Hi All, I have only one major problem with my 328 - leg room. The driver side layout doesn't allow you to straighten your left leg! (I don't know about the passenger side. I've never tried it.) While this is OK for the first few hundred miles on the freeway it becomes a pain on longer drives. I recently drove from New York City to west Texas, accompanied by a near unbearable leg cramp. To make matters worse, there is no leeway to reposition your hips to give the leg respite, even temporarily. (This is largely due to the throttle's position.) Thus my question(s). First, does anyone know of a cruise control unit for a 328? While the purist may be taken aback by the thought (one was so insulted by the idea he suggested it be mounted "next to the cup holder". He meant this in a sarcastic vein not knowing I already HAVE a cup holder, and CD carrying case, on the passenger side anchored between the console and seat). Cruise control would be a welcome addition during cross country drives and cut down on the number of inattentive speeding tickets. Which brings me to my next question- Has Ferrari EVER offered a model with cruise control? That feature, along with comfortable leg appointments, could make me consider either an upgrade or a second car altogether. Any constructive comments appreciated. If the idea is abominable to you, please keep your opinions private. My legs and the Highway Patrol don't care. Thanks - Lass Thompson
I had similar issues driving a friend's 328 for more than an hour - my right shin couldn't get very comfortable around the dash. If I had a 3*8 I might try and move the radio and reposition the vents in the dash up a few inches so that they're not so tight against the footwell (like a 360/430 which is pretty open).
I agree. Cruise control would be nice to have. Given all the superfluous gizmos F-cars already have: Remote opening bonnet, boot, engine cover, glove box & antenna, power windows, etc, I can't see how anyone could call "cruise" out of place.
No cruise control on the '80s cars, IIRC. The upgrade to the 328 -- the F40 -- also lacks cruise control. I hate to say it, but Ferrari sports cars have always been second cars to whatever the owner's daily driver is. I won't say the cruise control idea is abominable to me, in order to respect your request. However if someone else wants to start a thread on it I have a few thoughts. Also I'd guess you wouldn't want me to comment on cupholders, so I will hold my comments on that. I will say that, like the Lotus Elise driver complaining about luggage space, you may have the wrong car for the job. I'm about as big a 328 fan as we have on FChat, and the thought of sitting in it in fifth gear droning along the Interstate for hours whilst going deaf and boiling my luggage in the back is about the most miserable use of the car I can imagine. I've had it transported when a really long freeway trip was involved. Driving an Ariel Atom through a blizzard would be almost as enjoyable. I do know that the 612 offers cruise control, and probably some of the modern comfort-oriented models also do. I can vouch for the legroom in the front of the 612. If you're looking for a long distance tourer, that car is really in its element.
Cruise control in a 328? Easy! Get a brick... ;-) As for seating maybe you should try changing seats to something modern and thinner that could give more leg room.
I drove my new 328 3000 miles in 3 days and agree with the leg position issue. What I ended up doing was using my left foot on the accelerator to give my right foot a break. Worked pretty well. Cruise control would work better!
I remember adding a cruise control as a saturday project with my father on a 76 pinto when I was a kid. We had to glue magnets to the driveshaft so the unit could measure the car's speed. Reading through JC Whitney I see mention of magnet kits for some cars, so those type of kits are still available. Attached is a user review on a 84 3.2 Porsche to give you an idea of what might be involved: http://www.jcwhitney.com/AUDIOVOX-ELECTRONIC-DASH-MOUNT-CRUISE-CONTROL/GP_2001597_N_111+10201+600027423_10101.jcw?reviewflag=1 Good luck, Brian
another suggestion is to get a right hand drive car, I dont have a problem with straightening my left leg, lol
You might check out the cruise control units from either a 911sc or an early 80's mercedes V8. Both had similar bosh cis fuel delivery systems so there might be some efficiencies/commonalities making it a little easier. A very low budget, low tech approach is to install a second throttle pull with a hand set on it - that worked just fine for all kinds of italian and british cars in the 50s and 60s....
i've had probably 10 cars with cruise control. never used it on any of them. get out and pee once in awhile. geez.... you kids with healthy prostates!
