550 and the big trees | FerrariChat

550 and the big trees

Discussion in '456/550/575' started by riverflyer, Apr 26, 2004.

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  1. riverflyer

    riverflyer F1 Rookie

    Nov 26, 2003
    3,583
    Mendocino, Ca
    Full Name:
    John
    #1 riverflyer, Apr 26, 2004
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Sunday dawned perfectly, clear and with the promise of warmth and great spring beauty. We packed a lunch, fired up the 550 and took off on coastal adventure. Almost 400 miles with crashing waves, lots of high speed hiways(OOps, I forgot a couple of times that I was not on the autobahn!!) through deeply forested coastal valleys, with blooming rhodadendrons, poppies and emarald hills. What a gorgeous day.
    The 550 is such a magnificent road car, equally handling all that's thrown its way, from miles of twisites to long stretches of open highway. Great comments and appreciative acknowledgement from young and old alike. Best comment was from a guy in a SUV, who slowed down where we were parked in the redwoods, admired the car for a bit, offered that he did not see many of those "up here". He then added, "beautiful car, but it won't haul much firewood will it?" We all got a great laugh out of that.
    We stopped at a Viper dealer and got to test the cars out back to back, which was very reavealing. I love vipers and miss the topless experience immensly. This dealer has been trying to get me in this Viper for weeks and it was a perfect day for a test drive. The new viper SRT is an awesome car with probably the greatest bang for the buck performance out there. It is a tick faster than the 550, offers better seats and the always cool side exhaust, but it pales in the subtle driver feel and connectivity categories. The steering response and simple ease with which the 550 does everything is just amazing. The end result is clear for me, I so wish that there was a 550 spyder. I remember a thread about aftermarket convertible conversions but it seems there was no conclusion as to anyone currently offering a quality conversion. (And believe me, if I could afford the Barchetta I would do it in a heartbeat, but even then, why can't it have a real top that folds away???)
    Anyway, it was a great day and the 550 remains one of the most moving AND confidence inspiring cars I have ever experienced.
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  2. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 28, 2003
    75,372
    Texas!
    You jerk. What the heck are you doing driving your car! In Northern Cal, no less. You should be waxing it and figuring out how to hook up multiple battery tenders. Don't want the thing to depreciate, do you?

    Dr "Just Kidding" Tax


     
  3. Kds

    Kds F1 World Champ

    GAWD.....

    Your thread title lead me to believe that this was going to be one of those unfortunate "accident" threads....LOL !!!
     
  4. JimSchad

    JimSchad Guest

    I love that top photo. Really captures the 550 at a good angle.
     
  5. Cavallino Motors

    Cavallino Motors F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    May 31, 2001
    14,143
    Florida or Argentina
    Full Name:
    Martin W.
    oh sooooooooooooooo sweet!

    Hope you do this every weekend from now on John!
     
  6. riverflyer

    riverflyer F1 Rookie

    Nov 26, 2003
    3,583
    Mendocino, Ca
    Full Name:
    John
    Dale, the driving thing was just a ruse to make me seem cool. I actually had the car hauled in and unloaded so we could get those pics. She still has only 18 real miles on her.....I promise.
     
  7. maranelloman

    maranelloman Guest

    John, is that on Route 128 from Elk to Philo & beyond?
     
  8. riverflyer

    riverflyer F1 Rookie

    Nov 26, 2003
    3,583
    Mendocino, Ca
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    John
    No, although that route is my home drive. This is from Mendocino north to Eureka. The pics were taken along the avenue of the giants, one of the most inspiring roads I have ever driven. Its like a cathedral, well in fact, it is a cathedral of sorts isn't it.

     
  9. maranelloman

    maranelloman Guest


    We love the Elk area, and Hwy. 128. In fact, my wife's uncle now has a home in Gualala. Damn, I just realized we need to go out for a visit--SOON!!!!
     
  10. riverflyer

    riverflyer F1 Rookie

    Nov 26, 2003
    3,583
    Mendocino, Ca
    Full Name:
    John
    Jim, thanks, I agree, very good angle to show off the 550, but imo they all are!
    Martin, Yes, wouldn't that be nice, although 24k a year might be a lot even for the Taxman!!
     
  11. scycle2020

    scycle2020 F1 Rookie

    Jan 26, 2004
    3,477
    potomac
    i would not do a chop job aftermarket...it would ruining the structural intergrity of a great car..the 550 was really designed as coupe...the 360 was designed with also building a spider... it has great structural integrity, a wonderful powertop mechanism, and a great lined top that feels like a coupe when it is up..a wonderfully versital car....i know, its not a 12, but is it a light flingable, car that sounds great with a tubi, esp with the top down...i quess we all need 2 ferraris!!! time to go futher into debt!!!!!i wonder how much i have left on my home equity line of credit!!! this way i could lose my ferraris and my house all at the same teime!!!!!!
     
  12. TigerAce

    TigerAce Formula 3

    May 29, 2003
    1,793
    Dallas, TX
    Full Name:
    Yoshi Ace
    Riveryfly, glad you had a blasting time w/ your 550. Looking at your pics reminded me what I missed this time. Silver 550 looks definitely a gentleman's Ferrari!
     
