The BORA

As already noted you are asking about 2 different tires: XWXs are rock hard and very expensive; P4000 ZRs were very good (currently on my Bora) but are no longer available.

If I was going to put a new set (215/70/15 W/Z) today, these would be my choice:

Vredestein Sprint Classic 215/70 R15 98 W tyre ? summer car tyres sold

Regards.

 

If you do give us a report. I have been thinking about these for my Espada which has old P4000e 225-65-15 tires. They have been terrific for normal driving.

 

Thanks Kim, Boralogist - those are excellent resources, much appreciated.

My mistake for relying on my memory instead of walking down to read the sidewall of the Pirelli's, I have the P4000 ZR's.

Comment about Michelin XWX's being hard is well noted. I upped the tire pressure on the P4000's closer to spec yesterday for a drive, I didn't like it much at all*. My spec book says 35psi front, 39psi rear. I've enjoyed it at 32front, 33rear, but tried it at 33 front, 35 rear and I swear it feels harsher.

(*Note: Deferred maintenance due to State budget "priorities" has left some of our secondary roads with a degree of roughness. Repairs are catching up, but in the meantime it's just not pleasant to drive at full pressure).

Cheers,
- Art

 

New XWX's aren't hard at all.
I started on some Avon's on the Merak but didn't get the height above ground correct, changed to XWX and the car changed into what it was designed for.

I used to drive the Indy on Pirelli P4000, changed over to XWX, major improvement, but the P4000 were 4 years old so unfair to compare them with the factory fresh Michelins. Old XWX are of course hard, like all old tires are.

Yes they are expensive!!!!

The Vredensteins are imho a fair compromise, but lets say that you are to take a period correct picture of the car without having the tirewalls show you are in the present time, (like the P4000's are shouting as well as the more subtle Sprint Classic text of the Vredenstein's) then the alternatives are the XWX or Pirelli Cinturato's.


Kind regards

Kim

 

Right, thanks for pointing that out Kim,

B looks like he isn't pulling the trigger soon. My tires look very solid and should be OK for another few years.

Part of my investigation is because the State of New York is considering a law that mandates a maximum age for car tires. A 6 year maximum age was opposed. 10 years is the current proposal.

If the law passes I'll be in the market. 10 years. Not a bad idea really.
- Art

 

OK, then,

Now - for a completely different Bora question, can anyone tell me where to find the "rear fuse box" with (8) fuses? It's item number 72 on the Owner's Manual wiring diagram. I've only found the front (5) fuse box.

I'm tracking down why my 'City Horn' and interior courtesy lights stopped working all of a sudden. 'Country Horn' works just fine.

Gracie,
- Art

PS - Dante had a special level of Hell for Italian wiring diagrams ...which don't even include the switch that toggles between "city" and "country"..

 

The 8 fuse box is on the center console of the passenger side (for LHD) foot-well; unscrew the little leather cover!

Regards.

 

Thanks B, got it - turns out the wiring diagram, although lacking in a few details such as all the column switches, was quite useful in narrowing down the wires to trace out for the inoperative components I have.
- Art

 

Good evening all,
Hope your Boras are coming out of their winter slumber. I'm about done prepping mine for the season.

I'm searching for an original jack and tool kit, missing from mine. To start with: What do they look like "in place" in the Bora? I believe they mount on the threaded studs present on the rear frame, near the transmission. I'm skeptical of what I've found for sale where the entire jack & tool package is in a single vinyl case - which is impossible to mount in the Bora's rear.

Can anyone share good photos of what it looks like?
Thanks,
- Art

 

On the early Boras the jack was in a bag, similar to the Ghibli, and stored in the compartment behind the driver. On later cars, like yours, the jack was mounted inside the engine compartment next to the spare tire, held by spring.

This is the tool kit from my car. I think the Phillips head screw driver is incorrect. You can see the spring holding the jack on the second photo. The jack itself I believe is the same as the early cars and the Ghibli. I have never removed the jack on my car but can verify this if you like.

