350/400GT thread

Would anyone have a spare 350gt/400gt water pump front cover,
new or used?

 

Nice one, please make a full chapter on this one (and long ones on French cars).

 

there is a full chapter on vintage "one off"... but not a specific chapter on all cars sold in France...

 

upppp lên nào

 

FL al volante. FL himself behind the wheel.

Ben
_______
...et surtout n'oubliez pas de prendre beaucoup du plaisir.

FL 1968 in RAI Italian State TV:
La Miura sarà una macchina che rimane nella storia del automobile. Le altre magari se cancellano, la Miura non.
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FL @ 350GT
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Caro Ben,

are these pics taken from TV reportage on RAI ?

 

Cher Olivier,
period pictures and period 8mm films (black/white) from the 60ies.

You want one more tonight ?
Ben

 

of course like many, please pubish

I was thinking TV reportage pic or yes 8mm film

 

another period picture
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybPPc9Amf0c
How many times was the engine rebuild in those 268k miles that he did?

 

Does anybody know the VIN of this example, I'd guess #0111
https://www.classicdriver.com/de/car/lamborghini/350-gt/1964/348259

 

Yes I know, it is #0109...

ex Salon de Paris
ex Mr Charrier
ex Ciclet and now belonging for a year to my friend Neldo !

 

There's not a simple answer to that question as he's had some repairs required which weren't complete rebuilds as well. It's been used extensively as a real car for a long time so that's quite natural. This is no 5 owner CT or Miura with 35K miles that's just had $200K dumped into it with a complete engine rebuild with a frame off restoration. He's also authored an engine servicing/rebuild manual for the early V12s.

 

From french magazine "Top's Cars" (early 90's) :
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#0391 to be auctionned at Monaco, a very nice 350 GT indeed => 1966 Lamborghini 350 GT by Touring | Monaco 2016 | RM Sotheby's

you will notice the oil stick is on the passenger side, so definitively a 4.0 liters engine...

but not an Interim, as this car was fitted during production with "tipo L351" engine !

so, my conclusion is : this car was probably later fitted with a 4.0 liters engine, and I will bet it was done by factory, engine number is matching the original 3.5, so probably stamped by & at factory while swapping one engine for the other... which could be explained because it was delivered new in Italy, serviced in Italy and when an engine failure occured, sent back to Sant'Agata to solve the issue...
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And this is an absolutely great read, together with the many photos visualizing certain things discussed in the text. Everything needed for doing the job is explained in detail and layout is absolutely professional.

He has authored other manuals with the same high end standard as well, e.g. for the Girling brake boosters used in the 350/400 GT and the early Espada and Jarama.

Cheers, Bernhard

 

I would appreciate comments from anyone who has had actual seat time in both the Lamborghini 350 GT (or 400 GT 2+2) AND a 1967-1969 Ferrari 330 or 365 GTC (not the later 365 GTC/4 or contemporary 330/365 GT 2+2) comparing the two driving experiences.

I have owned a 365 GTC for eight years and continue to enjoy it. In 2012, I got a 20-minute drive in a 350 GT and haven't been able to get it out of my head since. I respected the opportunity so did not push the car, therefore my impression of the Lamborghini is not fully informed. I use the 365 GTC for touring, for which it is highly capable, especially with its factory air conditioning. I especially like the punch of the 4.4 liter motor when I use all of the accelerator pedal's long travel. The old crate really gets up and goes. It has proven to be quite reliable with few problems.

I am asking for comments on the two cars because I have thought about getting out of the Ferrari 365 GTC and into the Lamborghini 350 GT. I cannot do both. Needless to say, extended test drives in vintage Lanborghinis are very difficult to arrange. The more a posteriori information I can get, the better.

Thank you for your thoughtful replies.
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Any guess as to how many spyder conversions were done on 350 & 400 GTs? I had thought it was only a few..

 

2x original

3x fake

 

Your question was in need of an answer for a month, I just experienced the driving of a GTC 2 days ago...

Well, the driving is not that sharp even if the engine sounds brilliant. My overall feeling is "heavy", pedals, direction are "heavy", suspension are too quickly on their bottom ride (may be the car was in need of a refurbishment of its shocks). I have to admit I'm not too much a Ferrari guy, even if I had some in the past.