Get a GT4. Much (and I mean MUCH MUCH) roomier than a 328. I'm 6'4" and can drive the GT4 for hours on end with no aching legs. The 328 of my girlfriend really is a machine of torture to me. The only way to drive that for any distance is with the top off and left at home in the garage. And even then it's no joy. Need to lay down on my back. Doesn't communicate nearly as much as a GT4, it's too smooth and doesn't do the weber singing Comment of girlfriend: "Yeah, what did you expect? The 328 is a bit of a girlies car" But to get back to your question: there are all kinds of aftermarket cruise control kits on the market (like the VDO Tempostat - http://www.vdo.com/press/pictures/special-oem/sv-pp-tempostat-20020401.htm). I'm sure you'll be able to make one work on a 328....
Just jam your carpet forward anytime you need cruise control. To disengage, use your heel to pull the carpet back.
I'm new here, so keep that in mind... most of my time has been spent with two-wheeled vehicles. Audiovox makes a really nice, compact electronic cruise control: CCS-100. Small enough and reliable enough that quite a few folks use it for an aftermarket solution on motorcycles. http://www.audiovox.com/manuals/owners/1284540_OM.pdf It will take a signal off the coil pulse, or can be set up to use the speedo cable. The coil pulse makes for a very clean install, with no reason to cut any wires. If you push in the clutch, the unit senses the revs climbing too quickly, and disengages almost instantly. The control pad is small enough you can hide it just about anywhere. Make a small panel partially under the dash, or one that flip up out of sight. http://ecomodder.com/forum/member-jomelmaldonado-albums-1998-suzuki-swift-picture710-stock-cruise-control-switch-audiovox-ccs-100.jpg
You would think the cup holder would lead to this! I have also thought it would be nice to have cruise control in my '83 308. But am fearful of the "You Did WHAT?" reaction at meets. But I live in the sticks and have to drive 2 hours to get to anything on an open highway.
I wanted a GTB from the day I saw one, but would have likely accepted a GTS had one been available. Until I sat in one. I am 6-1, and found the GTS far too confining. The seat tracks keep the seat from fully extending into the stored roof. The floor structure is different as well, and if the roof is on, you have no head room. By comparison, the GTB is like walking into a cathedral. I shove the seat back and have so much leg room I cant fully disengage the clutch, I have to pull it forward. I did find myself slipping my left foot back behind the clutch pedal for a while though. As Cliffbeer suggested, many Italian cars up into the early 70's had hand throttle's simular to aircraft. My brother had a Fiat with one and it was great. Get the car up where you wanted, pull the knob out to hold it, and twist the knob to the right. I believe there was a second knob in the center, if you turned it up or down it adjusted the throttle. But it doesnt work like a cruise control, it just sets the throttle. If you hit a climbing grade, you slow down. When you hit the down slope, you haul ass. But as long as you dont let it get away from you it the most efficient kind of control. Cruise controls ruin fuel mileage by constantly working the throttle. Keeping it held rock steady would offer the greatest economy. And no electrics to worry about so a very simple setup. As for roasting luggage, thats you guys with cats. My non-catalyst carby dont get that hot back there.
As for the left leg room, take a look with your head down by the seat. I don't know if the 328 is like the 308, but while in the driver position, I wouldn't know if there was extra leg room. Looking at the floor area from the floor-perspective, I found a way to straighten my entire left leg without touching the end.
As a side note,,the only problems I find is that I have to wear skinny shoes,as wide shoes or boots wont allow my foot to squeeze between the throttle and the brake pedals.If I could only bend the brake pedal lever to the left a bit it would leave me with more room to wear any type of shoe....
Funny, I find the exhaust note on my stock 308QV at highway speeds 65-85mph @~3500-4000 rpm (with the top off) to be anything but 'droning'. Throaty, melodious, characterful, yes, droning or obtrusive no. Unless 328s are geared that different or have significantly different exhaust than 308 the noise is one of the joys of long distance travel. My right leg does start to cramp up after more than 2 hours of uninterrupted driving (have to do more squats!), but other than that the 308 is a terrific long distance traveller.
