Hi all, I was having a discussion with a friend who is also a big fan of Ferraris, and I said that the 355 is based on the 348, both sharing the same chassis, but he contended it was all new. Could I please get some help on this? Thank you so much, and if you could point me to a site that has the similarities and differences, that would be great!
Interesting thread - I'll follow the result keenly! I was under the impression that the 355 chassis was similar to the 348 but had been lightened in places without sacrificing strength by making it out of a lighter alloy. But I don't really know, so we'd better wait until someone who knows what they're talking about shows up. All the best, Andrew.
355 is Fifth incarnation of mid-engined, non-GT, road-going Ferraris 206/246 > 308 > 328 > 348 > 355 Evolution continues with 360 > 430 > 458
The 355 chassis is similar with some improvements ....... but the 355 engine was a huge departure from the 348 ....... the 355 has Individual Throttle Bodies, Titanium Rods, 5-valves per cylinder and 8500RPM .......... the 355's core engine is so awesome it was carried over into the 360 and CS with a few 'bolt-on' changes ............ on the other hand, the 348 shares its engine with the four seater mondial .............. the 348 only 'looks' similar ......... the 355 is another animal under that beautiful skin ...............
A few pieces of sheetmetal are common to both: front fenders are identical; the doors are very similar and intechangeable (but you have to swap cheese graters for sugar scoops ;-) So while the 355 is an evolution of the 348, it is a very close sibling with many shared genes. The biggest difference between them, apart from the obvious styling details, is the motor. The 355 is completely differnt, with 5 valves per, and 375HP (vice 300-320 for the various 348s)
Yeah whatever, get over yourself. The only reason the 355 is so good is that it is based on the 348. So there! Luca threw the 348 under the "press bus" so they wouldn't look at the 355's faults too closely - valves, headers, electrical gremlins, etc. How do you continue making a mediocre car in 1994 when you have the successor, which is superior coming out the same year? I swear the factory sacrificed the 348.
Luca wasn't part and parcel of 348, so under the bus it went. As CEO, he commandeered 355. In so doing, this made both he and 355 Saviors, thereby ensuring who and what became mere mortals or immortals.
It shares much in chassis and body, but unfortunately the 355 is no 348. What a shame that all of those valves have created such a maintenance nightmare for so many 355 owners. So much so that Ferrari went back to 4-valves per cylinder after that fiasco
Most of the interrior chassis (what you don't see on an assembled car on the road) is almost identical sheet metal. A new way of construction these pieces into the actual chassis represents a 30%-40% increase in tortional stiffness compard to the 348. The glass is identical. Front, rear, door fache are different, but share many similarities and are interchangible (with some effort). The suspension {after the Speciale}(excepting the springs and shocks) are identical (minus power steering). Brakes are new (in fact the F355 went through 3 generations of brakes: 95, 96-97, 98-99) The F355 has air ducts to the front brakes. The engine is more than a set of rods, pistons, and bore, but the overall architecture is identical (V8 with flat crank). The 5 valve heads and 8 throttle plates start off the orchestra, and to deal with the power, an oil radiator was placed behind the water radiator on the passenger side, relocating the dry sump forward for more mass centralization. The transmission is a follow-on from the F348, many pieces can be swapped between trannies (drop gears, bevel gears...) however the shifting mechanism went from wires to a direct linkage, the ratios and synchros are different. The F348 transmission is supported from the top, and with the 2 engine mounts provides a 3-point mounting system. The F355 uses 4 mounts 2 on the engine (as in the 348) and 2 on the tranny. This required a different sub-frame. The early F348 clutch (2 plates) can be fit in an F355, but it is wiser to retrofit the latest F1 F355 gear into the F348. The interrior shares a few components but is essentially new. The airflow through the cabin is the same, and many parts interchangible. Thus, these two vehicles share just about as much as can be shared.
...... they went back to 4 valves per cylinder after the 360/CS because the F430 was such a huge displacement increase, it made 'cost' sense ....... also installing two throttle bodies instead of the eight on the 355 ...... was another cost savings ......... of course this also offered ease of maintenance ........ for production cars ......... simply put ..... 'individual throttle bodies' are race technology and are awesome ........... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2iBbwocYZw So get yourself a 355 so we can be friends ........ !!!!! Image Unavailable, Please Login
Agreed. The cost cutting started in the 96 355(although it wasnt much) when they went to one ECU. Now with the 430 the trottle bodies are made partially out of plastic and they are beginning to crack. The 95 355B when sorted is an amazing piece of machinery. Last month I had my heads done and also got rid of the OEM manifold for the Tubi. Along with and advanced timing the car is a dream. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
We can be friends, you know the old saying "why cant we all get along"! By the way I would get a 355, but I do not have enough hair for all the hair gel I would need, and besides I love my car and you got to admit the 348 Brotherhood is the absolute best! But seriously in the Enzo a car that cost so much to produce (and buy) they still went with 4 valves! And there was no "cost sense" in producing that car. So IMHO it as nothing to do with displacement at all, as it seems Ferrari never returned to 5 valves not even in there limited run Enzo. Unless you know of a model that we/I am not aware of.
Brilliantly phrased! So does the 348, it's just that the right one gets shared over to both fronts. Once I get my car up to 355 engine specs (excepting the 8500 rpm red line), you gel heads will be sorry! OF course, I was thinking that if the price of good 1995 355 GTB's falls any more I just might sell my car for parts and replace it!
the main difference in chassis between 348 and 355 would be the extended space frame that attached to the tub.
I think side strakes would look awesome on a 355... however, it did get some negative reactions when I initially proposed the idea a few months ago: http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=234774 All the best, Andrew.
