Any Engine experts / Ferrari mechanic want to fly to Portland and...

It's sad to read about this episode. It also reinforces the notion that a capable DIY owner who spends time learning and working on his 348 is better than a random professional mechanic with a non-ferrari shop.

 

This is why I do all my own wrenching on my 3.2 Mondial. I've been a self taught mechanic for about half a century now and enjoy solving the problems that pop up and getting my hands dirty correcting them. With the help of sage wisdom on this site from guys like Rifledriver and Steve Magnusson, the car hasn't got the best of me yet! (Knocking furiously on wood as I type this, lol)

 

Sad to say, but this ^^ is nothing new, local to you or Ferrari specific.
In past few decades, I've seen countless repair/restoration shops in which the owner might've one time or another had some actual hands-on experience, only to eventually become a manager of less than experienced mechanics (or "technicians", as they're now identified as), many which come and go.

One of my first (and close to last) ever "jobs" 35+ years ago (before opening my own business) was in a boat shop, mainly catering to small recreational boats for fishing, water skiing, etc.
At the time I started, I knew nothing about them, but the owner (with perceived experience) initially hired me to help for a few hours for couple of days a week to ease the huge overload of work his reputation(?) had created.
Well, after the second or third day, I was working +/- 10 hrs a day, 6 days a week quite furiously, while he spent about 8-9 hours each day on the phone "chatting"(?) with clients, friends, parts suppliers or whomever and rest of the time either instructing me (the only employee) what to do or how to do something I've never done before, but fortunately I was a fairly quick learner and usually needed to be taught most of the tasks only once.
While after several months I've had managed to make huge/visible dent on his workload, some of which required only couple of days to accomplish, but had been sitting in the outside storage yard for months or even years, I eventually left because periodically he would have strong verbal outbursts about my inability to be more(?) productive and his somewhat chronic financial difficulties to maintain acceptable/agreed on pay schedule.
OTOH, I learned a lot.

 

Mechanics are no different than any other profession, skill or trade. Doctors, dentists or contractors. Some are very good, some are real idiots and the rest are spread around the middle. These cars do not tolerate idiots very well and there are a lot of them out there. Too many consumers really cannot be bothered to go to the trouble to find a good one. They would much rather take the easy way then when they are disappointed to complain to their friends, the internet whoever.
There are good people to do whatever you want done, you just have to go to the trouble to find that person and its not always easy. I go through the same process to find people who do work for me.
When I started in this in the 70's the number of good quality Ferrari mechanics was a very small number. There are a lot more today, you just need to sort good from bad.

 

Empire builders. I see it in every business. Works quite well for those willing to trade their personal and professional standards for money.
On the other hand I have seen far too many who did very poor work for 30+ years.

 

Too bad we didn't live closer together because I think this could've been a job for The Stooges.

 

Now as far as the "loud metal scraping sound" from the original post. My best guess, to add to the 6 pages, is, it could possibly be the belt fence on the drive pulley has come off. I do NOT suggest starting the engine to see if it will run. If it is a busted fence, the fence can cut the belt and THEN you'll REALLY grenade the engine. If it were my car I would pull the top cam belt inspection caps and have a look to see what the belt looks like. I would also get under the car and have a look at it from underneath. If I REEEEEEALY want to see what condition the belt, and drive pulley, are in I would drop the fuel tank, then remove the front cam belt cover. This would cost me only my time because I would be doing the work.

 

My dude, you can do this! Plenty of us here have worked on and fixed our Ferraris. A Mondial T basically has 348 guts in it. You CAN rebuild it yourself. Have faith in yourself! It is still an engine, nuts and bolts, lefty loosey righty tighty. Just take your time and be meticulous.