it amazes me that the ferrari suspension is so much more forgiving and smooth compared to the porsche 911... i thought for sure i would be regretting driving the ferrari downtown with all the potholes and crappy streets...i assumed the ferrari suspension would be stiffer and less forgiving than the 911 but not the case... the 911's steering throw is lighter and faster but it's suspension is too ridgid to enjoy the streets we are faced with.. really is a joy cruising the 308 downtown on the pothole/unkept streets..
I suppose its all a matter of perspective, William. I drive a 911 in Seattle almost everyday (I'm usually on a bike) and it feels normal to me. Tight, firm, responsive, etc. When I jump in the 328 it feels like a sofa in comparison... albeit a very pretty one. If I wasn't worried about killing the resale it would have different springs and shocks in a heartbeat.
Night and day, once you are in Ferrari, no turning back. There are only two cars: FERRARI and the rest.............., NON-FERRARI
In comparison my 240Z is about 800 lbs lighter than my 308. The 240 has street performance springs. Total feedback and chop from the 240 and feel much more connected to the road. The 308 feels like a tank in comparison. Resale or no, the 308 is getting some suspension upgrades. DJ
dj... how many miles on your 308??? i'm at 49k and the suspension/shocks/front end all feel and sound as if they are new..no rattles or any kind of suspension noise.. wondering if someone did the bushings/suspension at somepoint on my car?? i don't see any receipts for it but i can say the same for the carbs...no rebuild receipts but they preform like new.. wm
Hi Groove, 44k on mine and everything is tight with no clunking. Still, I would be happier with less body roll and higher spring rate. These are not light cars! My carbs were done at 25k and work very well except for some minor popping from what I believe is a leanout condition. The dyno showed 14.5:1 A/F ratio and should be closer to 13:1 or so. I would like to rebuild them this coming winter and rejet. DJ
understand what you mean by the 308 being a heavy car...it really needs another 50hp to make it pull the way i'd like it to... also if the carbs aren't setup just right that can add to a disappointing "take off" from a standing start.. i'm real happy with the overall running of my car but i have been talking with ray segale about adding electronic ignition...(i meant to ask you if you had stock ignition or gone electronic??) ray also suggested and was leaning more toward a couple of electronic boxes which send the spark faster??..about a $500 job instead of $1000 for the full electronic ignition...similar result??
Ray segale did the last 30k on my car when it was still with the previous owner. I can't be sure but he may have been the one that installed the twin Crane XR700 solid state boxes and optical pickups in the distributors on my car. I priced the set up and it runs around 250.00 per box with optical pickup. "Set it and forget it". The only way to go. I have a Crane XR3000 on my 240Z and converted the distributor to optical. The XR3000 changes the dwell according to RPM demands. WOW! Another, "Set it and Forget it". That ran about 250.00 also. I strongly recommend the conversion for hassle free performance and while he is in there have him clean and lubricate the distributor advance mechanisms. STUCK ADVANCE MECHANISMS ARE A VERY COMMON CAUSE OF POOR 308 PERFORMANCE. You only want 50 more HP? I was hoping for at least 100 on mine. I am a firm believer that a car should have more than enough power on tap that it requires 'judicious' application under extreme demand. Never a shortage and it offers a bit of a driving challenge. DJ
DJ, Ray did the conversion on your car (Martin had him do it). He has done literally dozens of Ferraris with the Crane system. Dave
I thought that is what Martin said but couldn't remember for sure. I would like to meet Ray someday and see what else he can tell me about this car, to round out the history more or less. Too bad he isn't in town much. DJ
From what I've heard, that's also a common problem on Boxers too. My HP figures were lower than expected at the recent dyno day and I think my distributor advance weights/springs are sticking and not allowing full timing advance above 5K on my car. Carlo is going to pull it out and run it on his distributor test bench sometime soon.
Considering the age of our cars it's not a bad idea. Climate plays a part in the longevity of grease. Ther drier the climate, the faster it stiffens up. I see great potential in your Boxer Gary once you get a few of the 'joints' loosened up. My first pull was 168 HP or there abouts, my last was 176. It will be fun to see what next year brings. DJ
