OK now were talking here.!! Your the man! Albert, your leading the way for the 348 brotherhood here in the U.S. I think the challenge grill is the way to go. Andy's application looks the best. Good call on the bodyshop, when they start getting into it give me a call. If it is OK I'd like to see what they are going to do. Make sure you take some pics. Brent
Thanks for the words of encouragement. I need it. At least this way if the body shop screws up the grill, I have someone to blame other then myself ! Serioiusly, I appreciate all the input from everyone on FCHAT, I will take some photos and upload the progress. Brent I will send you an IM and give you the name/address of the body shop ( if you want to take a look for yourself).
I'm behind you 100% or as least until the whole grill gets jacked up!! Just kidding!! I really think it will be a small job for an experienced bodyshop to modify/fabricate the grill. Andy was saying about 10mm too wide and 20mm to deep. That is not a huge amount. The shaping to get the right fit will most likely be the biggest challenge.
Hi. I actually took this silver TB out for a drive. As someone already said, it is situated in Sweden and was originally bought by the Bulgari family in Italy, as a shopping car for Signora Bulgari. When it arrived in Sweden, both cats were totally burnt out and there were minor dents almost everywhere. When I drove it, the owner asked about $36.500 for it....now (in only 6 months) the car have changed owners three times and looks and drives like a dream...
Finaly got my car back and I love the look of the 348 with a 355 challenge grill, but that is my I.M.H.O ! The body shop I worked with did a great job and Steve from Specialty Car Craft was great to work with. Odly the 348 rear grill is actualy a little longer then the 355? So there is some fabricating to do. The way its set up, if ever I want to change back its a 1.5 to 2 hour job to do so, everything just bolts right back up. It is a subjective thing, I still love the original 348 rear end but for me this is the way it should of looked from the factory. Also, if anyone is thinking of getting the gauge rings from Hill Engineering, I have also attached a photo of the interior showing them. Hill does a great job with everything they manufacture for our cars. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Albert, once again I think the job is one of the better conversions. When I get some extra cash I think I might do the same. Congrats!! The gauge rings are a nice touch, especially with your red interior.
The name of the Shop is Specialty Car Craft on Lacienega Blvd. in Los Angeles, the owner is Steve, good guy to work with and has quite a bit of knowledge in our cars. Send me PM and I will give you his phone number. This was the first one he did, and am sure if he does a few more, that the quality will just keep getting better.
WOW! nice 1, that looks great from the photos really clean, the better these conversions are getting the more i'm tempted! Congrats.
Well, I am keeping my slatted 348 lights but I have got to say that this conversion looks very good. I never liked the garedcars panel as the taillights sit at the wrong angle - this appears pretty close to the 355. Nice work. Cheers Kevin
I want to do the tail light conversion to my 348. I like the solid color look, but I want to put a Tubi and other performance add-ons to my exhaust. I know my 360 needed a Challange grill with the Tubi for venilation. Is this the case with the 348? Also, what mods are there for performance for the 348, where it will still be smog legal in CA? Thanks in advance.
Thank you for the kind words, I am amazed that more 348 owners are not opting to go this way, but I do respect their decision. Once again I have to say, if I ever get bored with it the rear round lights (355 style) or if I finaly upgrade to a 550, I can always pop back the originals and the original grill back in a couple of hours. Its great and easy to do, so much so, that even I can do it.
No cuts, but some lite modification/grinding/sanding of the rear panel where the lights sit (both originals and 355's). This was done to fit in the curve of the the round lights. If you are familiar with the GaRedCar kit, it seems they cut way much more into the rear panel, the lights on their kit seem to sit in much further then these, and this maybe the reason their kit makes the rear lights look like they are shooting up?
The 348 -> 355 tail light conversion is found in the FerrariAds.com section http://www.ferrarichat.com/ferrariad...&cat=13&page=1