  13. Tomf-1

    Tomf-1 F1 Rookie

    Jan 17, 2004
    4,528
    Leawood KS/ South FL
    Full Name:
    Thomas
    After looking at your 550, I am so stoked now and can't wait to get a hold of mine next week. Is that a tan interior, John? Love that color combo, man.
     
  14. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 28, 2003
    75,372
    Texas!
    Yeah, I knew it. Thought I'd be able to smoke you out...

    Actually, I'm very, very jealous. What a great place to drive a Shark.
     
  15. wax

    wax Five Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jul 20, 2003
    51,457
    SFPD
    Full Name:
    Dirty Harry
    That Giant is a dog's dream come true - no wonder it's so big.
     
  16. rkm

    rkm Karting

    Apr 13, 2004
    130
    Spring Hill
    Full Name:
    Robert Monroe
    Tom, were you at the KC chapter block party on Saturday?
     
  17. Pong

    Pong Formula Junior

    Nov 5, 2003
    796
    Thailand
    Full Name:
    Pong
    That's a BIG tree!!!!!

    We don't see many of those in Thailand...ha ha...not even deep in the forest, let alone seeing one next to the paved road.


    There is a brand new Silver/Balck 575 up for sale in Bangkok's dealer, so far there is no taker. They are giving quite a big discount for it, I think. Too bad we can't afford such car.
     
  18. Tomf-1

    Tomf-1 F1 Rookie

    Jan 17, 2004
    4,528
    Leawood KS/ South FL
    Full Name:
    Thomas

    Yes, I was. However, I left the beast home.
    It was rainning off and on....Great time. Good turnouts including Chris's F40. Scott and Bernie were very gracious hosts.
     
  19. rkm

    rkm Karting

    Apr 13, 2004
    130
    Spring Hill
    Full Name:
    Robert Monroe
    I was there a little bit and you were gracious enough to talk to me even though I wasn't an owner. Chris's F-40 was unbelievable. I couldn't believe the awesome sound as he left the party. I didn't get a chance to meet him before he left but I have seen his posts on this site. I was the young man there kind of out of place, but in heaven of sorts, and we talked for a few minutes about your upcoming prize and about the yellow F355.
     
  20. Tomf-1

    Tomf-1 F1 Rookie

    Jan 17, 2004
    4,528
    Leawood KS/ South FL
    Full Name:
    Thomas
    Robert--

    Actually, I was trying to get to the "blond" you were with....LOL.
    Glad to meet U2, Robert and Chris' F40 is simply Over-the-Top.
    Hope to see you at our other Ferrari functions.

    Regards,

    Tom,
     
  21. rkm

    rkm Karting

    Apr 13, 2004
    130
    Spring Hill
    Full Name:
    Robert Monroe
    Well if that's what it takes, my girlfriend is a sport, I'm sure she'd help me out. It was great to meet you as well and I certainly hope to be able to join you guys on further events. I had a great time Saturday even with the rain and such. Everyone there was so nice and friendly and even though I was out of my league everyone made me feel great and like I fit right in. It was definately one of the better days for me in recent memory. I am excited for you just to get your 550. That is such a beautiful car. I hope you enjoy it.
     
  22. riverflyer

    riverflyer F1 Rookie

    Nov 26, 2003
    3,583
    Mendocino, Ca
    Full Name:
    John
    i quess we all need 2 ferraris!!! time to go futher into debt!!!!!i wonder how much i have left on my home equity line of credit!!! this way i could lose my ferraris and my house all at the same teime!!!!!![/QUOTE]

    Now there is a man after my own heart. Love the part about losing the cars and house all in one fell swoop, and believe me in this economy, the thought has crossed my mind!!!
    Hey folks, guess what cruised past my office window this afternoon. A 410 Superamerica. Wow, what a car, and speaking of driving our cars, can you imagine driving one of those around and then he parked it bewteen two other cars. Very very brave man. He said it was one of 8 cars made. And it was pristine, gotta be worth close to a million i would think.
     
  23. Artherd

    Artherd F1 Veteran

    Jun 19, 2002
    6,588
    Bay Area, CA
    Full Name:
    Ben Cannon

    You guys have great taste. 128 is one of the best roads in the country (and the last 10 miles through the redwoods before it opens up to the coast, divine!)

    Avenue of the Giants is my Cathedral as well.
     
  24. bobafett

    bobafett F1 Veteran

    Sep 28, 2002
    9,193
    We need to go do this drive again. Another Mendocino run is DEFINETLY in order. I think that was arguably one of our best drives.

    --Dan
     
  25. riverflyer

    riverflyer F1 Rookie

    Nov 26, 2003
    3,583
    Mendocino, Ca
    Full Name:
    John
    OK, come on up when you can. If you came up 128 I could meet you in cloverdale and run through the mountains with you. A really nice loop, if you had the time would be to stay over in Mendo(or the whole drive would be 7+ hours and of course could just be done in a day if everyone was up for that) and continue north along the coast until highway 1 cuts inland(to Leggett just south of the Ave of the Giants) and you could return down 101. I would cut over at Willits to return to the coast and from Willits to SF is about 2hours.
    I wish I could make the stinson run this weekend but thats just too far to go and meet everyone that early.
     

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