Seriously: Do people just not bother entering cars from the 80s? Mondials, 348s, TRs? Because how on earth do you get those poxy side intakes clean and polished? I'm not even remotely considering concours, but I would like the car to look nice. You know you need to make the effort when some wag writes "I wish my wife was this dirty" in the dust on the bootlid Short of physically unbolting those intakes, how do you clean them? And wax/polish the buggers? Much as I love Pininfarinas work from the 80s, there's an Italian designer somewhere who's up for a kicking if I ever get my hands on him. Cheers, TOM
Tom you just have to love your car and working on it I think i have the best 348TS ever (unless you know different) If you are to do concours you have to be commited .You need to set youself a long term plan you can not do everything in one go unless you have unlimited time and budget Even if you just want to keep it nice and better than most its just time and effort you get out what you put in to the car RAY 360M Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Tom, I agree that it's time consuming but on the TR you can get to all the difficult bits by opening the door and reaching in from the side. It takes a while but the effort is surely worth it! Steve
I've considered entering "Gina" into a tidy car competition......she is a long way from concourse, but I am proud of the manner in which she has been kept original. I think the only way to "learn the ropes" is to enter, assess the standard one is up against and most importantly, chat to the competition. "Look and Learn" cheers, d
James m8 we have only detailed it really properly with the engine out once which was this time due to belts ect being due so it was possible to do both tasks well I have two poster hoist in my yard now which makes all sorts of work on the cars easier and more importantly cost effective RAY360M
Thanks for the replies everyone. I was hoping there was some special brush or something that would make the chore a bit easier. Oh well - back to scraped knuckles and cursing. Ray - your 348 is most impressive. Something strangely wrong about an engine looking *that* clean though Cheers, TOM
Tom i note your comment re my 348 engine being so clean which it needs to be for Concours And it is to be the FOC car for inter marque concours at Donnington in Sept But just to prove it actually works as well name the track of your choice and i will run it against your Mondial RAY360M
ROFL Old ladies in their zimmer frames can outpace the Mondial Does it take long to clean up the engine after driving it? Do you just steam clean it, or do you end up with brushes etc. fiddling around the engine bay? I'm guessing having your own hoists etc. makes the job a bit easier. Cheers, TOM
Tom To be honest to get the car and engine as good as it is now has taken five years Every winter i make a plan of events for the car and what needs doing to have the best chance of winning When it does get wet and has been driven to and from say the FOC Concours at Heythrop Park aprox 120mls it takes a couple of days to wash and wipe all parts .I never steam clean the engine just take my time and do bits at a time and if i get fed up i leave it a while and go back I know what your thinking its very tedious and a sad passtime and yes i agree I would not want to do another car this one is special it was my first Ferrari 1990 and i can never see me selling it. I am fortunate to have another Ferrari to drive which i am sure you will agree is a MUCH better use of spare time RAY360M Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Wow! That's spotless. I admire your patience and effort to get the car looking like that - must make you feel good when you see it gleaming. Cheers, TOM
Ray, just brilliant and nice to see so clean,how long have you owned the 348 ray,two post lift's are such a handy tool i couldnt live without one, must have a closer look at the car at donnington, Dale.
Hi Dale had the car from new Dec 90 Sold my Carrera2 and did the tax money VAT money to be able to afford it Thought i would only have it for three months so went every where in it But i just worked harder and longer to be able to keep it thats why its a bit special to me Got the number RAY 348 not long after it was on an old Jag but the guy never twigged so it was a bargain The ramp is an absolute luxury when i think of all the hours i have spent underneath that car on jacks I can even polish it at what ever hight and take all the wheels off at once ,shoud have got one years ago See you at Red Day at Donnington RAY360M
Hi Ray 360M, The 348 with which you have thrown down the gauntlet of challenge to the Mondial - is a race car from days gone by and with which you won the Auto Italia - all prior to this particular Cavallino Rampante's depasturisation from the field of competitive racing to that of a static concours exhibit. Therefore Mr Mondial would be best advised not to accept the challenge from this reprobate - particularly as the engine has 435 bhp at the flywheel.
Ray, Pic's are fantastic, if you have any more particularly of the engine bay pre' re-install', pse post. Thanks Bernard
Bernard here are some more pictures of the 348 as requested apolgies to anybody else that has seen them before RAY 348M Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Ray, It's fascinating to see these pics. I try to keep my engine clean but nothing like yours! I notice that you have apparantly painted some parts which were originally plated, e.g. the large 'washers' where the shocks are mounted to the chasis. Also you have changed some of the hoses and couplings (BF Goodrich or similar?). Since you won the national concours I presume these changes are not frowned upon by the judges. Does that mean the emphasis is more on it looking fantastic than being 100% original? I would be interested to know as I have wondered about doing the same. Steve
Sacreblur Steve painted should be plated ?????????? Every nut bolt and washer that was plated has either been replaced or taken off sent to a company in Brum and been replated As for hoses an clips ect all replacement parts have come from Ferrari UK so i guess thats the ones they are suppling now maybe not the same as the factory in 1990 On the whole it needs to be as original which mine is you would loose marks putting on shiney bits where there were not originaly RAY360M
Ray, without wishing to be rude and you don't have to answer, how much time and money has been invested in the 348 getting it to this standard?