Longest road trip in your Ferrari?

The 330 is easy to heel-toe. Even if the synchros are not perfect I can speed shift smoothly. Amazing to drive the 50 year old banger when you know the limits.

 

Somewhere on here, lost in the electronic fog, I wrote about driving my GTC. You know, the one where I had to double clutch going into 5th. I drove that old lady hard, but, you are 1000% correct, you have to understand the limits. I recall coming to maybe a 60 degree curve. You line up on the outside edge, heel-and-toe to drop a gear, and take a late apex. The car would understeer, and then shift to oversteer, and then back to understeer. The old Dosey Doe. It was a lot of fun. But, if you were following in my Maranello, you got bored. The Shark was impatient. It wanted to rock.

But on the Rattler, and I can't wait to drive it, the GTC might be all you need.

 

OK....here is the deal. You fly to Naples and pick up my 599 and bring it to our NC home. In return you can drive any of my cars on the Rattler.

But don’t even think about taking a detour to Houston in my 599. Otherwise I will send Guido to break-a your legs.

 

Deal!

 

i might do that.....

 

Since there seems to be two “takers” of my offer I will add my hot-rod BB 512 to the mix. Both are in Naples and need to be relocated to our home in NC.

 

**** Ross. He can drive the 512. I don't fit. But, I ain't waiting for his ass.

 

I will drive the 512, then swing by Gregorys to pick up my 275, drive the MM, and then drive it to SD.
dale will buy your 599 once you ajust the price....Malcolm

 

Well now my second longest trip was 4702 miles from Massachusetts to Colorado Springs for the FCA Broadmoor Experience this September. We drove the 612 and took our time on the way out.

We stopped in Dayton and spent the afternoon at the Air force Museum. The next day we spent the afternoon in Indianapolis and did the Canal Walk and other city sights and dined at St. Elmo's. The following day we took the tram up to the top of the Arch in St. Louis. The next day was a long drive out to Burlington, CO. The next morning we visited the Old Town Museum in Burlington, a very interesting and extensive exhibit, we recommend it.

We arrived in Colorado Springs a day early and took the opportunity to climb Pikes Peak (I didn't attach a bumper sticker that read "This Car Climbed Pikes Peak".

The Broadmoor event was organized by Theresa Gilpatrick and she did a stellar job. Everything ran flawlessly and we met and made so many new friends. BTW, the Broadmoor property is just spectacular.

After the event we drove up to Denver and spent a couple days, staying at the Brown Palace. For the drive home we just did long days to get back, but we did make a stop in Elkhart, IN to tour the RV and Motor Home Museum. We have never owned either, and don't intend to, but the exhibit was very interesting.

The car ran flawlessly. Once on a rally I got a message on the TFT about a suspension malfunction. Everything seemed fine and ironically a rest stop on that rally was Ferrari of Denver. I figured maybe they could take a look, but when I shut off the engine and restarted it, the message was gone and never reappeared (that's a Ferrari for you).

 

In 1969 I drove my 250 GTE Series III from Charlottesville, VA to Pinedale, WY and back for a mountain climbing expedition in thee Wind River Range. the distance was 3974 miles total. Great trip!
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I just got back from an approx 1800 mile round trip from Tucson AZ to Dillon CO and back in our 599. Side trips through mountain passes and a nearly empty New Mexico let me really explore what the car could do. I drove alone, with the radio off. The only noise was the engine, the wind, and the pops of bugs exploding at high speed. The photos are from a little pass between AZ and NM.

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Old school cool right there. Respect Sir.

 

After our trip to Colorado and back to Massachusetts, I can relate to the damn bugs!

 

Seen in Alaska apparently, don't know more. Good for him!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUDdtHSjZ-7/

 

Classy!!


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Drove almost 5000km from France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Germany then back to France, with our Lusso V12. It was perfect! Not a single issue with the car, and even enough boot space for our luggages for 4! The car was always confortable and did everything as expected.

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You are my hero and someone I'd like to know...I fell in love with the shape when I first saw a 750 Monza in 1957. It was my Magnum PI moment before the 308 was even an idea in Enzo's mind. I am 87 and followed Ferrari since 1953...Your car is the highlight of the Ferrari's 60th anniversary (my 308 is on pages 391 and 394 (Mid-Atlantic section). Thank you for preserving a true classic. Again, you are my hero and I wish you the best.

 

Hey John,

I too am 87 am just an ordinary gearhead. Nice start on your over 40 years of taking care of that special 308. Have I met you while in the MAR FCA? We left Arlington in 2013 for Santa Fe.

Best regards,

Robert

 

That parking shelter looks like Borgo Scopeto near Siena.

 

I joined MAR in 1985, but unfortunately I missed participating in many events during that period...I did attend the FCA national at Wolf Trap and the great Turner Events in the mid 80s. I do recall seeing the body of a Modial/Monza on blocks on one occasion and now wonder if it was your car during the restoration period. I plan to take a trip to Tucson in the coming year and would like to stop by and have some of that great Albuquerque Mexican food (much like Tucson's Sonora-style food) and a brew with you. I was also Navy and one of my sons was a Naval Academy grad ('93), flew an S-3 Viking with VS-24 and retired as a full commander in 2013. Take care and I hope we have the chance to meet in the coming year.
My best wishes to you,
John

 

Dear John,

Your memory is right on, please see following photo from FCA National 6/2006. We would be delighted to meet you here in Santa Fe.

The story of your son's 1993 USNA graduation and retirement makes me feel really old as I retired in 1988 while he was still in high school!

Best regards,
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Robert

 

Some things are easy to remember and, as I mentioned, seeing this car style the first time found a place in my overstocked memory bank...I have friends living in Santa Fe, so let's keep the thought of meeting alive...Lunch is on me!
John

 

The actual longest Ferrari trip was another fly in-buy-drive home affair. This time was a Mondial-t cab. I bought it in Rochester, NY. Drove east to NYC to visit friends and family....... and then to Phoenix using mainly the back roads through small towns. Saw lots of places. Met a bunch of new friends. Still made it in 3 days.

Now, I believe I must have an unofficial record: Picking up an F40 in Orange County, CA and making it to central Phoenix in 3 hours, 20 mins. That one Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login was serious.