Joining the vintage club - 1967 330GTC

Onno,

consider having your exhaust headers ceramic coated, inside and out. You can choose any colour, but the polished silver finish is most effective for heat reduction, although not at all original. Dull black is the next best option if you want to maintain a period look.

In my experience, the coating reduces underbonnet temperatures significantly and helped solved my 365GT fuel lock / hot running problems here in Sydney, where summer temperatures are similar to Florida.

It also prolongs the life of the headers btw. Picture (just) shows the polished silver finish on my current car. In this case, the headers are normally hidden from view by a heat shield.

Ian
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Thanks Ian, something to consider, although my preference would be to leave it as is.


Onno

 

Ian,

I will seriously consider doing this for my GTC. Right now I am in the middle of an engine re-build so this is the ideal time to make it better. One of the features of the type 209 engine is that there are heat shields above the exhaust headers that hide them. So a color change would not really be all that noticeable. Of course if I were to show the car for judging I would not do this. But this GTC will always be a driver. My focus is making it a better car with less regard to show points.

thx for the suggestion

 

The original colour for my GTC was, according to Ferrari SpA, Grigio Azzurro. I have been unable to find any pictures of a vintage Ferrari in that colour, the 330 GTC shown on the previous page is apparently Grigio Metallico according to one knowledgeable individual. This morning, for the first time, I've found a pic of a FIAT with a colour described as as Grigio Azzurro. It looks very, very light, and since my information was that the car was originally white it is possible that the original colour was mistaken for white when the car had a bare-metal respray in 1990, but this is pure speculation.

Are there any people out there that have knowledge or pics of this rare vintage colour?

Many thanks for your help.


Onno
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I drove the old lady yesterday as it was lovely weather and she needs to be ready for Goodwood Revival next week so it was a good time for a test drive. Turns out she had a broken wheel bearing left front that was getting bad quite quickly so off to my specialist she went. She should be ready tomorrow or just after the weekend and I can't wait to take her to the Revival. She was, apart from the bearing, just humming beautifully.

Is there anyone else out here going to the Revival?

BTW - we have 4 grandstand tickets spare (2 at start/finish, 2 at Lavant corner) for the entire weekend. Send me a PM if you want them (at cost).


Onno

 

Nice to hear that everything is okay with her Onno!
The wheel-bearing can be sorted quickly I presume?

I am looking forward to your stories and pictures (!) from Goodwood!

 

Thanks Harry - she's all sorted, picking her up in an hour or two.


Onno

 

Well, that was one heck of a weekend! I'd visited the Revival once before but not in period garb and not with a classic Ferrari. It made an amazing difference to the experience and it was just fantastic being an extra on this incredible movie set. The only issue was that there seems to be a problem with my alternator that caused the battery to run down on Friday afternoon; my guess is a loose connection that we haven't located yet. However, she made it home - 400 miles without a hitch.

I'll definitely try to come to Goodwood every year or two - if you haven't been you haven't lived!


Onno

P.S. Couldn't resist a little Photoshopping...
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Great question - What does Dl and Dr stand for?

 

Onno,

We'll be there again in 2010. I hope to see you there. Were you able to park in the "pre-'66" car park?

Jack.

 

I think f308Jack was correct. It turns out my fans were not connected, so I was partially right in that switching on the interior fans did cool the engine a bit. Needless to say, it all works a lot better now! Still not sure why people explained it to me that way, though, I did think it was a bit odd.

@Jack-the-lad: I'm going to be there in 2010. We're organising a trip with some other Ferrari owners again, should be a blast. I did get sent to the pre-66 car park initially, but then finally was diverted to park between a whole bunch of Tupperware so not much joy there. I think we arrived too late and the pre-'66 was full, but I'm not sure. On the other days I didn't try as the GTC had some problems with battery and/or alternator (still not sure which - haven't had problems since a new battery was installed but still strange it ran out of juice) so I wanted to stay close to my friends in modern Ferraris.

Other than that, the GTC has been performing flawlessly and I've enjoyed her more than I can express during the summer. She's being cleaned for winter storage as we speak, and then straight to the garage by trailer, so I'll have to wait another 6 months before I drive her again...

