F40 - The first 394 miles.

It took 20 years to clock 2,600 miles and 14 days for me to put up 394 more; what a couple of weeks it has been. For the most part I'm a modern guy, I like new things, not old things. My garage has an 09 Scud, a 2010 Cali, a 2010 HGTE and a 458 on the way in a few weeks. I like it that way.

Then, I ordered up an F40 to see if I was missing something by not having an older car, a Supercar; called Joe, called Carbon. Before mine arrived, I've never driven an F40, never sat in one and truth be told, I've never seen one in person. When the delivery truck arrived, I actually stood by my mailbox wondering what I was going to see when the ramp came down. I knew it was red, I knew it was loud and I knew it was 20 years old. But I hadn't any appreciation for its dimensions, for its feel, for its personality.

When the car arrived, it was hot outside and it was hot inside the car. I rolled down the windows, got inside a sat there for about 3 to 4 minutes before starting the car for the first time. Something was strangely familiar and it took me all of 3 minutes to figure it out - and then it hit me, it was the smell inside the car. The combination of materials: Nomex, Resins, Lexan and Kevlar. If you climb into a military aircraft on a hot day, you get the same (identical) odor inside the cockpit. My experience put me in the cockpit and troop transport sections of helicopters. It nearly brought the tears but the rush of nostalgia and confidence came faster and I hit Engine Start.

I was in heavy traffic hours later, had to figure out headlights and dash panel lights on the fly, came home, changed and took it to dinner that night. The restaurant was kind enough to let me park out front or did they insist, can't remember.

She steers heavy with poor visibility through rear Lexan at slow speeds, like trying to dock a boat after case of beer. When you hit 35MPH you can steer with the tip of your finger. As far as boost psi, I'm hitting about 17lbs and I've "hit it" but haven't had the loud pedal to the floor for very long. 60 to 100 comes in just about the same time it took to read this sentence. There is just nowhere to let her off the chain and be safe about it.

Honda Accords look like SUV's next to you at stop lights and a few have remarked "nice kit car" when I'm refueling. I smile and say "thanks!" Back to the start of my post, I like the new stuff but boy this F40 is something. Great to me is something that is an outlier from the status quo, abnormal, special, exciting beyond a reasonable doubt. The 599 HGTE, 430 Scud, California all fit this description and I could write for hours on each of those from my perspective.

But there's something else going on with the F40, it's another notch above greatness as I've described. And I'm open to the idea that this makes little or no sense but here goes: The F40 represents as a car the type of relationships we want more of as people. It is honest, it reacts exactly to the inputs you place on the systems and if you start to take advantage of the relationship, it will slap you. It's refreshing and honestly comforting to have that kind of relationship, even if it is a car. The others in my stable have futuristic systems to mask their true feelings now and then. They too are great, no questions asked.

But when I need some good alone time, it's me and the F40. I love every mile of it. Here are a few pictures from the morning drive on Sunday.
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wow, and to think I know what it's like to drive an F40 at slow speeds....

congrats on the car! like you, I'm not into "vintage" cars, but the 275 GTB/4 and F40 are the exceptions for me.

 

Very nice. Beautiful car!

Do you have pics of all your cars together?

 

Here's a garage photo.
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What a superb owner's first impressions post. Thank you for taking the time to do that. And yes, that cockpit aroma: unique. For me, its the smell of fear!

 

Fantastic write up pal ! I think you've nailed it...this car evokes something deep inside and leaves you coming down from a drive long after its over.

Congrats again...your brief description suggests it has found the best home possible

 

Thanks for taking the time to share that with those of us who do not have the privilege of owning one. Very well written!

 

Congrats man...and thanks for sharing.

You actually did something I've been wanting to do for a long time--buy a car with no prior experience whatsoever. Just on pure interest and passion.

I want to do that with an F50 if I ever get the money. I want the first time I see her to be when she rolls off the truck; when she's mine.

It's like not seeing your bride on your wedding day until she walks down the isle...

Or something like that.

Enjoy in the best of health!

 

Here's the exact scene: The driver is parked in front of my house, F40 is still on truck, ramp is down, he is taking off final straps, etc... Wife comes home, pulls behind truck, rolls down her window:

Me: Hi Honey
Wife: What is that thing on the truck
Me: It's a Ferrari
Driver: Should I wait inside the cab?
Wife: I know it's a Ferrari, what model?
Me: 1990 F40
Wife: Okay, I'm going to grocery, need anything?
Driver: Wow, I've seen these situations go a lot worse

My wife has literally "lost it" because I bought the wrong milk, F40 arrives, she is practically oblivious. Can someone explain women?

 

Sounds to me like you've found a keeper

 

Meh...uhmmmm......struggling here..........



I love it: "What is that thing on the truck?"

HAHA. I think sometimes it's actually better when women just don't know or don't care to know. She knows you're crazy and that she'll never fix your obsession, and she's fine with that.

Perfect.

 

Great post Chad. I'm just so happy to hear that someone is finally driving that great machine.

 

Our sense of smell is very powerful and it's always amazing to me how much it can shorten the time to distant memories. I have the same experience whenever I drive the F40. It seems like a small thing, but it's just one of the many small things that contribute to the car's uniqueness. Some old things just have a special charm, and the F40 brings back childhood memories for me whenever I look at it, and especially whenever I'm driving it. Thanks for sharing your experience with us.

 

Thanks for your insights. That was a fun read.

 

+1, Great post Chad.
When I bought my first F40, I was using it even to bring kids to school or to buy bread on sunday morning!
Then after 20 000 km over two years I sold it to a UK lawyer, and I still remember the same feeling concerning the specific smell inside the car, you're right, it's a fantastic car.

 

This:

is awesome!

I could...

...but Jas is right.

Isn't smell the strongest sense when it comes to memory recall?

 

Lovely car

 

No.

 

I could not have described it any better.

 

Congratulations! Fantastic write up. You have an incredible collection of cars; enjoy them all in good health!!!

-G.B.

 

Great car, great thread!

 

Thank you, that story definitely reminded me of my f40 ride a couple years ago. The smell, the feel of the engine, the hairs on my arms and neck standing straight up the whole time.

 

Yes. That's why any BMW instantly brings back my first wild car ride, which was in a '96 M3. That German leather all smells, wonderfully, the same.

 

Fantastic write up. I had a lot of fun reading it.

You are a lucky man to have such a great collection of cars and an understanding Wife!

Bravo!! BRAVO!!!
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Thank you so much for that, I'm 18 years old and everytime I come on to this forum it gives me hopes that one day my garage can look like yours except with a 430 Scud, F40, F50, and 458 Italia

Sometimes school gets so hard for me that I just want to kill myself, then the image of Ferrari comes to my mind and that's what makes me want to try harder and harder every day.

Thanks again for this post, the F40 means a lot to me