On the other side, I have owned a 400 GT 2+2 and driven several others 400 GT 2+2 & 350 GT...

I prefer the 400 GT 2+2 for its more powerfull engine, which is stronger and takes 7.500 rpm compared to the weaker 3.5 in terms of reliability (facts recorded from my interview with Edmond Ciclet or Bob Wallace).

It is not a coincidence, most 350 GT are not driven any more on long distance with a "healthy ride", like you can do with any 4.0, also, at period the factory was supplying 4.0 in replacement of 3.5 engine instead of reparing them...

The whole driving feeling is "light" with 350 or 400, aluminium body or steel body, I don't care.

I'm balanced in between the rear design of 350 vs 400, but I do love the front of both which is so particular (small details differencing both), but this matter is a question of personnal taste.

I would suggest you to test drive also a 400 GT 2+2...

here is one of my videos, a smooth ride => https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grzUtaKBcjA

 

To pursue on Olivier's thoughts, here is a post I made a few weeks ago in the Espada thread about my first drive of a font engined Ferrari v12. The gt 2+2 is surely very different from the gtc with its rear independent suspension but maybe it'll add some insight.



Hi everyone,

I thought I would share my first impressions at the wheel of a 330 GT 2+2 and compare them whith the Espada's driving feeling.

First of all, I have to say that it is the first time I drive a vintage front engined Ferrari. I was really excited to come close to the myth! The car was absolutely gorgeaous and just came out of a nut and bolt restoration.

However, right from the beginning, I felt it was completely different from any comparable Lambo I had ever driven, especially the Espada and the Islero.
The engine noise and the throttle response was very nice standing still. On the contrary, all the other commands felt horrendeously heavy. The clutch felt like it was the brake pedal! Nothing as homogeneous as in a Lamborghini.
Then I went on the road, I hade to make a few maneuvers, and what a turning circle!! It really felt like a truck. I was not prepared to that. The Espada is also quite a big car, but it shrinks around you after a few meters and feels very reassuring. Which was not the case with the Ferrari.

After that, I went on some beautiful country roads. The engine, is really amazing, very flexible, I think with a bit more torque than the Lamborghini but maybe less power. It is very subjective. Very smooth and willing to rev. I can really understand why people can go crazy for this engine! However, all the rest was really disappointing. The gearchange was very firm and ok, but a bit less nice to engage than the Lamborghini.

The roadholding was the biggest deception. I was warned that the car would behave differently with a more vintage feel than the Lamborghini, but I thought that it would be somewhat similar at regular speeds, and that the differences would be for the conoscenti daring to come close to the limit... It was not! The differences are that huge! Even at low speed, I could feel that the center of gravity was much higher, that the car didn't corner precisely and above all, felt very heavy, even though this example was fitted with power steering.

After a few minutes at the wheel, I felt exhausted and I was sweating!

All in all, I was really disapointed, even though the car has power and a great engine.

The car was really nice to look at, felt very airy in the cabin with a lot of space, but lacked the nice homogeneity of a similar Lambo. Really a night and day feeling!

I would really have thought that it would have been much more similar!

 

My 1970 Espada besides a 1970 365 GT 2+2.
In the Espada, you're on the first floor, in the Ferrari, your are on the 2nd floor !

Philippe
7987
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I came across several additional photos of the car I did a large amount of work on in 2007.
It was subsequently sold at auction in Monterey and I do not know where it ended up.

A previous owner had cut the firewall to install a heater w/fan from a Mercury Cougar. The radio was relocated and the dash was cobbled up.

Work performed;
Rebuild and restored all calipers
Replaced all bearings and synchros in gearbox
Replace all suspension bushings and relocate rear A arm pick up points to achieve proper toe
Rebuild firewall
Rebuild fiberglass dashboard and reupholster.

Attached are some of the photos. I would like to restore another example alongside the Ferrari Boxer and Lamborghini Countach currently in process at my new shop.
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Here is another video with a 350 GT => https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9kczI8gPZ0