Drag racing F355 | FerrariChat

Drag racing F355

Discussion in '348/355' started by BRADAN, Jul 1, 2010.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. BRADAN

    BRADAN Two Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Aug 29, 2009
    22,661
    West Babylon, NY
    Full Name:
    BRADAN
    #1 BRADAN, Jul 1, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    I thought this would be an interesting post to share. This past week we put our F355 back together. The headers were repaired and a few other minor issues were fixed. Over the weekend, the car ran great and I started to question if the F355 is actually a 12.9 1/4 mile car as claimed.

    I decided to leave work early yesterday and take the two hour trip down to Englishtown raceway in NJ. Even though I arrived before the gates opened, I was only able to take 3 passes. I started each run by doing a burnout to warm the tires up.

    -1st pass rev to 2,000 rpm and slip clutch 14.2 1/4 mile
    -2nd pass rev to 3,000 rpm and slip clutch 13.9 1/4 mile

    On the first two runs the car would bog in power from the launch but then really start moving when it got into the power band. I knew if I could raise the RPM's further upon launching, a 12.9 pass was very possible.

    My third and final run, I rev'd to 4,000 rpm and slipped the clutch. My time dropped to 13.5 for the 1/4 mile.

    I'm sure a 12.9 run can happen if the clutch is slipped at 5,000 rpm. Drag racing was a lot of fun and a different experience in the F355. People were excited to see a Ferrari at the track and I had a great time meeting people. It's very impressive how much abuse this car can take without any signs of weakness. I will post up a short video early next week.
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  2. plugzit

    plugzit F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 1, 2004
    7,792
    Redondo Beach, CA
    Full Name:
    Bruce Bogart
    I find myself wondering what it would look like with some large slicks on the rear and little skinny tires on the front, zoomies or boat-style dry pipes....and what-the-heck, wheelie bars too! (That'd freak out the purists!)
     
  3. INTMD8

    INTMD8 F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Jun 10, 2007
    6,814
    Lake Villa IL
    Very cool :)

    Can you post up the timeslips? Curious about 60ft time and 1/4 trap speed.
     
  4. BRADAN

    BRADAN Two Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Aug 29, 2009
    22,661
    West Babylon, NY
    Full Name:
    BRADAN
    #4 BRADAN, Jul 1, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  5. INTMD8

    INTMD8 F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Jun 10, 2007
    6,814
    Lake Villa IL
    #5 INTMD8, Jul 1, 2010
    Last edited: Jul 1, 2010
    106+mph not too bad for a relatively soft launch. Do you know what the D/A was?

    EDIT- Looked up D/A, it was 706ft above sea level on your last run.
     
  6. ferrari 512 tr

    ferrari 512 tr F1 Rookie

    Nov 16, 2008
    4,180
    Australia
    Full Name:
    Paolo
    true brother ha ha
     
  7. X11OUD

    X11OUD Formula Junior

    Mar 22, 2008
    729
    Manchester, England
    Full Name:
    Neil
    Great post. Only today I was discussing with a friend this subject and the optimum revs to launch a 355, the lack of low end torque acts almost like a traction control.
     
  8. vvassallo

    vvassallo F1 Veteran

    Aug 4, 2006
    8,329
    Palos Verdes
    Full Name:
    Vince V
    Honestly who ever came up with a quarter mile test for the 355 anyway? I would be concerned about the trans with all those rev dumps from standing. Of course our engines are not exactly torque monsters.
     
  9. X11OUD

    X11OUD Formula Junior

    Mar 22, 2008
    729
    Manchester, England
    Full Name:
    Neil
    Great post. Only today I was discussing with a friend this subject and the optimum revs to launch a 355, the lack of low end torque acts almost like a traction control.
     
  10. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Ten Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    100,232
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    Cool pics, thanks for sharing. :):)
     
  11. dlynes

    dlynes Formula 3

    Oct 16, 2004
    2,450
    Augusta, Ga
    Full Name:
    Dave
    red with black tint looks pretty mean!!

    llooks awesome
     
  12. Monteman

    Monteman Formula 3
    Rossa Subscribed

    Feb 9, 2006
    2,348
    Santa Barbara, CA
    Full Name:
    Monte
    I think this is before the rebuild and this was a fairly high mileage motor wasn't it?
     
