Why do most Ferrari owners...

Looks Brand Spankin New Juan ... I love your 348!

 

This seems to have turned into a debate between "Purists and Non-purists"

It seems that most agree that changing the exhaust to aftermarket is fine.. but not the wheels. Even those who would never use aftermarket wheels would swap to a different Ferrari made wheel. Even though its still Ferrari, its not what the designers originally intended. What happens if you take the wheel that came from the factory on say a, 1999 F355 and paint it black. Is that breaking tradition because its not the same color? Or is it fine because its still the OEM wheel?

In the end well all have our right to choose. Some of use will choose to use a wheel more to our liking, and others will just stick with what came with the car, because that's what came with the car.

 

+100

thanks Petey

 

Luke,

I want my wheels back.

Your Dad,
Darth.





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At first right after buying my car, i was very intrested in getting a set of aftermarket wheels until i found out that the F wheels had quite a few functions i would lose if i were to do so. I don't remember where i got this information from (perhaps dealer) but someone told me that the set of F wheels were made of alluminum allow for easier heat transfer from brakes and had tall/vertical spokes (to increase surface area) and maximize air cooling affect while the wheels spun. The thing is like a gigantic heat sink for the brakes. So I was thinking, what are my chances of finding a set of aftermarket wheels that firstly looks great and secondly had all the same qualities as the factory. Not very likely.

 

I tend to agree with Petey's first explanation.

My opinion is that it IS just a car, although I might add that they are all special cars and fairly rare by general standards so they deserve some special consideration when modifying. My personal taste would be more conservative when modifying a Ferrari's suspension than perhaps another car make.

I often DO like when an older Ferrari is subtley 'upgraded' with Ferrari OEM wheels, or wheels that really fit the spirit of the car. But I also think a car like Tony Kanaan's 430 Scuderia (modified by Novitec and Active Autowerks) actually works too. It's a strong look for sure, but I don't think it's gaudy. YMMV.
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That is one badass looking scud.

 

I think you answered your own question.....

 

Not quite the same as putting aluminum siding on a Frank Lloyd Wright building, but since the design of the older Ferraris tends to be a sort of organic whole altering any individual aspect diminishes the car as a whole.

 

That 430 looks awesome!

 

Bullfighter,

this is a bold statement...I don't anyone would say that about Tillmans car, Pizzamans, TurboQv etc... it can be done with taste.

and handling and the ride is a great improvement...with the wheel upgrade they now handle like Ferraris are suppose to not like Lincolns

 

If you change the dynamics of the car. The car no longer represents the car as originally produced. If the original ferrari drove and felt like a Lincoln it is still a ferrari. If the ferrari has been enhanced to drive and feel differently. The question becomes is it still a ferrari or a modified Lincoln. The purists would say that you have destroyed the essence of what the car is. For that reason alone some of us want their cars kept in its original form.

 

never been an owner but they look and drive pretty well stock so why mess with them? Especially in terms of appearances maybe performance mods but otherwise no, and always be discrete imo

 

The good news is that no Ferrari ever handled like a Lincoln but some people have managed to make them look that way The post describing the functional aspects of OEM wheel design is an excellent reminder of what you do not get from most Aftermarket offerings. Take a look at 348 rims and tell me they aren't designed to work like a fan blade. (This is not intended as a criticism of the 348 GTS with the modular wheels - they look very nice) But remove a set of 348 rims and you had better factor in a way to vent the brakes as well or better than they originally were (if you intend to do spirited driving).

 

I'm not a purist at all, while I am accumulating multiple sets of OEM wheels for display and judging purposes, with Goodyear support on the OEM sizes...I run Etoile 16"s as well as BBS 16" basketweave centers to allow more modern Goodyear F1 Eagle GSD3 fitment ..

I'm sure I do a lot of damage to the car though, as the 16" allow pot holes and obstructions to hit the bottom of the car, while the taller OEM tires on 14" rims do not...

Thankfully my Body Shop has a surfboard bulder right next door! No worries!

Modern owners all the time post here about a pothole trashing a larger rim, the price you pay, for the shorter sidewall....$$$$$$
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