First impressions and experiences - 365 BB #17977

Hi there enthousiasts,

I just thought it was time to bring you up to speed with what has transpired between me and #17977 so far, the RHD 365 BB I purchased recently.

For those of you who haven't seen this on other threads, I test-drove 3 varietals of Boxer (as a wine maker would say) in August, and chose the 365 for it's sheer raw assault on the senses. It's a great contrast to my 550 Maranello.

5 weeks on: time to pick it up, and I was planning to drive my BMW with my brother from Holland to England and then drive back. However, a fire in the Channel Tunnel between France and England destroyed our original plans and we decided to fly in and then take the Boxer via the ferry directly to Holland.

We arrived last Friday (11 sep 2008) at Fosker's, and as always the people there are great - friendly and knowledgable. The car, however, was not ready yet and they were struggling with a faulty speedo although it had worked to take it through the MoT (for non-English folk: an annual vehicle roadworthy test). Being new to the whole classic Ferrari experience, I thought it was wise to book a hotel close to the specialist to test-drive the car in close proximity of help and after sorting out the insurance we were off to the hotel.

We had trouble finding the hotel, and then found it was on a hill. Since the car was not topped-up, I ran out of fuel just past the main entrance. I found, however, that the car also had no power in the battery. So the specialist arrives with a new battery and a jerrycan of fuel and all is well.

The next morning, the car looks gorgeous in the morning light and dew on her flanks (see pics). We try and start this beast up, and she awakes without any hassle - just keep the revs @ 2k for a minute or two and she settles into an idle of 700 rpms. Sweet! We've got a whole day to kill because the ferry is only at 23:45, so we decide to visit Hever Castle (Anne Boleyn, beheaded queen of England, grew up there). It's a lovely day and we're trying to get used to the 365 foibles - not wanting start with a hot engine being one of them. Back on the road towards the ferry, however, we notice every electrical systam slowy failng.. Eventually, even the fuel pump is not running well and the car dies on the first off-ramp we take. Thankfully, it is the off-ramp to the shop I purchased the car the day before, and after an hour or two we get a new battery and drive to the shop to get it hopefully fixed before the ferry crossing. The guys put in a 'new' alternator and tell me it doesn't quite fit (it's a Testarossa's) but should get me home. However, the Amp meter is only in the + once, and because it's dark we're using headlights and I'm getting a little worried. We make it to the ferry, however, without problems. (see pics 3 & 4)

Next day, starting the car in the ferry, she bursts into life without problems - only a couple of bikers complaining about the smoke. Hey guys - it's carburettors - don't you like them? Pah, heathens. As we set off - I must say - this car is running sweetly. An absolute pleasure. But then, at Schiphol airport, 20 miles from my home, the indicators stop working. Uh-oh! I know what that means! The battery is dead! The temporary alternator didn't work after all. So I reckon we might just, or might not, make it. And sure enough, we die just before the off-ramp to my village. I call my dad and he brings the 550 - always pays to have 2 Ferraris.... . I learn that to replace the battery in a 550 you have to move the expansion vat so it takes a little while but we manage. 2 hours later all cars are where they are supposed to be.

Monday morning I drive the BB to my specialist in Holland and his first impressions are very favourable. A very nice car indeed. He also has plenty of alternator options, so should be no problem.

Fast forward to this afternoon - and yes, the car is ready for my weekend in Belgium and Germany!

So, so far it's been a bit of an adventurous start with my BB. But boy, when the battery's full, she's certainly enjoying herself. I'm picking her up tomorrow morning and desperately looking forward to this weekend where I get a chance to get to know her on some great driving roads.

First impressions, though: a glorious engine, with a bit of sportscar wrapped around it! Not even really a sportscar, it's more of a sporty GT. But what a fabulous machine! It's a bit stressful getting to know a car like this in modern traffic - they really are not easy to drive. But by THUNDER! Are they rewarding! The engine noise, the clunky '70ies gear shift, the lovely light steering, the slightly odd seating position, the extremely heavy clutch, the heavy accellerator (making it difficult to potter around), all these things contribute to an experience that is unlike anything else. Perhaps the most surprising thing so far, to me, has been the excellent all-round visibility. I was worried about having only 1 mirror and driving in Europe with an RHD car, but it has not been a problem at all. Boxer's really provide excellent views to all sides.

