F355 1st & 2nd Gear Mechanical Lock Out

Hi Chuck,

Nice to see you again this past weekend at The Glen. I agree it was a GREAT event.

I have a small, flip-down mechanism in my 355 Challenge Car that blocks out reverse and first gear that I purchased from John Tirrell at IFS last year (several of us "Team Pilota" guys use it in our 355Ch's). It's very simple to install and attaches in the top two screw holes for the shift gate.

Note that it won't block out 2nd gear as you're looking for. However, I personally wouldn't want to block out 2nd since I use it on some tracks (for example, at Tremblant in the Namrow hairpin turn) and/or it might be needed in a pinch when there wouldn't be time to flip the blocking plate up.

Hope this helps. John's # at IFS is (508)238-4224.

Regards,
Charlie

 

Here are some pictures John sent me of this product last year. I am not using it (not a track guy), but looks very nice. I think he said he sells it for around $85.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

BTW, John is a great guy, and makes a few other neat accessories for Ferraris. I purchased his sacrificial plastic pads that fit under the bumper. Terrific product, very well designed, and very simple to install. Highly recommended.

Dave

 

The pictures Dave -- or is that Hugh? Big LOL!! -- posted are of the item I described. Once I go into 2nd gear in the pit lane as I'm entering the track, flipping down the plate has just become part of the routine.

CV

 

Chuck, as far as I know, no one makes a SECOND GEAR lockout, the reason being that 2nd gear is often needed, either at some tracks like NHIS or Tremblant, but also because, even at tracks where 2nd isn't typically used, you may nevertheless need it if you find yourself in traffic. E.g., you may want to be in 2nd if you're caught behind slower traffic in the toe of the boot at WGI, and want more power to pass them as you climb the hill at the heel, and I wouldn't want to mess with lifting a lockout. Just spend more time practicing with the gearshift; the 355's gearshift is actually fairly tough to screw up, unlike, say, M3s.

As Charlie and Dave have pointed out, Tirrell does sell one that locks out 1st and reverse, and it's quite nice. Note though that when we were at Tremblant three weeks ago, I was instructing Tony Capasso in his dad's 355CH, and he needed to go down into FIRST at the hairpin, due to traffic, and he had to fumble a bit to lift up the lockout so he could get it into 1st gear.

vty,

--Dennis

 

1) Does anyone know if IFS / John is still in business? The phone number in question went to a full vmail box.
2) If not, is there anyone else that is making shifter lockout covers?

(20 year old thread but I didn't see a newer one)

 

Ivan,

There was a time when IFS and Hill Engineering made R-1 lockouts which were originally made by sponsoring dealerships when the F355 Challenge competed in the Challenge Series. I don't think they're in production today.

This is the R-1 lockout fabricated by Miller Motorcars for my car in 1995...


Image Unavailable, Please Login


On the tracks I go to, I never used 2nd gear when on the track and so I converted my R-1 lockout to a R-1-2 lockout with a sheet metal plate screwed onto the original R-1 lockout...


Image Unavailable, Please Login


This has the advantage of preventing an accidental 5-2 downshift which can be quite costly.

The lockout is a simple part to fabricate using thin sheet metal and a hinge secured to the shift gate.

Also note how my shift gate was dremeled to create a "Slick-Shift Gate" which is still made by Hill Engineering and sold by Ricambi America: SG04 SLICK SHIFT GATE - 355 - Ricambi America, Inc.

Barry

 

BigHead (above in this thread) posted on his Facebook page back in Oct 2024 that John was retiring soon...so it is possible they are now closed. Maybe try the email address on their webpage? [email protected]

 

I just remembered that in the movie Le Mans, Steve McQueen's Ford GT40 sill shifter had a Reverse Lockout.

Here's a screenshot...


Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Steve McQueen drove a Porsche 917 in le Mans.

 

Right, Mitch. That's what happens when you post late at night.

That was a screenshot from Ford v Ferrari. In this closeup, we can see the Reverse lockout flipped down and how it resembles my lockout with its hinge and finger grip...


Image Unavailable, Please Login


Image Unavailable, Please Login


Barry

 

Ivan,

Pocono Sportscar can replicate my R-1-2 lockout for you as they have my car and are prepping it it for Daytona.

Barry

 

Thanks! Jim was able to contact John from IFS who had a few of the R-1 lockouts lying around in stock. I have some tracks where 2nd might be of interest so I'm going to give it a little while before I decide to add the 2nd gear lockout as well.