Last year of the 512TR.
Interesting. I know early 348s had a mandated 3 year major service interval due to, if I can recall correctly, one of the pulleys being under notably more stress then in other Ferrari motors. The issue was rectified in later cars and with it, the service interval increased back to the normal 5 year cycle. I wasn't aware of TRs, let alone 512TRs, also needing a 3 year service cycle. Can you go into more details on why? I would have expected if anything, whatever the source of the issue was, that it was dealt with during the major TR->512TR transition, especially considering a similar situation was addressed in its little brother around the same time as the introduction of the 512TR.
the 348 went with a one belt design, for the 355 they went back to the 2...as the TR and other fcars. I went 8 yrs before changing the belt, i did a thread on it back in March 07....the belt was fine (visually)..but i think thats the number with new tensioners and all the fixings.
Interesting, so (in theory if/when I ever get a 512), that I should have a major every 3 years or would I be able to wait for 5 years. Realize it would be one car of many and probably only get 1 to 2000 miles of summer driving (one has to love the salting of roads here in the NE). And thank you for clearing up the 348 details, I had forgotten what it was exactly... (and given that I don't have a 348, I never really cared to remember! )
you do what you feel is best...for me, i have had my TR for 9 years now..i bought it in 99 and the previous owner said it was done in 91 (its an 86 my car) i did it in 99, and drove it about 2,000 every year, with start ups in winter every month. In 07 i was forced in because of leaks, not because of the belts, but it helped my decision. To each there own, but if you trust your mechanic..7-8 should be fine, pending how you store the car in the winter as well. Here is the before, and then once back in...the 512, and M you dont have to take out the engine. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Ohhh that came out very very nice! It brings a smile to my face just looking at it! How do you store your cars in the winter? I just disconnect my battery on my 328, and add some fresh gas before starting her up. BTW, where are you located? I am in PA. (PM me if you do not want to have it public, I am just curious if you are in anyways local!)
We have the same temp, im in Toronto. I think you guys get alittle more snow that us...but similar climate. I disconnect the battery, fresh gas and full with a stablizer tablet....but ever month i go into the garage on a decent day above "0" or "32" and fire the cars up. I let it run for about 30 minutes, nice and hot to run the fans and get rid of any mositure in the car. Pump the brakes abit, in and out of the driveway a few times to turn the steering wheel and 50lbs of pressure in the tires. My garage is heated though, at a constant 45-50 degrees all winter. If your garage gets really cold and damp, this has been discussed as may play a part in your belts warping. Im a firm believer in not letting the car sit for more that a month at a time. its served me well so far, so i dont plan on changing it anytime soon. Cheers!
And here is one more opinion... From the perspective of collectability...the 1986 Flying Mirror. No seat belt issue (manual seatbelt). From a mechanical issue, the last year of the series (always). If one seeks an analogy, think of the 206 versus the 246 Dino. Mechanically the 246 is a better car. Upside potential and today's value?....the 206. Given that you will pay a premium for later years (today, perhaps not in the future), the judgement is whether that money is better spent on an early Flying Mirror, which provides capital for engine out service if necessary. Early Flying Mirror in good condition, with recent major service, will fetch $50,000 to $60,000. Later cars go up quite a bit. Jim S.
early tr, and I mean early, euro non catalyst with no computers on the rh rear fender well. One high mirror, knock off wheels. Then you'll have a real testarossa. Proper lights, rear fogs, metric guages and 300lbs less crap on the car. And don't forget the six piece luggage set.
Cam covers were painted. Everything else was replaced (hoses, clamps all new bolts, screws....makes a big difference) the rest was cleaned. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Have you stayed with the TRX wheels or gone to something else? The TRX wheels are a big deduct in my mind.
