Yours was a series one. Mine was a series II and had Ferrari badges. Both cars ended up the same way Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Yours would buff out compared to mine Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
reading this thread it would seem ludicrous to some that so much passion could come from a stupid shield being placed on the side of a car and yet those that don't know the history of Ferrari might like to read a few good Ferrari books, not the pamphlet/superficial books designed to inflame the passion of teenage boys, but the real honest books depicting Ferrari's history from birth to death with a clear insight into the reasons some cars had shields and others not. Like many others here I have a good sized library on the marque explaining the full history, but that shouldn't dictate what the fluff brigade want, if they want to stick shields, cavallinos, Ferrari script mouldings, etc (hello Brendon ) all over their pride and joy then so be it, it makes them happy , the purists mad (hello Simon and KIAI) and all is well Now, to quote a well known fellow here, putting my elitist cap on for a minute, I would NEVER put shields on the car, no matter how good it looked because I know the history. But, as a **** stirrer I would plaster my car with as many shields/stickers/badges/cavallinos as I could to upset said purists .... it's my car and I'll do whatever I like to it
Nothing about my job makes me fit. Running, cycling and the gym does. I'm no athlete, but at least I can get in a car without grunting and complaining about a sore back!....even at my ripe old age.
With a slightly crook back from my earlier years doing manuel labour and the odd mechanicing jobs,about 25 years,the seating position of my 6'4" frame is not suited to a 308 with the roof on.I even looked at buying a glass car prior to ever having sat in one(I can't) The bent torso being necessitated by the footwells and short length to the firewall are the main problem,though. It has nothing to do with your above statement.I can jump into and out of any car with no issue.
Your 355 Challenge never had shields when I owned it. It had filthy, oily, black carpets when I got it. Red carpets were one of my mods
The shields became an option towards the end of the 355 model run. I have a distant recollection that they became a factory option in late 1997 or early 1998. Cost was about $2500 or so. The fact that they only became available so late in the model run explains whey there are relatively few 355's with factory installed shields in the recessed front guards. Most cars you see getting around have aftermarket versions stuck on top of standard guards. In theory there could well be a 355 Challenge out there with factory installed shields, remembering that you could "create" an officially sanctioned Challenge car by buying the full kit and having it installed on your road car by an official dealer.
As for modifying your own Ferrari, WGAF what anybody else thinks. Did you buy it for yourself or the next owner ? There are plenty of "sacred" OHOS Enzo era cars getting around in a modified state BTW. eg: How many Daytona's came with 512 BB rear wheels "back in the day" ? These days they all seem to sport them I think it's a different matter modifying historically significant cars; but lets face it, 99% of the Ferraris on the roads today are just production cars with nothing unique to distinguish them from the thousands of others in the same model run. Modify and enjoy if that's your thing. If you happen to be one of the fortunate owners of a 250 GTO or a 330 P4 etc, that's a different story.
No argument there, within reason. The wrong modifications can be expensive mistakes and the result an embarrassment. Seen a Ramspeed 360 lately? However the nub of the discussion here has been that shields have become ubiquitous on modern era Ferraris, with few of their owners understanding their original purpose or why long term enthusiasts find them distasteful.
And I for one was one of those owners that didn't understand their significance, so thanks for enlightening us with your earlier post.
I don't think modifications matter on a modern mass produced Ferrari like a 360. If the owner gets his rocks off ricing up his car it doesn't matter that the rest of us think he has ruined a Ferrari. It's not like there are not 14,999 other "pure" examples out there to ensure the bloodline survives Re the history of the shields and the history of Ferrari in general, there have been several FCA members occupying very high positions in the club who had SFA knowledge of the subject. In fact they had SFA knowledge on any model more than a couple of generations beyond the latest and greatest.
All of which makes perfect sense. I certainly understand the original significance of the shields. I have a few old Ferrari books gathering dust on the shelves and am well aware of the history of the marque. I just don't get the view that someone who has the shields on a modern car is somehow insulting Enzo and the racing legacy of Ferrari. Frankly that is bit weird and I think the attitude of some of the "enthusiasts" is more likely to reinforce the stereotype of a Ferrari owner than a badge on the side of a car ever would.
I'm not even going to bother on this anymore,as you've missed the point. I'd rather try to annoy the Yanks on the gun debate.
So where do you stand if your new Ferrari ONLY comes with shields and there is no "delete" option? I've had 2 examples of this- F50 and Scuderia. Should I take them off in protest that neither was ever designed to be a race car ?
I've also noticed a bit of a trend in old Enzo era street cars wearing shields. Does this put the owner in the same class as the guy slapping a dancing donkey on his 360 ? Image Unavailable, Please Login
Absolutely. Not every OHOS owner "gets" it. However, shields are the exception on older cars, vs the rule on moderns. If the factory gives you no choice on shields, obviously you leave them on. A tribute to the power of marketing over tradition, not your fault.