Right, so for the next 5 days this BB is going to travel more miles than she has since 1990. I'm just DYING to find out how she'll cope, and how her and I shall bond. I have not a single doubt in my mind that we'll grow very fond of each other....

I'll post an update after this weekend!

Best,



Onno
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Thanks guys - picking her up in an hour or two and the weather is fantabulous! It will be a nice drive, the only mark on it being my left hand which seems to be developing a tendon inflammation... Not really what I was looking for just before we're off for 4 days of hard driving...

Thanks for the tip on the accellerator, fastradio, I'll look into that.

Geno, your BB always looks gorgeous in that dark, dark blue. But I wish you would have some resources available like our Dutch F-chatters Pterps and Fumacher so you'd have some quality photographs of your ride. She deserves the best! I'm really curious what those two will make of my 365 over the course of this weekend. They've done a great job on my 550 so far!


Onno
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Time you discover the beauty of them, Murph! They're from an era where we would sacrifice emission standards for unadulterated screaming, guzzling, sucking, barfing, flame-throwing and banging engines. Those were the days alright! And now it's time to find out if that original 8-track still works: I'll put a Led II tape in it and will try to get the exhaust note in time with John Bonham! Where are my bell-bottoms?


Onno

 

AHudson - nice to hear people are enjoying my little ramblings. Thanks.

Picked her up today. My Dutch specialist had some comments but nothing that can't be fixed easily. She was very well behaved on the way back, and even when hot the engine started easily. I think I'm slowly getting the hang of that.

She's bouncing off some rays just outside at the moment - what a pretty picture!

Tomorrow she'll get started @5AM - I guess the neighbours won't be too pleased...


Onno

 

Friends,

what a weekend have I just experienced with the Boxer! It's going to be difficult to summarise - but I will say this: if you want to die of a Ferrari Overdose, then just befriend the Dutch/Flemmish chapter of F-chat and you shall have a nice send-off! Even if you don't speak Dutch, just check the threads in the Dutch section (the word "foto thread" is a decent indication) to see that these guys know how to appreciate Ferraris and the finer things in life.

On Friday we had a meeting in Belgium. The highlight was the morning session - a meeting at the airforce base of the 10th tactical wing in Belgium. Standing 20m from an F-16 doing a 'scramble' is an experience I won't forget in a hurry!

After the Belgian meeting, we had a weekend in Germany close to the Nurburgring circuit. Beautiful roads, beautiful weather! Entering Germany we were pulled off the road as there was a "Cannonball Run" happening that morning and they were looking for these guys. The police searched our vehicles and asked us questions. They had no right to do that, as we had not broken any laws and obeyed the speed limit almost perfectly, but being difficult doesn't really help matters so we let it slide. For some reason they thought my English licenced Boxer would be part of the Cannonball run. I tried to explain this was a classic car and eventually they saw the light and let us go. Quite a strange experience.

On Sunday morning I decided to check my oil levels, having driven around 750 miles since I picked up the car in the UK. I was horrified to see the level WAY below minimum! I topped up but was stupid enough to leave the oil cap off. After a while she was spraying oil everywhere, but the oil cap was still sitting pretty on top of the engine, just where I left it. That engine sure runs sweet! The oil cap had not moved at all. After mopping up the mess and topping up the resevoir again, we were off without a hitch.

By this time, I had been driving the Boxer for at least 8 hours a day for two and a half days, and we were really bonding. I have to admit that I flooded the engine on Saturday morning and Monday morning, but it was not the Boxer's fault: each time she caught without any problems the first time, but I just failed to keep her running. The difficulty with carbs is to keep the engine running when she's cold - too much throttle and she floods, too little and she dies. Once this Boxer dies, there's just NO WAY you'll get her to run again unless you go and have coffee for half an hour. Now how much throttle you need to keep her running, is very much dependent on the environment. On Monday she died so much quicker than any other day, because it was cold (couple of degrees above freezing) and very damp. So this weekend both her and I learnt a lot about each other and I'm getting to know her much better with each passing day. At least I've discovered the fool-proof way of starting her when she's warm: crank the starter engine for 5 secs, then give 50% throttle. Never fails! I was really enjoying the car this weekend, and the sound she makes is just glorious.

