Share your best drive in a Ferrari

1973. I was 17 years old and moved to Deerfield, IL with my family. I had just discovered "sports cars" in a big way and saved up enough to buy a 1969 MGB, and was having a blast driving that around the Chicago area. My father would carpool with another gentleman who lived in our same neighborhood when they both went to work at the FAA at O'Hare. My Dad said "You should talk cars with Frank, he's into them like you are". Well, I'd seen Frank pick my Dad up and he was driving a not-too-pure orange Pinto Hatchback. What does Frank know about cars? I would walk before I'd own a Pinto. So I ignored what my Dad said like most 17-year-olds and dismissed it.

One day Frank dropped my Dad off and I was out in the driveway polishing my MGB. He said "I hear you like cars -your MGB sure looks nice, come down to my house and I'll show you something in my garage". What the heck - my curiosity told me to go see. That Saturday we walked around back and when Frank opened up the garage door, I'm pretty sure my jaw dropped. In that garage were:

1957 Mercedes 300SL Gullwing Coupe in Silver - he bought it brand new
1973 Ferrari 365 Daytona in red / tan, only had 400 miles on it
1964 Jaguar XKE in immaculate condition
1969 Corvette Coupe

I had never been in any of those cars, heck - never even seen a Daytona or 300SL in the flesh, only in the car magazines. He said "Shall we take the Ferrari out and do Lake Shore Drive?" YOU BET, I'm ALL IN. And so we did. Windows down, the rip of the V12 engine, the smell of the leather, and turning heads at every stoplight. It was a most glorious afternoon that made quite an impression on a young man just out of High School. That was my very first ride in a Ferrari and one I will never forget.

Frank later sold that 1969 Corvette to me at a huge discount under fair market value, just because he wanted me to have it. I think because I was now hanging around his garage every Saturday captivated by his car stories (and that 300SL was pretty cool to ride in as well).

Frank never did stop driving that stupid popsicle orange Pinto, either.

 

Yesterday I drove the new GTC4LUSSO at 177 miles per hour (private road) and it was awesome. It was a Ferrari invitation that I was lucky enough to receive.

 

That sounds great Phil- was that your best/most memorable Ferrari drive? 177 is getting up there

 

It was 1999 (still in college) and I have been lusting to drive a Ferrari since I was a little boy. I went to my local Ferrari dealer to look around and saw a black on black F355 in the showroom. After 15 minutes ogling at the beautiful lines a salesman walks up and asks if I want to sit in the car, - I eagerly accept. At this point, I thought my day could not get any better and after a few minutes of conversation he asks me if I would like to take her out for a spin. At this point my heart was racing a thousand miles a minute and thought to myself, this could not be happening.

He opened the showroom glass doors and pulled out the car. As I climb and adjust the drivers settings I realize this is the first time I'm about to drive a sports car much less an exotic. We take the F355 out of the driveway and into a few side streets before going on to the on ramp to the freeway. And, my GOD what a car!!! That sound that glorious sound at 3.5 RPMS while going through that gated shifter... I could not get enough! The test drive went through a few straights and some curvy twists in the mountains before ending back at the dealer. As we pull in and I turn the engine off (my body still shaking and my nerves frazzled - in a good way) he asks how it felt, - I told him words cannot describe the drive yet alone the feeling of being in a Ferrari. Now at this point, I told him I couldn't afford the car and felt bad about taking up his time. He told me, he knew that that going in but thought it would be a nice jester since he saw how excited I got when we were talking about the car in the showroom.

I never forgot that day...and many years later I was able to realize the dream of ownership before my 40th birthday but this time in RED.
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^Very nice story. If that dealer and salesperson is still around, I'd hunt them down and thank them for the inspiration...T

 

I took the plunge, had the Mondial serviced, drove it up to ship it from Bremerhaven, Germany to Halifax, Canada. Imported it, got a trip permit and set off to Ontario.

It was early spring, the air crisp, blue sky, sun shining, the snow had just melted off the roads, but the mountain tips were still covered and than this completely deserted piece of road right at the border following every bend of the river.

Didn't have to go over the speed limit to enjoy the beautifully balanced chassis. It was incredible fun and I got to appreciate the true GT qualities of the car. You actually can cover large distances in comfort and speed ;-)

Every speckle of dirt you see is a badge of honor ;-)
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Thanks. Unfortunately the dealer closed down years ago. However, I will always 'pay it forward' to the next enthusist.

 

In my late teens and while in community college I used to do technical drafting on the side for a retired navy commander who was a consulting engineer. He had a small 'artsy' custom redwood home at the end of a culdesac on my parents street in Carmel Valley, and a carport which protected a Red 66 275 GTB Short Nose. One Saturday mid morning, while out in the driveway, I hear the rumble of the V-12 coming from over the knoll down in the culdesac. It was the navy commander taking the 275 out for a spin. He stopped and asked if I wanted to go. The next 20 minutes were sheer bliss as we went down to Carmel Valley Road and headed into the valley at full acceleration! I recall him backing off as the road narrowed to the single lane and I recall the speedo reading 125 or so. We turned around near Quail Lodge and made a return blast to the house where he dropped me off and return the car to the carport and under the car cover. It was one of the few times I can remember it being driven in the years I was there. It was sold a few years later when I had relocated down to SoCal. I wish I had the chance to know that it was for sale and scrape up the dough to buy it. Wasn't meant to be I guess.....had to wait until I was fifty to get my 308.

 

Great story . What a dealer.

 

I love these stories... please keep them coming!

 

I have SO many, including driving the car from Salt Lake City to Dallas the day I picked it up, but that's a LONG story. So, I'll post another thats been shared a few times over the years:



During an FCA Poker Run I was leading the pack of about 20 cars across a very wide, long, straight 2 lane road. We were cruising along with the top off, and I caught a flash of red in my rear view mirror. I looked left just as I was passed by a Countach, shifting from 3rd to 4th in my ear. He was moving at a 'brisk pace'. Immediately behind him were a bunch of other yahoos, also moving at a brisk pace. I remember a 355, a Viper, a few others. They were passing me like I was parked. I looked down at my speedo, and it said 100. As the road started to rise out of the lowlands we were in, I noticed a County Sheriff coming in from the right on a side road. I slowed to an indicated 55. Those still unfortunate enough to be behind me did likewise. The cars that had passed me were now little more than specks on the horizon, but they were still specks. No way that Sheriff didn't see something.

15 minutes later we arrived at our assigned stop. The faster drivers were already there, out of their cars and chatting. As we parked and exited our cars eager to discuss recent events, a local cop pulled up. I'll never forget, he said: "Who has license plate 185MPH?". The Countach driver raised his hand. The cop said "We need to talk".

The cop got out of his car, Countach driver walked over to him, and we watched. From behind we watched the driver as the cop was speaking to him. We saw the driver shake his head "no" once, twice. Then he nodded. Yes. A few more words, the cop shook his hand, and Mr. Countach walked back to us. As the cop pulled away, he looked more than a little relieved. We of course asked what had happened. The conversation with the man went something like this: "We've been getting phone calls that your little group has been passing cars on the shoulder". "No, we haven't done that". "We've also heard that you've been passing in no passing zones". "No, we haven't done that either". "We also have you clocked going 157 mph". "Yes sir, I did that". The driver was informed that every law enforcement officer in 3 counties knew we were out, and we needed to reign it in a little. We did. A little. We took a picture of the driver and his son, holding up with their fingers the numbers 1, 5, and 7.
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