My Trip to Montreal for the GP in a Mondial!

Thanks for the comments guys. I'm glad you are enjoying it. The whole time all this crap was happening, I was thinking "Man, this sucks, but this is going to make SUCH a great story on fchat!!" I was actually writing the story a little on my laptop each night so I wouldn't forget anything. If the car hadn't broken down, the story would have been much less exciting.

It really wasn't as bad as it sounds, because I was staying with a friend and wasn't getting raped on using his mechanic's garage. I was a little worried about getting the car home, but it's just a cooling system....there are only so many things it could have been. It was just a matter of getting it fixed within a reasonable time span.

Yes, my wife is a saint, but don't tell her. She'll start reminding me!

I shot about 400 pics, so it was tough to narrow it down to the 50-something I posted. Definitely the most pics I have ever put in a thread.

Change the coolant hoses on your old car or don't drive it too far!

Birdman

 

That is a great story, thanks for taking the time to post it.

 

I admit, I didn't read this whole thing.
But let me guess: You took the Mondial for a road trip and it broke down?

Who'd a thunk it?

My Wife wants sooo badly for me to get rid of mine. She is scared it will leave us stranded. Hell, it only did that ONCE. And the fire went out even before the FDNY arrived. Sheesh. She really holds a grudge.

 

Birdman, great write up and photo coverage. There isn't any publication that could have covered the CA F1 event like you did. Thanks!

Also, glad that after all the hassle, you made it home with the Mondial.

Please post more pix!

 

it was funny, sorry, i couldn't resist this photo.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I love your 348 wheels, , i want some too,, are they all 7.5J X 17" ??? or do you have a staggered set up?

(Great story too.)

 

Excellent story and write up. Good for you to have the skills to fix your car!

 

Great story and great pics.

Glad you made it home.

 

A great read.....Those 348 wheels look better on Mondial's than 348's!

 

Jonathan,

Sounds like you had a great trip, problems and all. Wonderful story. Good advice about changing the cooling hoses. Just did that with the 308 and some of them were not in great shape. Glad I got it done.

You might want to consider pulling the radiator again and having it recored. You can get a modern, high efficiency core put in for not a lot of money, and it will improve the cooling power of the radiator. I've done that with old Jaguars and it really makes a huge difference.

Regards,
Steve

 

I guess that was the reason we never hooked up for a ride back from Montreal! I loved your writeup but sad about your problems. Nice that you got back home. When I drove my 328 up to Montreal for the race back in 2002, breaking down was always on my mind but it ran fine.

I'm so jealous of your pass. I was in Grandstand 12 next to you sitting on hard bleachers in the hot sun. It was worth it!

Hope to hook up with you and other Fchatters in the near future.

Theo

 

JB -

Man, what a trip! Look at it this way.... you'll NEVER forget your trip to Montreal!!!

 

I feel your pain - my Mondial overheated on me the other day and dumped its coolant all over the 405. Ironically, my radiator was ice cold - nothing being pumped through. At the shop now, waiting to see what is wrong...

 

WOW! Great write up, I felt Like I was there with you....Oh wait, I kinda was since this has happened to me in my 308QV....with the girlfriend, who was so very excited to go with me in the "ferrari to the hamptons" well the 'ole 308 was no match for teh Grand Central Pkway summer traffic and boiled over very quickly in the middle of the highway traffic....it was terrible...AAA took forever to come, Elite would not take me as they were closing...UGH...anyway...the girlfriend now HATES ferraris ( and to think she DID get past the fact that the QV's a/c is nonexistant....

Anyway...I would never take the 308 out at all in anything but the dead of winter and no traffic..... I do take the Mondial T back/forth to Montreal often .. great drive and it does not miss a beat, but I only drive alone.... I don't know anyone but my dog who dares go anywhere with me in teh Ferraris...they are certain they will never get there or come back...

BUT that is what we love about these crappy old overpriced cars that we know in our hearts are worth so much more in parts than on the road ( OK TED Rutlands )..it is all about romance and adventure and that is PRICELESS!!!!

Great story ( p.s. will there be a Bridman radiator flush kit available for purchase with combined shipping withthe fuse block?) hmmmmm ... I guess I need to search the old fchat and get the cooling hose sizes again and start changing hoses...

 

That's fer damn sure!!

 

Ouch! I KNEW one of the people up there taking pics was an fchatter!! Good shot!

 

Edwardo,
They are stock 348 set up....I think 8" front and 9" rear, but I would have to check to be sure. I can't remember. Yes, 348 wheels look considerably better on a Mondial than a 348! They fit the design of the car better IMHO. Gotta admit, even on a flatbed the Mondial looks hot!!! (And it was hot, you shoulda felt the radiator!)

Birdman

 

Brian-
Most likely your thermostat is dead and not opening. That's about the only reason the radiator would be cold, except of course for the water pump being dead (a broken belt or something else).

NYCFerraris-
If your fcar is overheating, something is wrong. The car should be able to do stop and go traffic all day long. It's a simple system. Most likely, your rad is old and semi-clogged by calcium deposits or something. When new, these cars had perfectly sufficient cooling systems.

Steve-
I actually talked to a radiator shop today about re-coring the Mondial rad. Once I flush everything out and change all the hoses so it won't clog again, I will take it down. I have to measure it so the guy can give me a quote. Then it will be up to 120 degree weather! When I do it, I'll post a thread. For now the car is "grounded" until I have time to do this. Not taking chances. I'll drive the 308!

Birdman

 

Great story Birdman. Thanks for sharing, it has kept me riveted this morning.

I was waiting for some punchline to do with some rubber from the flushing kit getting sucked into the system.

I loved the comments from your wife

 

Hi Jonathan, thank you for your story. Before to go down to my garage to install your fusebox on my GT4 I decided to take a look on my computer. Conclusion: no fusebox changed but great fun to read and look at your pictures. F1 will always remain the state of the Art in terms of Automotive engineering.

 

What wrong with a reliable Volvo? I know! Nothing compares to a Ferrari!

Great story Jonathan!

 

LoL! I took my t to Watkins Glen from NYC in Sept 2005 for the IRL. I had owned the car for 3 weeks and she was due for a major. Miraculously, nothing went wrong. She started right up even after she was rained on for 12 hours.

Great story and great pictures.

 

great great story, dude. thanks for posting it!!!!

doody.

 

Fantastic story and a great write-up.

It's amazing to watch F1's live. The sound, the smell, the speed, just the pure excitement of it all! Paddock club would be a dream come true. Glad one of us finally made it in there! I think i need to go to another race... Forza Ferrari!!!

 

THE BEST THREAD I HAVE EVER READ EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!