Ivan
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Thanks, Ivan,
Looks like the jack is a scissor type, and the silver fitting in the tool kit fits over the hex nut and lets it be raised with the ratcheting handle in the tool kit? Just the jack is the remaining question. So Yes, if you could verify the look of the jack with photos to the extent you are comfortable… I think photos of it in situ would be perfectly adequate.

Gracie,
- Art

 

I didn't get a toolkit with my Bora and only 3K miles too! Methinks it was pilfered.

But that kit looks an awful lot like the one from my Espada. Certainly the jack components (jack, extension and ratchet handle) are the same. Looks like the typical plastic donut that slips over the extension is not there. The hammer and spark plug wrench are very similar. The screwdrivers, wrenches and oil pan wrench are different. I don't think finding some of these as facsimiles will be hard. I think the QPIII tool kit was pretty close at lease for the late Boras?

 

This is what mine looks like, if you can see past the dust. The base is 73.25mm wide by 156mm long.
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All fine and good!

One word of warning...
If you actually try to use it for its intended purpose, it will buckle!

Not a pretty sight!

Regards.

 

Art,

This looks the same as the Ghibli jack. Do you still want me to take photos in situ?

Ivan

 

Yes, that would be very useful, Ivan, because I'll try my best to source a correct spring and any hardware..

But one question: What do the jack points look like to fit the jack shown by GLB?

- My Bora's jack points are inverted circular steel cups. I thought the top of the Bora's jack is supposed to be a round head to fit into these "cup" jack points?

- There are sheet metal repairs done in this area of my Bora and it's entirely possible my round "cup" jack points are installed after the fact…

Cheers,
- Art

 

Wait a second ... you are actually considering the functionality of the OEM jack?

Good luck with that.

There are plenty of much better places to lift the Bora into the air far more safely with a simple floor jack. On the road? Call AAA.
The official "tool kit" is a joke and while some feel it's oh so important for originality I suggest your treat it as such.

 

Nah. I used mine to jack my Espada when I had a flat on a rally last fall and it worked smooth as silk. I remember my passenger commenting on how well the jack and ratchet performed. My Mangusta has the same jack and, although I've only used it once, it worked fine. On the 'Goose it lifts the entire side of the car. Of course, this all assumes that you properly position the jack and correctly block the wheels.

 

My experience is a bit jaded by the time I very stupidly tried to change a flat on an elevated section of the NJ Turnpike between Secaucus and Newark airport. The car nearly fell off the jack because of how much the road shakes from all those trucks. Just get a flatbed in that spot and they tow you to safety. It's a crazy sensation experiencing how much that concrete structure moves and seeing the car hop up and down like that!

 

Hello all--

Need an AC Vacuum Switch for the Bora; accidentally broke one of the 5 little tubes on the back of mine while putting dash back together.

Anybody have an extra one or know someone who does; would be immensely appreciated!

Thanks.

B.
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Could you glue a piece of brass, aluminum or plastic tubing found at a hobby store to fix it?

That instant curing glue by UV light does hold pretty well if you keep it away from heat. So a sort of tack weld with that followed with some epoxy. Or is the damage just too bad?

 

We tried several ways to save it.
Unfortunately the whole thing is so brittle no way to work with it.
Thanks.

 

Digitally print part of it as a repair? I've heard the plastic parts produced this way aren't terribly robust but gosh I bet this going to be tough to find. Hope I'm wrong.

There is a guy in California who fixes all kinds of weird things like Vitaloni turn signal stalks. Maybe it's worth sending him a photo of what's left?

 

Thanks Bob. I really appreciate your help.

This will sound harsh. But trust me I have my reasons/documentation:
Be VERY careful dealing with that con man you had in mind.
I know. I know. Great reviews; barbecues on the Ferrari front etc etc
Just a friend talking to friend.

Warm regards,

B.

 

Hello Boralogist...

There is one of these listed on e-bay right now... Has about 14
hours to go...

Mik