Hi all, last weekend, I brought a 1995 Berlinetta, Rosso/Nero. It is a very tidy example, however the electrics caught fire and destroyed the interior. I got the car cheap due to the damage, so I have decided to turn it into a project. As I am quite time restricted I am cheating a bit and not doing all the work myself, it is currently being stripped and I will design and weld in a cage when I can, I feel the 355 suffers from too much chassis flex, so a cage is essential for me. The plan is: White body with black magnesium wheels and trim, carbon body panels, bit of custom aero Interior race seats with a 4 point and the caging. dash, doorcards, carpets the lot out, replaced by carbon/kevlar/nomex compounds Chassis and running gear in very much the planning stages and this is where I hope for some input, my budget is fairly accomodating, however I wont be completly redesigning the car so I wont need to move the earth, I want more handling sorted then more power. I hope for a better suspension set-up, mabye carbon ceramic brakes to completly lighten unsprung masses, please, your input would be invaluable. I am quite deep into motorsport but the 355 is very dated, and time is my only restriction, any help would be so kind, and ofcourse, constant updates will be avalible. Kindest Michael James
Sounds like an amazing project Michael, I will be following this one with a keen interest. (Progress photo's would be excellent ) CCB's!!! Awesome!!! Are you wanting to keep the car naturally aspirated?
The car will be decleared 'SORN' here in the UK that is a statuary off road notice, it means the car will not be legal for the road. I will use it for track time and a showcase of one of my investments telemetry equipment. I will ofcourse keep you updated with pictures as and when I get/take them. Many thanks, Mike James
I got submerged in a festive workload to forget all my troubles, one of which, unfortunatly, involved this car. I designed a very intricate cage, we X-Rayed the car to find the most ridgid points of the vehicle, upon doing so found fatiuge in the chassis where the roof structure joins the main bulk of the rear chassis. Nevertheless, bogged down in morale and finance for this project I took the decision to enlist the help of German engineers MSD, they specalise in mainly F3000 chassis, a company I have had ties with for many years. I sent the bare shell to them, with a half fitted cage, inorder to carry out the nesscerary repairs they needed to remove the sections already welded in by my guys, this again added a delay. They have now completed the repairs, and upon understanding and getting approval by the GMA and FIA, the cage is being constructed there, this homologation/certification process may take a while, but the Germans are much more efficient at this sort of thing so will leave it with them. When the car returns to my workshops it will be fitted with some of the worlds most advanced telemetrey operations, the basics like lap timing, tyre pressure sensors, vehicle speeds, revs/vitals will be fitted, but the more interesting things are being developed now. These include independent wheel speed sensor read out, valve timing, advance and retard facility, engine air intake temperature, exhaust gas analasis by way of wide band lambda sensor and temperature, and COMPLETE adaptive traction control with readout, so as the temperature of the track is ever changing, along with the grip levels and tyre degredation, the will computer calculate the optimum parameters and apply them, if needs be to accelerator and brake, we are going to use electronic braking. ALL of this will be live streamed to the pit wall, with each and every concievable variable controlled be 4 men on the pit wall, it is so advanced that, in theory, all the driver has to do is turn the steering wheel at the right time, and the car, in theory, will do the rest, as previously mentioned, possibly including the acceleration and braking. As it stands we are using a GPS based track positioning system in order for the systems to use a repetative but progressive and adaptive cycle, it seems the only possible way for the thing to work, but we would like a day when minimal driver input is needed on an everchanging course and the system works out evrything before it even gets there! On the debut, you will all be invited to watch live via data link, so you can log onto a pre determined web address and be welcomed to the world of Trac-33. Best Michael James
Well skip the 4pt and do 6 or stay oem. Use a proper FIA legal seat with 5 hole minimum. If you are making a track car consider seat mounted to cage not the floor. Based on your last post it sounds like this car will be heavy and slow. DOM tube for a 3000lb car is legal for most racing at 1.75" Dom 120 wall or 1.5 095 4130 cromo. These tube are about 2lb/ft! You will need alot of it. You better figure on lightening the car in other areas or adding some horsepower and then bigger brakes to stop the mass.
For everyone here to enjoy your project we need to see before and after pictures. So please post some pictures!!
Yes, it is an extreme measure , not usually one taken by us, however it is a 13 year old car and I dont know its full history or how time and the elements had treated it, the last thing I wanted was to do evrything and find the chassis to be no good, it proved the right decision! For all wishing for pictures, as soon as the car gets back from Germany I will be sure to get some pics, however I cannot promise updated too reguraly, for sure once the project is complete I would look to have as many eyes on it as possible. Please bear with me whilst the car is away. Kindest Michael James
