The roll cage was bolted on rear seat belt bolts and lower portion in the middle is bolted on where seats were bolted to the car frame.

 

BACK FROM GUMBALL
first a few words about the rally...
Day 1: London to Frankfurt: drove a rental car for that leg of the rally .. (amazing 320CLS Merc Diesel.. 230-250km/hr.. no problem) German police outlawed us.. we were only 3 cars of 100 that managed not to get fined. (took stickers off and choose a different route)
Day 2: Frankfurt to Istanbul: Turkey did not allow cars to land but let the drivers. The only problem was we had to drive from istanbul to athens. And we did. managed to make it on time for the party..
Day 3 :From Athens to Tirana.. Alternator broke down.. (found a subaru alternator, beefed up the plates and kept going) but lost 6 hours in doing that. Lovely pull on the car.. Amazing amazing amazing.

On the hills of Greece .. no one got close to the torque...we were leaving the carrera turbos, lambos back right on the straights and at the curves we were more careful (no asr) Carrera could not pass us for 130km. Tiring but fun drive..456GT ... amazing animal.. pulls like a donkey..(appreciate those 10 piston Tarox's.. amazing brakes)

Day 4: Tirana to Bratislava: Organizers screwed up. They choose a route that was 1500km .. we took a different route through Belgrade mountains and Monte Negro. 550km of mountains roads with rain and fog. Reduced speed to around 60-90km/hr (seriously dangerous traffic and roads) 9 cars went off the road (those that trusted their asr, dcs and electronics too much) We arrived in Bratislava in 15hours. only 35 cars made it there... others gave up on the way and 9 totalled.

Rally was cancelled there due to an accident in Macedonia. One team drove into a golf gt and 2 locals died. I dont believe the news media stating that they were going 273km/hr.. because on those roads those speeds were pyhsically impossible.. Plus organizers should have arranged for local police escort through populated areas as it was done in Albania. The pictures looked like a 100km crash. So unfortunate about the loss of life though. Could have happened to anyone.. Romour has it they tried to run away.. thats was made it worse. I believe Gumball did not cancell the rally out of the loss of life. Rally was really cancelled when Event Sponsors withdrew as the pictures hit the newpapers.

What do I think of Gumball? Most people drive decently.. only speed when road conditions permit. but some do drive waay too fast. We decided to part away from them.. and 9 of the 15 crazy drivers did crash as soon as rain and curvy roads started. No matter what electronics you have.. dont mess with curvy roads and rain. The crowd is more sensible than we see on the episodes in the Extreme Channel or MTV. Most people like the hang out part of it at night and get to know each other.
The problem with this years rally: It was not well planned, they did not get necessary permits from Germany and Turkey ahead of time. And cancelation of Istanbul-Athens leg caused planes to land to Athens and cars were discharged from the customs at noon rather than 8 am start up time causing people to speed in order to get through Macedonia before dark. The tragic event followed by completely stupid choice of route from Tirana to Bratislava (1500km .. most drivers that made it took 20 hours and others just purely gave up and stayed in different cities around eastern europe) Everything combined together was an invatation to disaster ..which happened..

Route back:
From Brastislava to Magyar - Budapest- Stayed in Beograde.. Later next day decided to pay a visit to friends in Thessoloniki and spent another wonderful day back before driving another 600 km back to Istanbul.

We passed 18 countries .. 36 times through borders.. and in each border condition to get our passports back was to make at least 10 m skid marks.. Need new tires but border officials were happy.

I have to tell you.. 456 GT.. keeps on pulling and pulling and pulling.. even from 200km/hr to 300 km/hr.. the beast keeps puling.. I appreciate the car more than ever now. When we started we had only 9500km .. now 16500.

One thing I enjoyed so much: None takes a picture of a Porsche but a Ferrari.. not matter what year.. is a crowd pleaser..Plus the sound of our 456... People were following us just recording the sound in the mountain roads.


Regarding earlier questions about brakes..
10 piston Tarox, grooved discs only in the front :best investment I have made on the car)
Chip: I will get you the name... but made the mixture richer.. More for purpose of power and precaution for the potential of bad fuel through eastern europe.

Seats: Comfortable?? kinda.. but safe.. very safe

Lowering the rear.. and camber adjusts on the tires.. wonderful.. Rear tires are toed out... nice traction.

Notes about the engine:
Only 2 lt of oil consumption in 7000km.. beautiful.. lost one tire at the gas station entrance. (little metal on the concrete) Good to have tires in the back.. most teams quit since they could not get replacement tires.

Small issues like windshield wiper bolt getting loose (just tigthened it) After-market Xenon controller fried (had one extra.. just changed it) and thats all. (alternator was a stopper of course but subaru alternator fits.. just beef up the plates

The beauty of the tour... Through 18 countries.. People are people.. everyone is great.. helping each other out. Greeks were so hospitable.. I have to send my thanks to Pistona Sound owner Nico (fixed the alternator.. kept his store open till midnight on a sundays), Moto GP racing Tony that found us on the side of the road.. and many other guys that welcomed us.. offered a wonderful dinner and ice cream in Greek Town of Kozani.. while The beast was getting an alternator fix.. Who said Turks and Greeks dont get along. Through each country, talking to people you realize how politics only seperate people..

I hope this long one was not too boring..

 

I will put together the visuals this weekend probably. I will share them with you. I would do it again yes.. but if the routes makes sense.. It did not to me in the begining of this rally.. I brought it up to the organizers but they overlooked it. In a rally like this.. you dont want to do 1500km in 1 day.. The whole idea is to get together with people in lovely events and enjoy driving during the day.. This was overkill.. But I would do it again.. What gets out of hand is actually what people want to see..Even though organizers claim it is not intended for speeding.. The last years spirit of gumball went to a guy that totalled a rolls royce.. so gray area is where they wanted to be .. but it turned black this time.. I think rally became a race eventually.. which should not be like that.