My Life Has Become One Continuous White-knuckle Ride

The joys of using a 26 year old F-car as your daily driver:

First week, all is good. