1100km in a Mondial for President's Day

This is my first post on this forum, just wanted to drop a line, and say I covered 1100km from Naples FL to Atlanta last weekend in an 85 Ferrari Mondial. I flew down with a buddy to RSW, and drove the car back, it was a true one owner Euro import with 37k miles. All records, sales receipts, importation docs, and a title. I'll post more on the car, but I have to say 1100 km, it really felt like a grand touring car more than the other one's I've driven. Driving position is comfortable, and the cabin is surprisingly quiet. It was a great trip, we averaged 25 mpg even...regarding going to pick up any car, bring a friend just in case...We'd been making good time, and as in any old car I thought 'even thought gauge says 1/2 tank, I better top her off'. So we stopped, fueled up (after figuring out that the switch marked with symbol for either a dripping banana, or sort of bent pistol was the fuel door actuator) got some drinks, and snacks, and switched drivers. Now mind you, when I picked up the car, it turned over and fired RIGHT UP. It whirred that faint small displacement, multiple cylinder whirr, like V12 jags have, then trumpeted to life in the smooth way only these beautiful engines do. Rev, oops too much fuel, easy, back her out...No worries, hit the road and the clutch is good, synchros are good, brakes are good, electrics --- well the radio is working, and we'll get to the rest later. Back to it, we switch drivers, and my friend Charles is prepared to take the helm. I get in, he's in and he clicks over the key and........nothing. Try again, nothing, hmm, well it cranked before, you're not doing it right let me try. After a few moments of this, we did the only logical thing, ask the guy filling his dually to help push, and thank goodness at 3 mph and a pop of the clutch, she fired right up...Alright, we're back in business. 2 hours to St. Petersburg, some beach time, and a cold beer or three. We only have to remember to park on a hill, IN FLORIDA! More to come...but I was glad to have a friend along to pop the clutch, it would have been hard by myself, you look especially cool in front of restaurants doing this trick, and the pusher always gets a nice mouthful of pure Italian exhaust...btw I did get the starter fixed today...did I mention part of this trip was in the rain? At least I know the wipers, defrost, and headlamps work now!

Cheers, Neal Caudle
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Thanks for the replies, yes it has a sticker that says Ch Pozzi, though I'm not sure what that indicates. Please let me know. It came with a photo album from its days in europe where it lived with a 348, and a 328.

There are a few things to sort out on the car. But the wipers are working at a pretty regular speed. Headlamps popped up, then down, then up, then stayed up. Reading the warnings in the manual, I think we may have blown it with the A/C unit (apparently you let it run 15 minutes, then gradually move the mixture to cool by 2 degrees, then NEVER EVER touch it again), well being used to german cars I rotated it fully to blue, and hit the button, we had A/C for about 10 miles...then nothing, I think when we started messing with the wheel. We also seemed to blow it with the rear latch mechanism on the 'cofina' it no longer latches, so I need to take that apart.

Otherwise, it's really just VERY dirty from the trip and needs cleaning. Used no oil, and ran cool the whole way with good oil pressure. As I said, a Mondial that can make that trip, must be a good one.

If anyone has an opinion on the A/C, or rear latch, please let me know...

Cheers, and thanks ahead of time, I'm sure I'll be using this resource daily.

Neal Caudle