348's...painted vs non painted lower body panels

So whats the deal with some 348's I see with the lower bumper and sides/rear painted to match the body color, while others is natural black? Is this factory done when they are painted? An option? Only on some years? Help this 348 newbie. Does one or the other effect price?

 

The earlier cars i.e. tb/ts 1989 to 1992 had the black lower body panels and roof (ts). I think this was in keeping with the 328 and TR design which had the same flat black bottom and/or roof.

The Series Speciale in the tb/ts variants came with the painted roof and lower body. The Challenge cars and the GTB/GTS followed the Series Speciale design too.

Most owners repaint the bottom of the older cars as it makes the car look much younger. If you are angling for concours honors perhaps a black roof/bottom would better your chances a little bit. Otherwise do what you want- its your money.

BTW, search the archive - there is tons of info available on fchat regarding such basic questions and also here: http://www.club348.com/models348/models348.html and here: http://www.club348.com/technical/Tech/348.html

 

Early 348s have the lower body black. BUT alot of early cars have had the lower part sprayed red..

Actually, the early cars are red underneath the black from the factory.

Price is allways a hard issue here...Im sure in 20 years the original early cars, with black bottom will be woth more..Dosent bother me though, I like my car just this way.

 

+1

 

agree. I think it looks very sharp and more modern with the trim painted. Most people don't believe me when I tell them my car is 17 years old.

gratuitous picture of my '90 with bottom trim and targa top painted:
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Black sills were designed for heat transfer, as an early form of aerodynamic grip on the cars. The prevailing thought, at the time, was that heat from the road would radiate onto the sills and create low pressure suction points just inward of the sill. In so doing, this counterbalanced the normally unstable front end.

The 348's early Delco alternator was also an attempt at early aero-grip idea. The cooling mechanism of the alternator included a funnel shaped suction housing. As air channeled through this device, it was thermodynamically cooled and then dropped near the black sills -- thus adding further to the low pressure zones.

Folks that paint the sills 'body colored' do a dangerous disservice to the car's stability.













.

Oh yeah, I have some swamp land in Florida for sale too.




HAHAHAHAH.

 

^^ By comparison, my older looking, frumpier 348 And yes I know the wheels are backwards.

Gratuitous pic of course .. we have to show some semblance of keeping up the PAPster in posting 348 photos...
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

man! I thought you were nuts there for a while

 

LOL... great one!

 

Man, that looks just like my car. Painted top, nad black sills. I wonder why the previous owner went thru the trouble of painting the top, but left the sills black. Probably did not want to destabilize the car. No really, the black helps to thermodynamically transfer heat and keeps the car stable. This dude who lives in the Florida wetlands and races Ferraris explained it to me. He's gonna sell me a lot down there for my retirement. If I act now, he'll throw in a bridge. Your welcome very much.
Bee Jay

 

Keep em coming speedy. It is a gorgeous car you have there!
Btw.......I love my sills painted red, but if they were black when I purchased the car, I would keep them painted black.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Looks a lot better with the trim painted, imo.

 

And it makes the butt look nicer
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I like non painted better !! More original and looks less like a 355 !

 

I do not think the Series Speciale came with a color matching roof in the TS version.

 

So when did the black cavallino badges on the front grille and rear grille become chrome badges as standard on the 348 ?

 

In 20 years all these cars will be on their next paint jobs anyway.

 

Anyone know a good place in Chicago or Naperville to get a car painted? I need my spoiler and grill done.

 

With the Series Speciale in 92.

 

You almost had me on that one.


If you would just buy a black car. Gratuitous pic, of course.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Dr. T, where did you get the fog light covers? Did they come with the car?

 

The required parts are:

1 x 62971900 (right cover)
1 x 62972000 (left cover)
8 x 147499 bracket
8 x 14641593 screw
8 x 15914977 screw

They're hard to find. Try contacting FNA dealers who used to run Challenge teams with the 348, and they might have old ones.

We (Fchatters) could probably get somebody with plastics experience to mold new ones pretty cheaply.

 

Thanks. It seems like all good things for the 348 are hard to find like challenge wheels and soft tops

 

Daniel makes a good suggestion- virtually all Challenge race cars had the lights/covers replaced with brake ducts before too long (rules allowed this- see attached photos), so there may be some take-offs gathering dust with old Challenge teams.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

My sills were painted body colour by PO. I want them returned to black and would really appreciate if anyone have any 'close up' shots of where the black ended and body colour started, including with doors open so i can see the detail in there. Thankfully my targa roof panel wasn't done at the time but my engine grille was, I suspect that part will be a nightmare to 'correct'.