599 gated stick manual Official picture thread

It seems the one I saw - which was also at one point for sale by Ferraris Online according to the Ferrari dealer I visited - was a different gray/tan converted 599.

 

Indeed, it was #151605

 

Sold $219,599, soon, conversions will be cheaper than F1

 

Ha!

So, that car was:

• 2007
• 24K miles
• steel brakes (regardless of what the seller tried to rationalize, you want CCB on these cars)
• no shields

In F1 form, what is that car? $150K? Then we add two more layers:

• BaT - In my opinion, BaT has become a platform for shenanigans
  • particularly when dealers/pros sell cars there
  • not only do most bidders not get to experience the cars in person, but the sellers can also very easily manipulate the narrative of the cars they're selling
  • to me, there must be a sizable discount for this

• The EAG conversion - there was something really fishy about this one
  • the seller fielded many legitimate questions arrogantly, with several lies, and lack of transparency
  • the seller didn't post a legitimate video detailing the shifting
  • the seller ghosted a highly qualified local gentlemen who wanted to come see the car in person (despite saying there were "tons" of people who came to see it)
  • the car was listed with only 95 miles put on post-conversion
  • EAG had to ride into the discussion with heavy posturing about their engineering superiority over Ferrari, trying to take credit for Trevor's thousands of hours of R&D, slapping a warranty on the car (we know how they manage warranty issues from several FChatters' experiences)
  • EAG tried to position their business as the paragon of Ferrari expertise
  • There was more contradiction with an exchange I had with Chris, their CEO, here on FChat where he implied there were FAR more cable-driven EAG V12s on the streets than I hypothesized when making an assertion that their hit rate for successful V12 conversions is unacceptable; on the BaT thread, Chris said they had 7 cable-shifted V12s completed... we know of 5 that had issues and several with serious issues.

And this is on top of the fundamental issue that EAG has a shadow cast over it on the V12 conversions, uses cables instead of rods (and keeps peddling the fake narrative that cables are superior to Ferrari; perhaps EAG should just build their own car altogether and they could have the "Ferrari of sports cars"... oh wait...).

To me, this auction was clouded with suspicious selling. Despite that, a buyer is set to pay $225K if the deal transpires. Some may say that's a low number, but I think otherwise.

 

Today's upload on the YouTube channel DailyDrivenExotics features the visit to DDE HG of EAG principal Art Bartosik and two of his techs, to do a one-day install of a conversion kit on DDE's 599. Interesting stuff, although laced with the DDE trademark shenanigans that might be off-putting to some. Since this is a photo thread, here are two screen caps of the EAG gear:

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The second photo shows the mechanism EAG has designed and fabricated to connect its two shifter cables to the EAG-designed actuator plate. This shot answers my curiosity about how a back-and-forth cable can rotate the actuator's input rod. It's the rotation of the input rod that moves the gearbox's shifter forks from one throw to another (reverse, 1-2, 3-4, 5-6). It looks like a loop on the end of the cable goes on the long black bolt attached to a lever. On that lever is a heim jointed push rod that's attached to another lever, that's attached in turn to a lever that's clamped to the input rod. A forward pull on the black bolt will cause the lever to push down on the pushrod, which will cause the rotation of the lever that's clamped to the input rod.

There's also some interesting material in this video about an issue with Ferrari brake fluid reservoirs and master cylinders that, according to Art, makes many (all?) late models Unsafe At Any Speed. Time will tell if this issue has legs.

 

Is this another Youtube VIP bumping Customers like Bamaman?

 

Hoovie's Garage: 1.51 million subscibers. DailyDrivenExotics: 3.66 million subscribers. Bamaman: ???

 

As a software services supplier to EAG (and almost all the gated conversion guys like Exoticar and others) I have been working on quite a few sets of ECUs per day lately for gated 599 conversions, so they have been ramping up their output significantly lately. I am also in touch with Bamaman and I believe his conversion is ongoing, in fact I think I may have already done his conversion so his car cannot be far off as well as many other cars being finished or delivered.

They now have a dedicated team of 15 people working on this and are refining things and growing all the time. I agree with the sentiment here too, they needed to work harder for their customers, their previous track record just wasn't good enough but they are improving and that is good news for their customer base. I believe they also have invested in a 'flying' team that can be deployed at a moments notice to help affiliates with any installation issues. They normally don't however work until 4am from early morning so this build is quite exceptional.

Yes, I also had to work on DDE's ECUs too, but they came pre-tuned, so I only did the gated conversion parts, they came pre tuned for pops and bangs. I don't want to go into the details, but please don't ask me to do this for your 599. It does make for good YT content though if you like 9 foot flames... lol

 

$225k for that 599 is good money for seller imo. $150k car plus ~$40-50k parts = ~$25k profit. Of course the math is better if you can get the conversion done in one day vs 2+ years...

 

Chris, Josh, and Dan are no longer representing EAG. Now what??

 

They probably will go back to creating numerous accounts to try silencing any dissenting opinions while acting like they are better than everyone.

Maybe they can sell more of those "million dollar manual scuds" they were making

Sent from my toilet using FerrariChat.com mobile app

 

For me, these curious companies are all like soap bubbles.

Their only intense is to make as much money as possible, in shortest amount of time, with the fewest effort as possible.


Daniel

 

Won't matter, in my opinion. Art has been churning people since day 1. They've come a very long way from melting aluminum in oil barrels at night next to a hobby airport in San Antonio. EAG has been continuously tightening the ship operationally and professionally, my impression is this is all part of their growing pains.

 

I was curious and went to visit the shop in San Antonio, and then in Austin. The amount of stress, money and hours he, his brother (and one or two others) have poured into this work over the years is real.