Did get a chance to take some photos with the other ladies in my stable, two weeks ago.


Onno
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If you *had* to choose between the Boxer and the GTC, which would you keep?

Jack.

 

At the moment, it's an easy one: the GTC. But that's because the Boxer needs a rebuild. When both cars are in perfect condition, it's a bit harder. If you think of the combination Boxer - 550 or GTC - 550, then you've actually got a better combo with the Boxer and 550. The Boxer is a real 'I want to have my brain blown out by my senses" kind of car. Whereas both the GTC and 550 are more laid back.

But the GTC is a phenomenal car that handles beautifully and that allows you to participate in so many more events. So I guess the Boxer would have to go. But my heart would be aching - I love that car. Even with all the troubles I've had with it - I can't wait for that car to be in the condition I want it to be in... I think I'll drive the nuts off it!


Onno

 

Thanks. I ask because someone has offered me a spectacular 512 Boxer plus signifcant $$ for my GTC. I think I'm not finished enjoying the GTC yet, though.....

Jack.

 

IMO they are three of the best looking cars ever made. Do you have any more pics you could show us?

 

PLAIN SWEET GTC, Ji. Would like eVen 'MoreBetterEr' w/Borrannis....'can be arranged', though.
Still 'Living' in the Day of $40K 330s , so unTil someOne BUYS my JCarpenter 'PROVA' 288GTO/GTB i'll just Continue Living in my VisionScape, i reckon. AppassionatoMOTORE! giade

 

Que Bella!!!

 

Onno,

Okay what if you had to choose between the BB and the 550?

Geno.

 

I find there to be a real difference between the 512BB and 365BB. The primevil scream of the 365 above 7k rpm is missing from the 512BB. If I bought another boxer, it would have to be a 365 again.

Well, you asked! See below.

I disagree - I find the GTC with Borranis to look too 'chromey' and feminine. And the current rims give a better ride quality on twisty road. But ugly the Borranis are not.

The 550 was my first Ferrari and I have a very special bond with it. I will probably even sell the 330GTC before I sell the 550, but I hope it never comes to that.


Onno
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that is a perfect collection.

 

Excellent advice. I've done this on two of my cars for the same reasons:
- it preserves the original exhaust
- reduces underhood temps and reduces effect of heat of adjacent items
- improves performance
- looks great while retaining stock looks

I didn't tell the ceramic coating shop that it was for a Ferrari and they charged me just over $200 to do it.

 

Hey Onno,

Glad your dash-switch idiosyncharsies are solved.

Great pics, beautifuly balanced collection of cars. If the numbers of the garages are anything to go by, you still have a long wish-list. Next a 50-ies example?

 

My wishlist is indeed long but only one of the garages is mine... Starting the 550 attracted a fair amount of interest of the garagebox owners one floor down...


Onno

 

Wow - that was a long winter!!! Finally the salt is off the roads and the weather is in the far-above-freezing range at last.

I picked up the 330GTC yesterday from Forza Service, my specialist, where she's been in storage and she had some work done these last 2 months. The weather was lovely and we did 150kms or so, she was purring like a kitten.

We found a water pipe that was rotted through and some items were checked but she's all ready for the 5,000km drive through Europe in 6 weeks' time. Can't wait, I must say, this is going to be FANTASTIC!

For now, she was very well behaved in traffic yesterday, and this afternoon I took her for a shortish drive to take a couple of pics of the start of the season. Nothing to write home about but just happy to be motoring again!

The central clock was replaced by an original one from a 365GTC, and after reconditioning it runs great too. Initially I didn't even notice the previous clock (shown here on the seat) was not original but now that the proper model is back, I am very happy.

I had one modification done: for the trip through Europe, and particularly the Mille Miglia Tribute I wanted to run an on-board camera off the battery, and on leasurely trips a GPS is very useful too. I think the solution was very neatly done, underneath the dashboard on the far right. Each socket has its own fuse so electrical problems are avoided, and it is so well hidden you won't find it unless you know where it is.


Onno
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5000km ...great plan

when will you start and which places will you visit ?

I`m sure, you will post pics along the way