OEM or Conversion

i dont see why oem parts matter when the aftermarket parts are better. do cars with oem exhausts trade for more than a car with a good aftermarket?

 

It is not that simple. You can replace parts, but the key is remapping the computers. Apparently, the early 599s with manuals didn't drive very well until somebody came up with a reprograming solution. I think the answer to your question will be whether a conversion, or even an OEM system, has been fully debugged.

 

I'm in the OEM camp. Repurposing a few posts I've made recently opining on the subject.

Replacing a known weakness with a superseded superior part is ok - Hill Engineering tensioners or faulty headers are great examples. Moving on with technology for things like tires or batteries is barely even worth addressing because it’s a no-brainer; a good example (that most of us are aware of) is addressing the original tires on a Carrera GT, which had basically become a safety and drivability requirement several years after the cars were delivered. Exhausts have succumbed to myriad regulations that can sterilize the experience and replacement systems are easily reversible. All these things address nuanced weaknesses that enthusiasts resolved and the larger community accepted.

Having said that, nobody has ever said “Ferrari REALLY missed when they designed their manual transmissions.” In fact, for 50 years Ferrari had been known for the iconic clink and look of the gated shifter. The shifting experience has nearly defined the driving experience as much as the partnership with Pininfarina had become synonymous with Ferrari road cars over the years. And these are literally the things that made Ferrari road cars legendary.

With regard to F1 cars, the fact that they are provisioned for manual setups from the factory and can be converted to those setups - with the parts that Ferrari built, as if the cars came that way from the factory - is an easy case to make in terms of hitting the bullseye for those who prefer manual AND having that aforementioned ability to do it as designed by Ferrari, who is established as the ultimate purveyor of the gated experience.

We all know the concept that an 812 is a better car than a 250 GTO, but isn’t even in the same universe. It’s about the experience and the esoteric halo that comes with these cars. To convert a car without OEM parts, regardless of the marketing of the experience, is altering the purity of what Ferrari designed and has been celebrated for. Somebody mentioned facsimile in another post on the topic, but that is an exact copy by definition. The reality is that Non-OEM is not facsimile and therefore compromises the fundamental essence of the very thing we unanimously love and are trying to replicate. You can put an OEM gate on in the console, but underneath, the mechanical bits will alter the factory design that we have cherished for years and covet now more than ever. You can pull out the F1 parts and put in manual parts that physically fit. But you’re making a modification to the Ferrari design and experience (which has been established as “not a weakness”) and that is a fact.

Software is a modification technically, however it not only unlocks the code to make the conversion possible, but Trevor can use the OEM mapping - literal facsimile (not advised on 599s, however, factory cars should be updated with his patch).

All this to say… to me, using non-OEM is altering a lauded element. Using OEM embraces it. Of course the drawback is that OEM is already tough to find and will become more challenging, and many will only have the option to go aftermarket if they want to convert. But for me, the option is OEM (factory gated parts) or OEM (F1) for something like this.

OEM conversions are literally reconfigured in a way that is identical to factory specification, not modified in any way. In fact, I could probably form an argument that F1 is a modified manual transmission and we are therefore returning it to its purest original state with an OEM conversion. A non OEM project is, however, modified, and to me that a compromise of the Ferrari design. As I said above, an OEM Ferrari exhaust and OEM Ferrari gated transmission are very different things, an exhaust is far easier to substantiate as a subjective, personal choice, in my opinion. No matter what kind of marketing a non-OEM player does around “optimization of the shifting experience”, they are trying to validate their competition with an existing experience that is already simply perfect.

The history is a big deal with this brand and it is why many owners revere the cars; they are much more than a snapshot of the leading edge of contemporary performance, which is distilled and ready to be tapped into with cars like R8 or 720S. Owners keep these cars a long time, and go deep into their history/lineage, community, and best practices.

 

i dont think the conversions will impact the factory sticks. the person paying 300K for a factory car is a very specific buyer

 

Very easy to confirm if Ferrari is oem manual. Just run the vin on https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls

For any F1 car, it will state ‘F1’. Any oem manual it will not give any extra info other than model of car.

This was posted by another f chatter, just can’t remember who it was off the top of my head, but I always want to give credit where it’s due.

 

Frankly, if I wanted a front engine V12 with a stick, I'd buy a 550 or 575 Maranello. I wouldn't convert a 599. Yeah, the 599 has more ponies than a 550 or 575, but it not horsepower you can safety use on the streets. I'm going from memory, but just rowing the gears on my 550 and shifting by ear, I would find myself doing 90 in third. If you need to go faster than that, I suggest taking it to the track.

 

When nailing the throttle of my 575 in 2nd, I’ve NEVER thought “this could use a little more power.”
The brakes are a different story…

 

A converted scud is better on the street that an oem cgt!

 

There are alot of worthless 355 automatics out there..alot..
Tell me who makes / sells the conversion equipment..I will start my new occupation tomorrow!
Every F1 355 should be converted

 

Tru dat on the brakes. I got some wide eyeballs when I tracked my 550. The brake pedal was doing the hula, but I didn't seem to be stopping and that wall was coming up!

 

I wouldn't doubt it. But I don't think that will be the long-term appeal for the Porsche CGT. Simply put, no manufacturer will ever build another widow maker like that car.

 

It's unfortunate but the car gas become too valuable to drive carelessly. One of our guys bought the lowest milage CTG known for 2 million. It now resides on the 25th floor in his office building as an art peice.

 

Sad, but it's his money.

 

Cut Daytonas never hurt the factory original Daytona Spyder market, so... no, I doubt retrofitted three-pedal manuals would affect factory three-pedal manuals.

 

Sadly, there are several generations of unloved F1 boxes, from the 355 through the 599. I don't know what happens to those.

But I agree with the above post about buying a 550 or even a 328 if you want a factory correct three-pedal manual. It's old technology anyway, so belongs on classic cars.

 

True..but the CGT like the Countach is a very good example of never meeting your hero's. They both are not a nice thing to drive. Rather annoying actually. Lots of hoopla and hype surrounding both cars..but damn they are horrible things to drive on city streets and highways..

 

I’ve done a 360 conversion and have all the CAD data as I machined a few parts that are NLA. It really wasn’t too hard but it is a big time investment. At the time we had some OEM parts such as the clutch pedal but we scanned and reverse engineering the rest. Trickiest part actually was the clutch line that runs down the center tunnel.

Car was a blast. The old F1 system really shows it’s age now and it isn’t fun at all.

Another shop flashed the ECU.

 

If you know anyone with a CGT who doesn't want to drive it, I'd be more than willing to help. I'll even arrange insurance coverage. I'm not kidding.

 

That is a surprise to me about CGT, I always read such great things, and has the most amazing sound (at least on video). What was wrong with it, suspension too harsh for the road?

 

Honestly..they are cool cars. I do like them because of what they are..but in the real world.. sorry. But they are boarder line horrible. Here is one we just had in for inspection..
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It had a leak from the rear main seal. Engine out..at minimum 20k fix..ridiculous.. cool car..but it's just stupid. Besides.. it looks like a pick up truck..

 

They tried to build a shelby cobra and failed.

 

Droll running down my cheek...

 

Agree! I was borderline hoping to hear some negatives about the driving experience to support my ‘sour grapes’

But all I’m hearing is that it is eye wateringly expensive to run, which is well known. Damnit, still have to live with envy…