Maintenance costs - fact or myth?????

I am a bit puzzled with the posts that I’ve been reading regarding maintenance costs that have either happened or are anticipated. I don’t know who is doing what to the cars but I can assure you all that some of these predicted maintenance costs are just not so.
I would like to share information based on my experience with the two CARBURETED cars that I have owned for the longest period of time: 1967 330 GTC, and 1977 308 GT/4.
Please allow me to preface this by saying that the following short essay is based on my personal experience from owning Ferraris since 1974. You may or may not have the same good fortune

GT/4: Four years and approximately 36,000 miles. It had 20,000 miles when I bought it. First thing I did was changed all the fluids. Changed the vee and timing belts once at 35,000. Changed the plugs three or four times (ONLY NGK plugs). Changed the oil and filter every 3,000 – 4000 miles. Adjusted the clutch two or three times. Four or five sets of tires and brakes – this car was run hard on the track at every N/E region track event as long as I owned it. Rebuilt the carbs at 50,000 but it didn’t run any better!! Replaced the original exhaust system with an ANSA at around 45,000. UNBELIEVABLE difference. The car felt like it gained around 30 HP! Changed the outer bearing on the transmission input shaft. Other odds and ends like air & fuel filters. Dyed the interior and replaced the carpeting. Had it painted at 40,000. The factory paint was horrible. Never adjusted the valves – I checked them once and they were right on. When I sold it with 56,000, it still ran LIKE NEW and used about one quart of oil every 2,000 miles when driven hard.

330 GTC: I won’t go into all the details but I bought the car with 40,000 miles in November, 1975.
First thing – changed all the fluids. The engine was rebuilt (by ALGAR, as I recall) and a new clutch installed just before I acquired it. It now has around 160,000. I had three major problems. I had to rebuild the transaxle at 76,000, replace the differential at 155,000 and replace four valves at 156,000. A valve adjusting screw broke and four valves were damaged. Rebuilt the carbs once, adjusted the valves twice, replaced the alternator with a GM unit – I got tired of the poor performance of the original Lucas alternator. Replaced the coils with Bosch Blue coils, replaced the cooling fans with FIAT units. Adjusted the clutch a few times (I DID NOT replace the clutch). Replaced brakes and tires, of course. I replace the points and balance the carbs (if needed) about every 25 to 30,000 miles. I clean the plugs once a year only because the car uses quite a bit of oil. Keep in mind that it has spent LOTS of time on the track and was always driven hard. I also used it for many trips as well as daily transportation.
I rebuilt the front suspension and replaced the rear springs just after I bought it. It is still perfect. All shocks are original. Rebuilt the fuel pump at the same time.
I replaced the coolant hoses in 1975 when I bought the car. I just replaced them again in 2003! I got ALL the hoses at the local parts store. A few water pump seals too.
Other than that, just routine maintenance – oil, filters, fluids etc. I even found FRAM air filters at the local parts store that fit perfectly.
This may all sound like a lot but keep in mind that is over 28 years old and I’ve driven it around 120,000 miles. Also, it was just a “used car”, virtually all original except for the engine and clutch work.
If you purchase a well-maintained carbureted car and drive it 2 to 5,000 miles per year, there is no reason for spending any more than a few hundred dollars on maintenance. If it’s been properly restored, better yet as many of the original parts that might fail (like valve adjusting screws!!) will have been replaced.
Here are some of the products I use in the GTC – selected after lots of testing and comparison:
Oil – only Kendall 20W/50 GT-1.
Oil filters – Only Baldwin B-253
Plugs – Only NGK BP5-ES (the slightly hotter plug is less prone to fouling)
Transmission fluid – Valvoline 90W/140. YES, the car shifts perfectly even when cold.
Brake fluid – Only Castrol LMA. NEVER silicon.
Alternator belt – NAPA belts work just fine.
Air conditioner belts – don’t know – never changed them!
Anti-freeze – whatever’s on sale!
Fuel – REGULAR, unleaded.
Fuel additives – A can of Gumout carburetor cleaner two or three times a year. Dri-gas once a year.
Oil additives - NEVER

Here are a few hints for performing your own maintenance:

Go out and buy a complete set of Craftsman 1/4 and 3/8 drive 6 point deep and shallow metric sockets, some standard and Phillips screwdrivers, a set of metric combination wrenches, a DVM and an advance timing light. Also, some good pliers, dykes, an oil filter wrench, two pickup tools, one magnetic and one mechanical and a good set of feeler gages. A “clicker” type torque wrench and a soft-faced copper hammer.

Do your work slowly and methodically and NEVER force anything. If you encounter a problem, before you panic or give up, stop and think about it and read the various manuals that you should have already purchased for your model.

Finally, if your car is running right, DON’T MESS WITH IT!!! No matter what you hear about carb tuning, timing adjustment, etc.

Don’t worry about warming it up for a long period – half a minute if fast idle, in neutral with the clutch out, then drive it gently until the water and oil temperatures are up. Then, drive it - spirited, as they say – and you’ll really enjoy what a Ferrari was meant to do.

If I may offer my opinion, the 330 GTC and the 2 headlight 330 2+2 are two of the all-around best if you’re looking for an older V-12

Bob Z

 

Hi, Art - I have used it in Ferrari transaxles, 330 and 365 5 speed transmissions AND rear axles, as well as in Dinos, 308s, FIATs and ALFAs - worked PERFECTLY in every one. Also in steering boxes. The only thing that I would be careful with is using it in the overdrive cars, like the GTE - I was told that the cone clutches require motor oil. I'm not certain however as I have not worked on any Ferrari overdrives.
I'm pretty sure on the weight - there were a number of multi-vis gear oils available and 90W/140 comes to mind. You can also use the Kendall oil but they recommend a limited-slip additive.
Bob Z

 

Hi, Ken. Your friend may have been referring to the older "inside plug" V-12s. These engines had three studs around each cylinder and when the electric fan clutch failed, which they often did, the engine would overheat, the head would warp and leak coolant into the combustion chamber.
Also, the very old V-12s has finger followers instead of rollers, which did need more frequent adjustment.
During the run of the 250 family, the "outside plug" configuration came into existence. By moving the plug to the outside of the head, there was now more room around the cylinder, allowing four studs, virtually eliminating failed gaskets.
Interesting or what??!
Bob Z