It's red and it's mine (finally) - 348 GT/S

Hi,

Some of you already know me from my previous thread - 348 Pre-series, my first try - wich started the final step of actually achieving my dream - to own a Ferrari.

Many considerations were taking into account to select a specific model, in this case the 348's won.

I finaly concluded that it is a more easy car for me to maintain without depending on the official dealerships, a more affordable model to buy and drive, atractive and performant enough to keep me inlove....

Almost 6 months of favours from my father (living at my home country), traveling and seeing all potential cars that sufaced almost ended in dispair...

The friendly hand of the Ferrarichat brotherhood, with some Portuguese members in particular, gave me the information when needed, as well as the calm and patience when things got really demotivating.

Suddenly a bellow priced 348 GT (320bhp) surfaced in the market! The car is a GT/S version with removable targa top and, believe it or not, 12.000 Km (7.500 miles) genuine miles on the odometer! This is one of the very rare 218 units ever produced and beeing a late version (production 12/93-model of 94), all the youth problemas are corrected (hopefully).

I asked my father to contact the seller night and day untill we got the confirmation of the purchase.

I must confess that only when the car was parked at my garage I relaxed..... Please keep in mind that I work and live in Africa, and all of this was beein done remotely....

Some of you may look at this deal with some suspicious doubts, but I check through several sources and all is OK. The previous owner was one more victim of the global economic crisis.

I went back home for some days last week and finally got the chance to see the car the made a big part of my personal life goals. Took some photos before anything else....

Closed in the garage with my camera, after dinner, at very late hours... I tried to show that the spirit of a Ferrari goes a lot behond perfomance and status... it's design and art...even standing still in a blacked out garage....

This is my way of saying: Thank you guys!

Very best regards,
R
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PS: No photoshop used... still not installed in the new computer...

Regards,
R

 

Noooooo....

I keep the car in Europe, Portugal to be more specific.. Angola does not offer any remote condition for a Ferrari. A couple of 911 though, and a lot of Chayennes...

That is why it's so hard for me to keep away from my cars for so many months in a row....

And this trip was very short, only to see my family before Christmas and to get a real feel on my Ferrari...

I hope next time I will have more quality time with it..

Regards,
R

 

Ok, I confess to be tremendously stupid...

I got home for a week of vacations before returning to Angola and to my work, and got in touch with my 348...

Keep in mind that this a 12.000 Km / 7.500 mile car, from a very elderly first owner, wich never did any maintenance regarding major services like timming belts...

Indeed, he - the previous owner - got older quicker than the car and stopped driving it.

So, I just asked my father to bring the car home in our trailer, and like that he stood waiting for me.

When I got home, looked and looked around the car, like a small kid.... until I got to the point that I had to ear it roar.... Turned on the killer switch, turned on the ignition, let it pressurise the lines and cranked it.... It started flaulessly and I just gave it very small blips on the throttle before turning it off again, fearing for the belt of course (and for the neighbours sleep, because it should be around 2AM).

The next day I prepared myself to give it his first bath in a very long time, so took it to a petrol station, filled the tank to half .... test drove it (yes I am stupid but only human) ... washed it down..... applied the fender shields as promissed myself I would do with my first Ferrari.... took some photos as attached.... and parked it again, waiting for the very needed major service. That will be my remote mission now - to prepare and arrange the complete service - so that the next time I am at my home country I can fill my hands with grease and my face with a smile....

Regarding my stupidity of driving a 348 with a 16 year old timing belt, well...... the feeling with the gearbox shifts getting smoother and smoother, the engine sound above 4.000rpm and the sharpness of the steering, suspension and brakes.... I just commited myself to: if this goes wrong... It is worth it!

But that will be another post..

Best regards,
R
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Hi Roberto,

Indeed I let the engine warm up a bit, before touching the throttle.... but anyway... I left the car standing again some more months, and the ECU will reset again one more time...

Regards,
R