Are Challenge Cars Street-legal?

Yeah, agree. I don't think a partial rear cage is a much of a threat, but definitely doesn't take much of a smack off the bar and it's permanent lights out.

Not sure if it's confirmed yet, but I think that's how that guy died recently where that 348 Challenge car collided with that elderly man...somewhere up in the northwest I think.

 

there is a street legal one in switzerland - i almost bought it. big thread on it if you care to look. it is still available but i no longer have interest, and i am glad i grew out of that phase !!

 

Thanks, I'll do a search for that. You don't need a Challenge Car, you have an F40.

 

When the 360 Challenge race cars were delivered new, they came with a bill of sale and no title. Ferrari North America also informed us that the 360 Challenge was not street legal and may never be titled or even driven on the street. Somewhere I have their letter in my library of stuff.

Some cars have made it to street legal status somehow, but they were never ever intended to be driven on the street. Which by the way, is a miserable experience. (I drove mine from the hotel to concours field for the 2000 FCA National Meet using the FCA temp tags)

 

Depends entirely on which streets you want to drive on. Somalia? No problem. California? No way.

 

Thanks, guys. I'm going to draw the conclusion that this really isn't practical at all for the reasons you've explained. My vacation home is in Somalia but I want to keep the car in Texas.

 

I love my road registered F355 challenge.......with roll cage removed, of course, and wingless because it looks hideous.
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She's a beut. What year model is yours?

 

1996

LOL

Didn't realize how old this thread is!

 

Along with the safety concerns, it is a real pain to get in and out on a regular basis in the street if the roll cage is installed. I have left only the rear hoop installed for street driving and it is not a problem.

As far as 348, the real difference is the exhaust which is LOUD, but in Miami that just means the cops give you a thumbs up when they get behind you at street lights

The seats are quite comfortable and you can adjust the angle and move them front and back. The wheels I like better than the standard 348 wheels not only in look but also in driveability.

So as long as the A/C is back in, a 348 Challenge car on the street is fun to drive. . . . .

 

+1 haha...if only all cops operated that way.

Those white speedlines with the yellow exterior sure do look nice...

 

I could also be wrong, but I think only some of the earlier 355CH cars are street legal (began life as a street car, then Challenge kit installed). Some later cars were built at the factory as race cars and are not street legal (technically speaking). I don't know exactly where the split is, but I do know that we installed a Challenge kit on one, but others came built.

gp

 

Racing seats, tow hooks, roll cage and lots of other bits and pieces are in the store room. Interior is stock. Air conditioning back in. Softer springs (still triple spring rate of road car), different shocker settings etc etc

Naturally, it's running the challenge exhaust, brakes and wheels. I never did the '98 update though, even though the wing makes a huge difference to the lap time.

It's now very pleasant to drive on the road, but probably not as a daily driver.

According to the dealer order to Ferrari which I've got somewhere, it was ordered as a 355ch, but it's a bit confusing as to exactly what a "factory 355 challenge" is.

 

Didn't they all have to be Motronic 2.7?? That would be a huge conversion cost for later cars, wouldn't it?

 

When I first got it and I had all the enthusiasm in the world, before a track day I'd change pads, seats, belts, install tow hooks, etc etc.

As time wore on I just did belts, seats and pads.

Now I can't even remember the last time I tracked the car! I still get a huge amount of enjoyment driving it though, and the sound is to die for.

www.fcavic.com/355chpi.wma (not actually my car, but a 355challenge at Phillip Island)

 

I think it just means it had the roll bar mounts and a few other things already in the car? Dealer still had to install the rest.

I think you could make a nice 'street' 355 challenge with H&R springs, stoptech brakes, speedline rims, challenge grill and exhaust, 360 steering wheel, OMP ARS seats and whatever else tickled your fancy...Could probably be done for 10k to a street car and still be pretty good on the street. You could buy a mechanically sound 355 with shrunken interior and do the whole thing in alcantara with the above mods and have a pretty cool street/track car for about the same price as a nice stock 355 without ruining the street manners.

The challenge 'look' is really just the speedlines, grill, and lowered ride height. If you went full on challenge springs, shocks, solid bushings, competition clutch, cage etc. I doubt you'd actually want to drive it on the street in that configuration much...Mine is nowhere near that aggressive and is what I'd consider 'harsh' on the street with performance rubber in sport mode.

 

That's my understanding too.

You're right about modding a road 355....would be easy....but it still wouldn't be a Challenge, which means something to some, including me.

I drove my car in pure race form on the road when I first got it. It wasn't a lot of fun.

 

and reinforced shocker towers or something?

 

Peter, your car is gorgeous! Be careful with those vintage challenge wheels. One of our local 355 Challenge owners crashed and burned after one of his wheels exploded as he was well into the triple digits. Thanks to the roll cage, seats, belts and fire suppression, he made it out. But the car was toast...literally.

 

ouch! well that's given me a great feeling for the day!

what happens to the wheels?? fatigue or what?