 

I admire his entrepreneurial spirit. No doubt lots of hours along with sweat and tears to be where they are at today. Hate to bust a guy’s balls who’s put in this much effort to create something special that puts a smile on your face. These are difficult projects in uncharted territory.

I wouldn’t run a business this way, but this is Art’s story and he’s writing it the way he wants to write it. There’s hardly a drama-free success story. Netflix worthy for sure. The growing pains is real. If you send a car in, you’re signing up to be a part of it whether you like it or not. You might even get your 15 min of fame on Netflix.

 

Roger that. Our small town in MA was featured in an episode of Unsolved Mysteries on Netflix about the "famous" Berkshires UFO landing of 1969, we loved seeing our neighbor Ed, who owns the local Mobil station, became a mini celeb for his appearance. Check it out.

 

Hi Everyone,

I am writing to provide an update on the state of our operations and to clarify recent events. Regrettably, we've had to make some staffing changes due to the slower pace of progress than we anticipated. This is not a decision we took lightly, and we are deeply sorry for any inconveniences it might have caused.

Currently, our pace has improved, and this week we are set to complete 8 cars. Last week we saw a few cars return to their delighted owners, a trend we are keen to continue. We've managed to significantly reduce the number of cars in our shop from around 60 to a more manageable 30. This means we're better positioned to focus on the quality of our work.

Our projection now is to complete 6 cars a week, allowing us to rapidly clear our backlog. Rest assured, we are doing everything we can to ensure this happens as swiftly and seamlessly as possible.

We're improving the ways you can communicate with us. Please don't hesitate to reach out by emailing [email protected], or by sending a private message through our platform. Both David and Peg are committed to answering all your inquiries.

On the shop floor, our core team of Billy, Mike, and I are working in a streamlined, assembly-line fashion. We're focusing on conversion kit assembly, hardware installation, wiring, and programming. Jared and Devon, on the other hand, are addressing service work. The thoroughness of their efforts is verified by Billy and Mike, ensuring you get the best service.

Our goal is to keep you informed. If you haven't received an update from David and Peg, please PM me directly and I'll make sure they get the message.

We're making important changes in our shop. With Chris’s departure, we're implementing and testing a new system to better manage our workflow. Cars will be checked in and inspected upon arrival at the front of the shop. Then, they'll either be moved to the assembly line or the service area, depending on the service required.

This Monday, we are installing a hard-line phone system in the front offices and the new parts and inventory area. We'll share the phone number once it's operational.

We continue to invest in our equipment. We're working to acquire more CNC machinery to speed up processes and have better control over product quality. Outsourcing has presented some challenges, and we believe this is the best way to address them.

We are currently focused on assembling and shelving as many 360/430 599 (612) and 575 Kits as possible, with the first 612 Cable system already complete, installed, and tested. Our engineering team is hard at work to ensure all development is completed and brought online.

I bear no ill will towards Dan, Josh, or Chris. We're working tirelessly, most of us clocking 12-14 hour days and working through weekends, to get your conversions assembled, tested, and returned to you as swiftly as possible.

We are making rapid progress, and with the core team of hardworking individuals, we are moving forward quickly. I intend to be more active and responsive to your needs, and I'm considering a live stream from the shop so you can see the progress we're making.

Please accept my sincere apologies to those who've had their cars here longer than expected. I take full responsibility for any inconvenience caused, and I am committed to making things right. This has always been a passion project for me, and I'm as dedicated now as I've ever been to delivering the best for my clients and their cars.

The shop's current state is shown in the attached photos, and we'll be posting more on our Instagram as cars are completed. We aim to clear the current backlog in the next few weeks and will not be accepting new projects until we achieve this.

Once again, I am deeply sorry for any inconveniences and delays. We appreciate your understanding and patience.



~Art @ EAG

 

Thanks Art, I think we appreciate the update. Best of luck taking the business into a better place for all the customers eager to drive their gated Ferraris.


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat

 

Just got home to Palm Springs from Austin. Will share more once I’ve slept a bit. 18.5 hr shake down test flawless.
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This must be a great day!

This is a bit off topic, but today’s new video on the Normal Guy Supercar YouTube channel features the 575 that’s been in EAG jail for the past year. I only mention it because EAG is copying the Ferrari shifter rod system on its 575 conversions, and NGS Dan seems to prefer the cable system that EAG installed on his 599. He says the shifter lever chatters against the gate in 5th gear at 2800 rpm. Also it feels more clunky overall.

 

Quite ironic then that the so called "wanna be manual" converted cars are dramatically much better to drive.

In terms of pure drivability these converted cars ace anything that came out of Ferrari bearing a metal gate and 599 badge. Why? Many hundreds of man hours invested to ensure the software bugs that hurt the original factory examples where tracked down and fixed. Furthermore detailed calibration improvements to ensure they drive better and are more enjoyable than ever before too. It's all here.

Unfortunately the rare 599 factory gated cars never actually get driven anymore but if the owners do they should get in touch so I can correct the software bugs the Bosch team didn't manage to fix in time for launch. They should never have been signed off like that IMHO. What a travesty...

At least those wrongs have finally been corrected.

Trev

 

Always bring a designated driver in case the birthday celebrating goes too far. Even if it’s in a 599 tuned by @360trev and converted by @eag. Safety first ;-/
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#160461 (EAG Conversion) now for sale by drivingemotions.com with 14904MI on the clock for $349,900.
Price is a bit too steep IMO especially for a non HGTE chassis.
Link to ad : https://www.drivingemotions.com/2008-ferrari-599-gtb-fiorano-6-speed-manual-transmission-hgte-wheels-daytona-seats-rare-c-449.htm

 

No factory HGTEs in the US until MY10, Europe until fall 2009.