365GT2+2

Bill, I'm not on the computer that has all of my shots, but Bill Bowdish (of Phoenix - owns 11727) and I have been collecting notes on engine bay originiality for a few years and Bill has interrogated a few concours judges on the topic. But we both have early euro cars (see my profile pic). What do you need to know? Is your car the one that had the recent Jens Haller motor rebuild?

 

I have 12327. I've owned for the last 10 years, it's probably about average on the originality scale.

Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

 

good grief, I meant Jens Paulsen, not Jens Haller. Bad slip, my apologies.

 

My window switches look quite different from that, although mine may not be original either (and I have the electric vent windows).

If I get a chance I will post some pics.

 

Bill - I have an early 68 euro car (11199; 25th of the 801) so I have the 4-switch arrangement. I recall taking a close look at a later american spec car about 4 years ago and chuckling at the two rocker switches. They looked cheap - like they were right out of a Lucas parts bin. I remember specifically being surprised that they looked like the exact style of curved rocker button I had in my MGBGT (fan switch). The rockers in your picture are not curved but are two planes meeting in a crease in the middle of the switch. The problem is, I don't know which one is correct; I was sure at the time that the curved rocker switches could not have been correct, but now I don't know. I think the Bluemel book has interior pics of an american spec car that might show those switches better.

The tail-light surround is supposed to have a grainy or pebbly-looking dull finish on the top and bottom thirds of the surround. I have seen this finish on other cars in various stages of wearing off due to washing over the years. One small corner of mine is starting to do that - I'll try to capture the correct finish in pics this weekend.

I'll take some pictures of my hood latch.

I've never seen the body color through the matte-black louvers at the c-post on any other queen. I think they're supposed to be black - of course, my entire car is black! I've been poked for having my engine bay vents painted the same gloss black as the rest of the car; the judges say they're supposed to be the same matte-black as the c-post louver and I think the judges are right.

 

Thought I'd throw this into the mix.

See http://home.earthlink.net/~fchat/images/365GT2+2TailLights.jpg

for Bluemel's closeup of the tailights. Yours appears to be as correct as anything in the 60's Ferrari era.

He doesn't mention the 2 vs 4 switch config. However, logic would leave one to think that for MANUAL q'lights, there would be only two switches left for the windows.

The color appear to be black behind the finned "vents".

 

Here is a pic of my taillight surround w/ flash so the matte vs/ polished zones show up.

 

You know, I'll have to check but I could swear my taillight surrounds are all shiny and don't have the matte finish at all. I will look at it later today.

Can't help you with the steering wheel-- mine has the wood wheel.

 

The tiny corner where matte finish has worn off of one of my surrounds reveals a bright finish beneath. My guess would be that a previous owner when faced with a spotty finish decided to spend 10 minutes with chrome polish and take the matte off entirely. I'm almost positive (can you ever say 'positive' w/ old Ferraris?) that the combo matte/polish finish is the only correct finish. I believe the same surround is also on the later 365GT4 2+2 and is a combo matte/polished finish. (I don't have my books here so I can't check at the moment. These must be available somewhere . . .

My steering wheel is also wood.

I was going to send a picture of my hood latch, but forgot how horrible it looks at the moment. If I had to guess, I'd say the actual catches are supposed to be cad plated w/ the attachment plates the same stain black as the engine compartment. Yours look right (and good) to me, Bill.

I've posted this pic before, but since we're on the topic. . . .
This is an old pic before I had the modern radio removed and the restored muilti-band Blaupunkt re-installed. Note, though, the modern round speaker cut through the metal decorative band at the bottom of the door panel. I think I have new leather on the door panels because the usual perforated grid pattern for the door speakers is not there at all. This is pretty far down on my list of things to bring back to original - the Ferrari concours rules supposedly don't require a deduction for stereo upgrades which frankly surprises me.

I got my car in 99. It was originally rosso rubino w/ tan. It became black w/ tan during a 5 to 7 year restoration done in the 90s. I have the original 10-hole alloys which are beat to hell and without tires. The p.o. got five-stars which aren't correct for my year but look nice. They currently have XWXs on which are antiques themselves and need to be replaced - I'll probably put Pirelli P4000s on. I sometimes think that I'll restore the 10-holes, but most of the time the plan is to save up for Borranis for show and keep the 5-stars for driving.

 

Okay, I checked on a few things:

1) My taillight surrounds are shiny with no matte finish. Of course, this doesn't mean anything as a previous owner had all the chrome redone, and he probably did this as well.

2) My rear quarter vents are black with no evidence of body color behind them. My car was originally silver and repainted resale red in the early 80s, so this could have been changed then.

3) My hood latch is also black.

BTW, I was watching "Le Mans" the other night and I noticed that towards the end, Steve McQueen encounters the girl as she's standing next to a brown 365 2+2, as though she's getting out. I think it's the first time I've seen one in a movie!

 

I've had conflicting opinions on the emergency brake boot - the half-dozen or so other queens i've seen have all black interiors . . . My buddy Bill in AZ has crema interior leather and I believe his boot is black.

How does your AC run when its fully charged? still lacking in the fan power department? In the next month I'll put on new brake hoses at all four corners and get my stebro stainless exhaust hung (mufflers only - the ANSA tailpipe secitons are still plenty good).

Next project in the category of 'stuff I am missing' is that I have to build from scratch the battery hold-down w/ the hooks for the windshield washer fluid bag. I also have to get hold of a windshield washing pump and the bag. I have the spritzers and the T connection. Next valve adjustment, I'll blast and respray the cam covers w/ the right crinkle black . ..

What style and where are you exterior rear view mirrors mounted. I truly believe there is no right answer on this one. I've seen round w/ flat back, rectangular w/ flat back, and round w/ bullet-type, mounted anywhere in an 18" area on driver's side only and on both sides. I've been told that dealers installed the mirrors, hence the wide variation.

always something to do.

 

FYI. The Black Wrinkle Finish Paint from Eastwood is VERY close to OEM. What I've bought before from run of the mill auto parts is too coarse a wrinkle.

http://www.eastwoodco.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=10014+Z&I1.x=28&I1.y=36

I think the steering wheel should be wood, but there may have been a change in the middle of the 2+2 run, since the 365 GTC/4 has a leather wheel. You might try "Leatherique" products on yours to see if that rejuvenates the leather. www.leatherique.com