Very very slowly as still searching for information. Thankfully, we have a mass to do elsewhere and for now not a problem since it looks like we finally should have all suspension and brakes this week. But we do need to find those elusive details.
So now we have the front and rear suspension just about mounted. Few alterations needed and the works of art will shortly be in place. Interestingly I note that the front uprights are made of Avional, apparently a super strength lightweight Swiss alloy (had to look that one up) and the rears are Magnesium, again, all with Titanium adjustment. Expensive, but you begin to understand why. Now we have all the set up info from Michelotto we are fine checking with computerised Spanesi Touch system to ensure everything is absolutely spot on. Adjustable LM brakes, adjustable anti roll bars, Carbon Fibre ducting, Magnesium pedal box, master cylinder and light weight Konis etc are hopefully incoming tomorrow!! Hopefully. Everything will be offered up to the chassis, adjusted and fixed before disassembly for final chassis paint. Got to love those rear tyres! I am hoping that by the end of next week, we might finally be in the paint shop.......maybe Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
The suspensions are just gorgeous -- breathtaking. If ever one needs an example of industrial art, these are it.
Just a small update. Nothing from Michelotto-disappointing but not unexpected. More chasing but then the day is still young. Meanwhile we have been finishing off the LM front assembly so all we now need is a delivery to finish mounting and checking everything before the paint shop beckons. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
wow. what an awesome project. i very nearly bought this car last year when it was for sale privately. sadly the owner was reluctant to allow a proper inspection and outright refused any test drive by italia autosports so i walked away. then he gave it to a garage to sell, ho hum. anyway it's fantastic to see it being brought back to perfect health and being done properly. as part of my research at the time i did turn up a couple of threads about this car on here from which might be of interest... http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/288gto-f40-f50-enzo-laferrari/69179-f40-lm-race-head-gasket-upgrade-help.html http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/288gto-f40-f50-enzo-laferrari/111889-f40lm-intercooler-upgrade.html amazing project, i'm very jealous! regards Francis
ps. I believe, although I could be wrong, that FREECAT and F40 PILOT are the previous owner. i dont think there is more than 1 hartmann f40lm though... http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/search.php?searchid=6899082 http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/search.php?searchid=6899087
sorry the previous links are not working; they were just links to freecat and f40 pilot's posts which i'm sure those familliar with this site can find easily... hope some are of interest to the new owner
Thanks. Most of them I had seen but not the one in 2005 about the heads. These were replaced with brand new ones in 2008 by a Ferrari Main dealer. It is pretty clear this car was driven with the full 720hp most of the time, including when racing, with scant regard for longevity and maintenance. Hopefully we will do a better job.
To be honest any more than a minor tart up would have blown my budget. Car ended up in the right hands clearly! Outstanding job and thanks for taking the time to share the details and pictures.
Just as well it was priced as it was. I think there have been a number of rash owners who bought and then found out it really needed more than they anticipated. That includes me but at least when finished it will be as new, literally, and one of the 27.
It did have 12,000 miles but after this I think I can describe it as effectively zero as every element will have been rebuilt.
Sorry if this has been covered before in the thread but I figured I might as well ask. Is the bodywork going to remain in the official LM style or are you putting it back to the way it was during the BPR series? Given it's history it would be nice to run in the Hartmann bodywork though I can imagine why you wouldn't.
I know what you mean but I much prefer the LM bodywork and given it enjoyed no great success in its Hartmann clothes figure I can maintain the LM front clip etc. Having been told by Michelotto the remainder of the order would be with us last week, no great surprise it was a no show and it is double promised for Tuesday, Monday being a holiday here. Frustrating as we had labour waiting to crack on and get it into paint prep last week.
Time to sap more expertise from this forum. New lightweight flywheel is about to begin production but: Current broken flywheel weight about 3.7kg New flywheel with Reluctor ring 5.3kg I think the standard flywheel is about 7kg but not sure. The race company are not prepared to take any more weight out of the new flywheel because of the crank trigger pick up and they cant remove any more material from under it otherwise it will become unstable. If we need to have the flywheel lighter they suggest we have a rethink on the crank triggering system as maybe it would be better coming off a trigger wheel on the front pulley which is a much lighter solution. Motec prefer triggering off more reference teeth as more accurate but I believe some other race F40's have a trigger off the front pulley. Any thoughts?
I'm not a fan of triggering off of the flywheel, especially a lightened one . I ran into an issue on a Ram SRT twin turbo with a light flywheel and a heavy (3000 pound pressure plate) during hard shifts the flywheel would flex ever so slightly causing a change in timing (it didn't do that with the stock flywheel) we switched to a front pulley pickup and everything was fine. This is a great project thanks for sharing it with us.
Surely the correct fix would have been a redesigned flywheel to handle the heavy pressure plate?. That flexing must have caused weird clutch engagement issues? Pete
Gear box rebuild now well underway. New bearings, new 2nd gear and shorter ratio crown wheel and pinion all being installed. Then it is off to Crosthwaites for fitting of reverse and final set up and result a zero miles gearbox. Another partial delivery from Michelotto to include LM brakes, magnesium pedal box, carbon fibre cooling ductwork, track rod ends etc etc and I will post pics of these once unpacked, but frustratingly we are still short of the lightweight Koni shocks and springs which we need to be able to set the ride height and deal with the bodywork before final chassis and body paint and final assembly, so blame Michelotto for the shortage of posts. Apparently leaving Italy today but I have heard that before! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Blimey Tim, I've seen continents smaller than those tyres. I have a bit of a thing for tread pattens and they look lovely. Coming on well. Matt
Tim, while they work on the gearbox you should check they are taking care of the issue many roadgoing F40s have. Quite often the gearbox oil tends to corrode the magnesium of the gearbox case, resulting in loads of magnesium particles to float around your oil's tank and sometime resulting in a malfunction of the clutch. I'm sure if they worked on F40s before like they did they will know what I'm talking about.
I can't wait to see it finished. When it is, I do hope you'll keep us as regularly updated as you do now. Quite sure this is going to be one of the best looking F40's on the forum; it's totally built to my taste!
Thanks and neither can I! I keep on thinking it will be finished in 3 months but as the months tick by it is still 3 months. Naturally I will continue to post all the way.
Last post for a week or so or until Michelotto delivers the springs and shocks. Body now back on temporarily to sort ride height, clearances, panel gaps etc but to do it properly we need shocks if you are reading this Cristiano-Please! In theory sent last week but I have heard that before........please prove me wrong! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login