1995 355B - Engine Out Major Service Shop Suggestions

Hello fellow Ferrarichat members. I have a 1995 355B, red over tan manual with +/- 15,000 miles. The car is do for a major engine out service. I am in the Albany, New York area. Looking for suggestions/recommendation/personal experiences for a shop/dealer to do the work. Thanks.

 

15-year member with your first post; welcome.

Bradan is a great choice if you're in NY, they were a sponsor here for years.

https://www.bradangroup.com/

 

Bradan is in Long Island...nowhere near Albany

I don't know of any well regarded shops in that area. You're probably better off having the car transported to Boston or the NYC area.

 

Braden is seriously backlogged. Definitely ship to Coastal side. If you are a FCA member, then ship to Dallas and have Boardwalk do it. Huge discount for FCA members. But shipping cost, would be $1500 each way. Dealers on East Coast may have that deal as well??

Yellow Cab had a guy that was pretty respected in the NJ area I believe. You could reach out to Mike and ask him.

Wide World would be easiest I think?

Just spit balling some ideas, hopefully Northeast guys can pipe in. All the best!


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If you are going to ship down here

Classic. Coach
Scuderia performante
J.Scuderia automotive

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I think Alfonso Joseph is tremendous
Ferrari Master Tech extraordinaire
It’s worth shipping it to him!! he is absolutely a 355 expert .

https://jscuderiautomotive.com/

He helped me buy my 355 challenge car and he turned it into an absolute monster!!!

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I realize this is heresy, but I would trust a skilled and intelligent local mechanic to do the engine-out. It's not all that complicated and stipulating, again, a skilled and intelligent mechanic, he will do it right, especially if you bring him some guidance from Fchat -- past DIY threads, what to look for while you're in there, etc.

 

The owner of Pocono Sportscars in Shohola PA is one of the most knowledgeable, talented and experienced Ferrari mechanics of post Enzo era cars in the USA. He is 130 miles away. I cannot imagine being in that part of the country and not using him. He worked for years at Ferrari North America for and directly under the guy who taught most of us how to fix these cars. He has a very small handful of equals east of the Rockies.

 

It is simply impossible for me to disagree more.

 

I know; they offer pickup/dropoff for a fee. I’m in NH and my car is down there now for buttress crack repair and a major.

Other than Bradan I’ve had my car serviced at Autohaus near Boston, have been very pleased with Tony. I wanted Bradan to do the buttresses properly on my car, so it made sense to have them do the major while it was down there, but Tony has been my “local” guy.

Either option will likely have a wait.

 

Right, Brian. While with FNA, Jim McGee helped develop the first North American 348 Challenge...


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Just before he left FNA, he helped develop the first North American F355 Challenge S/N 100330 which now happens to be my car and was raced by Peter Sachs in 1995 and 1996...


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Here he is with my car at his shop in 2017...


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He takes care of my 550 too.


His shop is always full of Ferraris of all vintages...


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Jim McGee attends all track events and manages our technician crew...


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He's active in the Forum as Dr_ferrari

 

Ken McKay valued him highly.

 

As someone who grew up outside Albany I’m quite sure there is no one within 100 miles that can service a 355.


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You're right that a major isn't rocket science, BUT there are lots of little things on all Ferrari's that you have to know to get these cars just right. That's why people send their cars to folks who have done the job hundreds of times.

If I were voting with my wallet? Pocono Sportscars or Classic Coach.

 

Thanks for all the comments/suggestions. I have reached out to several shops that I had not previously talked with. Looking forward to making a decision soon!

 

Please post what you decide as I am also looking for a new shop in the NE area as the one I used closed.

 

Make sure tell warranty the work.

 

Of course a mechanic who's done the job hundreds of times is ideal. But if you live in a place where getting your car to that guy involves shipping it hundreds of miles away at a cost of several thousand dollars, and exposure to the risk of shipping, and you also have a local guy who's really good and interested in doing the job right, and you trust him -- me, I would go with the local guy.

 

The basic work is not so much of a problem but I wouldn't want a random shop with no experience timing cams taking this on. I know many techs and most of them have zero experience with that. Trusting they would take the time to understand how to do it correctly, buy the tools to do so and then achieve that result is a big dice roll IMO. And quite an investment in time and tools for someone that may never do it again.

 

I second the sentiment @INTMD8 expressed

Also, a ~300 mile round trip in an enclosed trailer is not thousands.

 

I third the sentiment @INTMD8 expressed. I did my own major last year including degreeing the cams. But I also was a master tech for 12 yrs before changing careers, so I received formal training and also purchased several special tools needed to complete the job properly. Most techs from today's crop would just want to do a lock and swap, because today's cars are not built to have the cams field timed so they would lack the experience. That doesn't say that there isn't anyone in the Albany area that wouldn't be able to do a proper job given the right tools, WSM, and time to carefully execute it. Maybe someone familiar with european cars, and many years of experience (lots of grey hair) would be a good choice? Getting the assembly out and back in is a basic function (if you could do it on another make, you can do it on a 355) and if you follow the WSM to the letter with the timing procedure, it should go well. Remember humans designed and built your car. Humans can fix it. Care and taking your time would be the two most necessary ingredients to a successful major service.

 

I've often made the argument that if you do a lock and swap the timing will remain as it was the last time the belts were changed, to within the amount due to belt length tolerances (+ or - 1/2 degree). If you recall, Kenny's DIY engine out, he marked everything, changed cam seals, put it all back together as it was, and then checked the timing. It was dead on and no adjustment was needed. Not that it's difficult to check timing. Not that I'm saying don't check it. But the truth is, lock and swap is just fine. And for those who say how do you know it was right to start with? I would say, "You drove your damn car for XX years that way and now you are worried about the timing." Anyway, check Kenny's video out and 20:15.

 

Agreed it shouldn't change but a car can run great, doesn't mean it couldn't run better.

 

If I am going to leave everything the way I found it, why take it apart?
My job is to make it right, not hope its OK.

 

What tools do they need that are "quite an investment"? Just curious.