1995 F355 GTS: Restoration and Major Service

Finally I have a fabricator to come out tomorrow to weld in my challenge shock towers. With covid lockdown it’s been hard to arrange anything. It’s been about 3 months since I drove the car so I can’t wait to have it all back together.

I drilled out the bracket with 9mm holes in the factory positions which took some time due to the thickness of the metal. It really is a much stronger component.

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I did a final test fit and the positioning of the shock tower is perfect. The area was sanded clean and weld thru primer applied to protect the surfaces.

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The roll bar was removed and the steering rack boots to have a clear space to weld. The passenger side steering rack boot has a split so I ordered in a new one. The drivers side was replaced previously by me.
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I noticed my rear bushings were missing the heat reflective covers, which when you see how close the bushings are to the rear rotors you understand the requirement.

The covers are $100 pounds plus taxes and postage so I made my own with a heat reflective Foil and fiberglass heat shield. Looks exactly as per factory and will likely offer more heat deflection as they are slightly thicker.

I also stripped the front ABS wheel sensor heat shields and replaced with the same material cut to size. Looks a lot cleaner.
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Finally after long last I was able to have a fabricator come over and TIG weld in my challenge updated brackets. Very happy with the result!

The welds are very nice. I re coated with zinc primer the surfaces after wire wheeling the welds. Then used Wurth beige spray-able seam sealer to cover the spot welds and seams. Just like the factory did it, messily! Then top coated with Wurth flat black paint.

Needs one more pass after it’s cured with flat black paint and it’s ready for reassembly.
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I’m very proud to have done this work myself bar the welding. After seeing the pro do the welds I’m glad I left it to him too! Overall it’s been a big undertaking:

All suspension bushes
Replaced all ball joints
Rebuilt and revalved Bilstein dampers
Fiorano springs
Fiorano handling pack ecu
Challenge shock towers
New OEM brake calipers front and rear
Zinc plated all hardware and fixing points

Now to get it back on the road, heights adjusted and aligned.

 

Thanks Barry, your informative past posts on this issue was what got me to check mine out. So thank you.

 

Front left corner reassembled. Now to move on to the right side once the replacement steering rack boot arrives. Need to final torque down some bolts and nuts once preload is set, and cable tie the brake wear sensor line, but otherwise it’s ready to go on this side.

It looks really special now, to say I’m happy with the outcome would be an understatement!

Here are some pics:

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It did. Check out Jane Kits for the specs it doesn’t require a super duper power source.

 

Had the first real shakedown drive today. No wheel alignment yet, and can still fine tune ride height some more. But oh my goodness! The car is absolutely transformed since the suspension overhaul and upgrades.

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This is what I was looking for out of my F355. It’s pretty much perfect. The car rides stiffer but not overwhelming so but the direct response to the steering wheel inputs and the communication of what the tires are doing underneath you is like night and day better. It has a lot more feeling through the wheel and overall feeling of traction, especially through the rear tires. Wow. I’m so happy and it was all worth it.

I highly recommend new bushings, rebuilt dampers and the fiorano spec springs. I have about 1.5 cm left of thread on the front shocks and 2cm left on the rear to further lower the car. So you can’t slam it but this setting now is below stock height I had before and clears things better due to the overall stiffness of tbe setup. I’ll wait till things settle to see where the final ride height sits.

Next up is a wheel alignment, and to re torque the suspension arms.

 

I went for the full fat experience and hooked up the Fiorano ECU. My mind is blown with how much difference there is now. Even the sport setting and comfort is a noticeable step. My friends drove the car both own F355 and they are buying the Fiorano springs now.

 

Next step for me is to reproduce the Fiorano sway bars front and rear. I have to have those now too. The way the springs work with the ecu makes me think the whole package would be the closest you can get to a Stradale style F355.

 

That’s exactly what it’s like. This is the car for me. The only thing I like more is an F50, which I think will be more or less a 355 on steroids hehehe perhaps not as good looking either.

 

My car was very smooth to drive but soft and floaty especially at speed. Now it feels planted. The Fiorano springs (original) aren’t readily available but Superformance UK makes a reproduced set. That’s what I used.