348 question

That would be my guess.

 

I have a 91 348ts its fiberglass as well as the trunk

 

Fiberglass, OEM.

As far as I know Ferrari didn't start using Alunimium until the 360. However since yours is a factory challenge car you should have carbon fiber bumpers and door sills.

 

My 80' 308 had an aluminum hood, my 91, 348 is OEM, fiberglass hood,trunk,bumpers,bottom of doors.

 

Oh Duuurrrrrrrrr. How could I have for gotten that? Thanks for the correction.

 

My 348 Spider is aluminium.

 

My 12/91 348 TB has an aluminium bonnet and rear engine cover,for sure. It is not carbon fibre or fibreglass. Why would ferrari put different bonnets and engine covers on the 348 models?? With exception of the challenge ect....... Can anyone answer that question??

 

My 348 GTS has also aluminium front and rear hood.

 

I am almost 100% certain that all 348 frt and engine hoods are aluminum. I have not seen any Ferrari information that states differently. If you have a question about material used look at the side edge of the skin it should be folded over, about a 13mm fold, the underside frame. If it was fiberglass you might see the edge of the skin and then a frame edge that is glued together, ie; not folded. Hope that is undertsanable not sure I explained it that well.
Richard are you by some chance looking at the underside of your engine compartment lid near the 3rd brake light and through a square, approx. 2"x2", hole and seeing what lookes like fiberglass mesh? Regards Vern

 

Hi Ernie, Just a quick note, 355 engine hoods and frt hoods are aluminum. Also I haven't seen any 348 challenge cars with carbon door sills where/when did you see those? I know the euro comp.(street version) had them but wasn't aware the US challenge cars had them. Regards Vern

 

Richard, I was fairly sure that factory hoods were Al. So maybe yours is aftermarket. I am not at home right now but I have a 348 challenge parts book that I can double check for you, I'll get back to you. Please don't misunderstand I don't mean to question you(just trying to help)but how do you know it is fiberglass?
Regards, Vern

 

Richard,
I think your correct that it must be after market. I don't remember seeing any info from Ferrari on the hood being fiberglass. You wouldn't think that fiberglass would be that much lighter than Al. to make it worth changing. I have had my aluminum hood off of my 355 and its fairly light as it is. Also wondering how that would have fit into the regs. for the series if in fact it was not a factory piece. It seemed by looking at the regulatin books that they were fairly strict on making any changes other than what was in the book.
I have another thought for you. I have seen fiberglass mat used as a cushion between the skin of a part and the frame Do the edges of the skin of your hood roleover about 13mm onto the frame of the hood sandwiching the frame between the skin of the hood?

 

I'm still fairly sure you have factory parts on your car and they are made from Al. at least the outer skin. On your comment about the strand material,
that is what I was asking earlier about on the rear deck, the lid on my 3488ss had the same material inside that area near the 3rd blake light but the outer skin is aluminum and the frame is Al. also. That's why you need to take a look at the edge of the hood either the frt. or rear. On the frt. look at the edge that faces the fender and see if the skin curls under like a U, does the frame of the hood fit into the U part of skin of the hood. Sorry for the poor explanation. On the rear hood look at the edge by the tail lights it should also have that curled/folded look to it, ie; the skin and frame are attached like a sandwich. I think Ferrari used this strand material under the aluminum skin maybe for strenghth, I don't know the answer on that. I also checked the 348 parts book and could not find any other part nos. but one for all 348s including the euro street comp. cars. Regards, Vern

 

All factory 348 ts,tb. spider, and challenge came from factory with aluminum front hood and rear engine cover.
Bumpers, door grilles, and lower rocker panels(under the door) were made of composite material and NOT carbon fiber or fiberglass.

If your hood or engine bonnet are made of fiberglass, they are for sure aftermarket. and would not be suprised to find on an older challenge car.

I know of some teams that were making bumpers in lightweight fiberglass and carbon fiber to save the weight.

NOTE: the fiber material under the third brake light is insulation to protect the lamp from engine bay heat.

best regards, Jim

 

Hi Jim, the material I am talking about isn't the insulation around the light itself its actually bonded to the aluminum panel above the 3rd light and runs the length of that rear panel. Regards, Vern

 

hi vern,

the insulation I am referring to is bonded to the small panel under the third brake lamp. is that what you mean or across the entire rear section of the bonnet?

best regards, Jim

 

The material I was talking about appears to be bonded to the inside of the Al. engine lid skin but only on that part of the skin that is above, (using the word "above" for discription when the is lid closed) the third brake light and runs the length of that area to each side of the lid. Looking at this material would make one think that the engine lid is made of carbon. I Know that this is not the case as there is no info that I could find that Ferrari ever used carbon as the material used on any 348 engine lid or frt. compartment hood. My 348SS had this same material look to that area also but I know my car had an aluminum engine lid because I stripped mine to respray it. I was trying to help Richard in determining that his frt and rear lids were probably factory and that they were Al. in construction. The only way I thought he would be able to tell this, is looking at the edges of these pieces to see if they have the rolled over sheet metal look to them, ie; like a U with the frame edge inserted into the U and pressed together. (Either that or scrape a little paint off, HaHaHa) Whew! talk about make what should be short story long! Regards, Vern