How low can I go? F355 front clearance?

You might have to angle the car when entering and leaving your drive.

 

Don't worry about it. I bought mine pre-scraped and drag it from time to time no matter what I do. For exmple, I can't get out of my parking garage without the occasional scrape. You can't see it unless you get down low.

 

Tommy,
It depends on your driveway. My 348 challenge goes up my short driveway at an angle... At 3.5" off the ground in the front, it is lower than a stock F-40! I think the the F355CH clearance is about 4"

 

Tommy - it's 6 inches.

The car his scrape shields under the front spoiler made of some kind of plastic / poly combo. However, if you bottom out it makes a terrible noise and the shields can wear down and crack.

A fellow F-Chatter posted that his mechanic (in BOS in think) makes custom shields that go over the original ones. I bought them and they install in about 30 minutes right on top of the stock ones.

They are excellent...made of aircraft grade poly and cost about $100 for the pair....make little noise if you bottom out and extend more toward the front of the car so you will never damage the spoiler.

If you need more info PM me and I'll dig up his name and number..

Frank

 

The nose is just under 6" (like 5.8 on mine), the actual ground clearance is 4.2". I have to enter and leave my driveway at an angle to minimize but never avoid scraping the nose.

 

I'm the 355 owner whose mechanic friend fabricated the 355 undertray shields...

http://www.ferrarichat.com/discus/messages/251280/249256.html?1052928891

Check it out. I'm pretty sure he's got 3-4 more sets left from the last batch. Give him a call, 508 238 4224, ask for John.

vty,

--Dennis

 

Thanks Dennis - I was trying to find John's phone # for another member and could not find it...

 

Tommy,
I have an extremely steep drive, one of the worst I have seen. When we moved in , we could not get moving trucks up due to the angle. i drag the hitch on my landcruiser if that tells you how steep. I had an M3 and now have a F355. I have perfected my technique. Come in at a 45 degree angle and back down your driveway the same way you came up and you can make it up almost anything. Best of luck. If you can't make it still, modify the driveway, it's worth it.

 

I think the nose clearance on my 308 is 6". I can drive into my driveway with no problems but I can't turn around and drive straight out without scraping on the street. I can back out of my driveway with no problems.

None of us have seen your driveway so it is hard to judge. The measurement you need to be concerned with is "approach angle" It is the angle a car can climb without scraping the front end. Check out this link: http://www.carlist.com/autoglossary/autoglossary_35.html

My car has a low angle of approach because the front end sticks out so far. If the front spoiler was 6" further back the angle would be a lot greater. So ground clearance is only a piece of the info you need.

 

I have my eyes set on a 355, but in doubt if it will be able to make the incline of my drive way. I see there are several philosophies how to deal with inclines i.e. taking it at an angel etc.
Considering the actual clarance is 4.2'', can anyone tell me the distance from the leading edge to the front of tier, in order to determine what the true clearance is when you approach an incline like a steep driveway. Thanks.

 

When I bought my house, had a 328 that bottomed out no matter what angle(driveway goes up and then down steeply into garage. I had a contractor make a wood frame "replica" of the wheelbase/height of 328, then demo driveway and rebuild it using wood frame to ensure no scraping front or underside as he massaged the concrete. Great- then got a TR- it fit fine too. Now with my 355, I cannot have a passenger (even 100lb g/f) in car or it scrapes nose going in or out.

But it was well worth the $$$ to allow an f-car in - do what you have to do...

 

Just let it scrape, the driveway will wear out eventually

 

Let it scrape and re -spray the front bar every few years or so if it gets that bad. But being underneath,you probably will never see it. My car scrapes the front bar underneath nearly everywhere i go,angle attempts or not? and you will never be able to see the scratches under the front unless you have a really good look at it.

 

You guys are able to say "let it just scrape" to your baby without having tears in your eyes !!!. You are tougher than me....
What I am most concerned about is not just the scrapping, but the actual clearance.
If I can get someone with a 355 to measure the distance from the leading edge to the front of the tire, so I can make my scale model in wood and test it on my driveway. Thanks.

 

i beleive w00dear's lowered 355 had 2.5" clearance and it was fine.

 

Thomas - You hit the nail on the head. The problem is not how low the car is, but the long nose distance between the front tire and bumper tip. I measured it once, think it was either 38 or 40 inches..maybe someone can chime in. But your thinking is correct. My Diablo is way lower and does not bottom out in those areas where the 355 did because of tire to nose distance.

 

I have taken the measurments you require , they are from the front tyre ground contact point to the lowest forward point ( front edge of bumper skid ) that is 38 inches and the hight at this point is 4.5 inches with no occupants , suspension droop with me on board ( 141 lb ) is 0.375 in.
I was also concerned with this problem befor buying a 355 but find it not to be a big problem just requires a little care at times although I have made my own alloy skid plates & fitted them over the original fiberglass as they had been worn at an angle .

 

WLracing,

You are a superstar !!!. Thanks for the info. I will get my carpenter tools out tonight and make a scale model to try on the approach to my drive way.

Thomas