Even so - driving a 365 BB for so many hours a day is quite trying and I was missing my 550 by Sunday afternoon! To compensate, I took the 550 for a spin on the Nurburgring circuit (see the webcam pic) - it was a religious experience! Just mind-blowing, if you ever have the chance, go and do it!

After the issues of starting the BB on Monday morning, we set off back to Holland without an issue, and my brother took some time behind the wheel of the BB as well. He was really enjoying it, and I must say, to pull up in my 550 along side that beauty was just breath taking! What a gorgeous machine.

After lunch, though, I hit the biggest scare I've EVER had in any car in my life: my BB very nearly burnt down to the ground!!!!

I've read a lot about Boxers on this forum and others and I know by now that fuel smells are bad, bad news. We were on the highway after 200 miles of driving and as you can imagine the engine was burning hot. The engine is slowly starting to run a bit less sprightly, and I'm wondering why. A few minutes later I smell gasoline. Uh-oh, I thought. I signal my brother in the 550 and we stop 1 km down the road at a petrol station. As I get out, there is a grey mist coming from under the car as if I've just landed in the marshes from Lord of the Rings! I look under the car, and I see, literally, a waterfall of gasoline dripping underneath the car!!! I jump into action, switch off the engine, then run around to the passenger seat because I've bought a fire extinguisher and I pull it out from behind the seat. I pull open the engine cover to let the engine cool down and I keep my eye on the gasoline. It is everywhere! But, by some miracle, it doesn't catch fire. I call my trusted specialist and he asks me to switch on the ignition to see where the fuel is coming from. My brother keeps a watchful eye and tells me to switch it off! Switch it off! It's the fuel line at the top of the carbs, spraying literally liters of gas onto the hot engine. Again, mercifully, the fuel doesn't ignite. My specialist arrives at the scene quickly and we discover that the t-section on the fuel line was made from inferior plastic which could not stand the heat. It had melted shut, and so the increasing fuel pressure had pushed the t-section off the fuel hose. Thank G*d that I smelled the fuel, and that I knew enough about Boxers to stop immediately, because this Boxer only had a 50-50% chance of survival. My brother said: "thank g*d you were driving! I would not have noticed it until too late!" (he had been driving the car just before it happened).

After my specialist has driven through several towns to try and locate a t-piece, we are on our way again, and the Boxer arrives safely in my garage where it resides at this very moment. I required several large drinks thinking about what might have been, I can tell you!

Attached some pics of the weekend, with the last ones showing the petrol spilled from the BB on the asphalt. I think you'll agree this was a close one! Credits to the photographers, where they are not myself.

And here is a very short clip of the car in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfZnieXGNnw


Onno
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The T-piece was not original. Somebody in the past put in something that was grossly inadequate for the job.

I'm just concentrating on trying to understand the car and do it justice, and count myself lucky to be in that priviledged position. A situation like fuel on top of hot engine just makes you realise how fortunate that position really is. I hope I'm granted many more moments with the car over the coming years - it's certainly been an entertaining week and a half!


Onno

 

Thanks Greg, perhaps you're right. I'll see if I can get it improved.


Onno

 

Well, friends, I've just returned from a way-too-short trip to France as the Boxer died again. It seems I have a persistant short somewhere in the electrical system which keeps on burning out the alternator. But never mind, the weather was gorgeous and my dad and brother were only too happy to drive the "550 support vehicle" to France for 5 hours to come and pick me up. After swapping the batteries, we all made it without incident back to Holland.

The Boxer will get onto a trailer back to England next week so that the problem hopefully gets sorted out. I'm starting to think I may need to rewire the entire car to make sure I don't get stranded all the time next year...


Onno
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Very similar to driving an LHD car in the UK...

Seriously, I've driven so many miles sitting on both the right and left side that it doesn't phase me one bit either way. However, it must be quite funny to see me running to get the ticket on the toll roads in France!


Onno

 

Thanks so much, Gene, for the kind words and great advice! We are indeed amazingly lucky here in Europe - the dinner party participants in France came from Switzerland, Portugal, UK, and Holland! Incredible - I just love Europe.

The last alternator was definitely a new one, but it was the original spec with the mechanical switching, not the modern version with electronic switching which might be the way to go. As for re-wiring, I will hold out the decision on that until we all know more - we need to get Sherlock Holmes doing his thing in my car...

Cheers,


Onno