  13. mesoscale

    mesoscale Formula Junior

    Feb 19, 2004
    305
    For comparison, the best I ever ran in my 355 was a 13.3 at 112 mph.
     
  14. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Ten Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    100,232
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    #14 PAP 348, Jul 1, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  15. BRADAN

    BRADAN Two Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Aug 29, 2009
    22,661
    West Babylon, NY
    Full Name:
    BRADAN
    What rpm did you launch at?
     
  16. hotrod406

    hotrod406 Formula Junior

    Sep 18, 2007
    540
    Grand rapids area,MI
    Full Name:
    Tim
    Damn, 6mph is a big difference in speed. Was your 355 stock?
     
  17. INTMD8

    INTMD8 F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Jun 10, 2007
    6,814
    Lake Villa IL
    Nice! F1 or manual?
     
  18. eyboro

    eyboro Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    May 30, 2004
    989
    Chicago
    Full Name:
    Eitan
    Is this the car that the interior was detailed and refurbished recently?
     
  19. BRADAN

    BRADAN Two Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Aug 29, 2009
    22,661
    West Babylon, NY
    Full Name:
    BRADAN
    Yes. It is our F355.
     
  20. dlynes

    dlynes Formula 3

    Oct 16, 2004
    2,450
    Augusta, Ga
    Full Name:
    Dave
    always looking good Pap!!
     
  21. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Ten Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    100,232
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    Cheers mate. :eek::eek:
     
  22. J. Salmon

    J. Salmon F1 Rookie
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Aug 27, 2005
    4,367
    VA
    Once again, I applaud your methods. You are not afraid to get your hands dirty, so to speak!

    In the F1, if you simply tromp it (which I admit I have not done, but several others have) it revs to 6000 and dumps the clutch. I hear it produces pretty impressive results.

    Easy to say, because it's not my gearbox, but for the sake of "investigation" maybe try one clutch dump at 5k-6k and see how that does? As longs as you get wheelspin, it shouldn't be too hard on the gearbox. And it will be much kinder on the clutch.

    Of course, changing a clutch in a 355 is a helluva lot easier than changing a gearbox :)
     
  23. BRADAN

    BRADAN Two Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Aug 29, 2009
    22,661
    West Babylon, NY
    Full Name:
    BRADAN
    I plan to launch at 4,000, 5,000, and 6,000 next time. I must admit I have not been kind to my F355 and she seems to enjoy it.
     
  24. mad dog

    mad dog Formula Junior

    Jan 5, 2006
    875
    suffolk uk
    Full Name:
    andrew
    What a pity you do 0-60foot times when we do 0-64 on the hillclimbs.

    I must admit to finding the 355 a lot more difficult to get off the line than 328s, mondials,360's or 348s - well or any Ferrari really! I either bog down or light up the rears. and you can so easily loose so much time doing either.

    The fastest 355 0-64 time (not by me) is 2.19. This was a 2.7 instead of my 5.2 which I think has a bit extra low down torque. But that may be just because I've only got down to 2.30.

    Of course we are also not comparable with a wide range of surfaces at all sorts of angles in all weathers. Because of this I dont fix a rev limit and dump, i balance clutch release with throttle for conditions and surface.

    Tried to find an external video but dont seem to have any, although on this play day at prescott it comes close (ignore rubbish at beginning). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oCdYnrsfqY

    Prescott times are interesting, its not the fastest start line, on an angle and slightly uphill. The record is a 2.31 in a 355. The older F1s do not get off the line quickly, until you get up to the 430 with 3.08 and f1 2.80 or the 430 Scuderia with a 2.41.
    we dont have any 355 F1s recorded here, best 360 is 2.48 f1 2.51

    I think its interesting that a 250 lusso manages 2.79 which is faster than the 430 however many years later! These are all with list 1b tyres apart from the scud that comes with stickier 1as.

    Re clutch wear, Its easy to abuse the Ferrari clutch with getting it hot in a burn out and then tearing the material off. As a result I only do one burn out before a run. We also glue rather than rivet the friction material on now and that makes it pretty immovable. Haven't done a gear box too badly yet, although the 348 did need a rebuild after an 'instructor' forced it into 4th against its will. So have a 355 spare just in case!
     
  25. Gforza

    Gforza Rookie

    Jun 14, 2010
    10
    Scottsdale, AZ
    Cool & intersting stuff, thanks for sharing!!
     

Share This Page