When I first started looking about 3 years ago, nothing less than the late 512TR seemed to be good enough. However, I realized that they were just outside my (no selling one of the other cars) budget; and I got focused on an '87; I thought it was the thing because it had twin mirrors but still had the single bolts. That car (and another one like it) fell through because of engine and transmission failures in the first case, spotty title and records (and crummy dealer) in the second. Finally, we ended up with a single mirror '86 with 21,500 miles. Now, (probably because it's my car), I think I like the original model with the flying mirror by far the best. It's just a matter of little style things - the square intake boxes somehow look more symmetrical to me, you can't beat the style of that single mirror, and even the engine cover vent area just somehow looks better. I even like the black underpan trim, kind of boxer-like in a subtle way. Also count in the single bolt wheels, the manual seat belts, a spare tire (you can leave it out if you need the carry space) etc. The ultimate 512M does not come close in looks, in my humble opinion - not even pop-up headlights... To me, it is the same kind of style progression thing that could also apply to the classic Buick Riviera GS, the 65 Mustang, the split-window Corvette, the old 6cyl XKE Jaguar as opposed to the 12cyl, etc. You could argue that all of these were better mechanical cars in the later models, but somehow that original styling was never matched again. Just my prejudiced opinion, James BTW, don't let that single mirror thing intimidate you. On the driver side, you just look out of it like any other mirror - it has a great field of view. On the other side, just look out the window like we used to do in the olden days before cars had an offside mirror. This builds a good driving habit anyway, eliminating the blind spot!
The 87, because it is what I picked up. Now give me a group-hug, for joining your special Tr group. The TR, the only unloved 12 cyl 2 seat F car. I feel your pain. lol Happy New Year !! Jeff and James - Thanks for the help.
I have a little cowgirl witch on the outskirts of Oklahoma City who says this unloved F car status is soon to change, and the early cars will lead the way.
Well I made my decision today, and out of the ~4 TR's I checked out, I bought the '87' red-headed step child. So now comes the educating of me me. After arriving at the homestead, and stalling the damn thing trying to creep into the driveway the thing didn't want to re-start. A sinking feel of "what the hell did I just buy" came slithering into my subconscious. After a few minutes later I tried again and . . . she did re-start. It's love again! So what was this warm, just drove 20 miles, and I don't want to re-start stuff? Any ideas? Also, when it comes to extending the life of the Ferrari paint job . . . what are the best techniques? I heard wash infrequently, keep paint well coated with wax (what's the best wax?) Can car dusters be used to control dust? (cause I just had to buy a black TR!) Thank you for any and all feedback. Jeff So Cal
Bryan, I had the same feeling about the trx tire, but with some thought I think the trx isn't that bad. The rears are 280mm verus the 255 on the std 16" wheel. The width is 11" on the trx and 9.8" on the 255, where is the disadvantage? The cost, its a ferrari. Do you thing that the goodyear eagle is better than a Michelin? Goodyear couldn't make a round tire if they tried. They need to be change every 8-10 years with our moderate Canadian usage (short seasons). I would never change the wheels to something other than stock. My dad had a trx tire conversion kit on his american car in the early eighties ( with my encouragment, I was 14). He doesn't even know where to put the ignition key in the car. His first comment was these tires are so much better the original equipment tires. Why did I push for the trx kit you ask? FERRARI uses them thats why!
Agreed the TRX is not that horrible a tire. It's just way too expensive for the tire it is. In good weather it's fine for 99% of the driving in this country. But wowfully inadequate if you were to take it to a track or autocross. Jeff450, I would suggest replacing the starter solenoid ASAP especially if it appears to be the original. Easy to do and inexpensive. I did mine and it made a huge difference. Do a search on hot start problems for the Tr and you'll get the idea. It's a common issue on all Tr's. Even though your's wasn't hot it could be worse when it is hot. As for the paint, yes you can use a Cal Duster. I use mine after every drive and before I put the cover on. I'm a fan of P21S wax. Easy to work with, looks awesome and it's durable. Congrats on the car !
Either that or a secondary relay - there are some threads on that subject. We did my '86 and no starting problems since.
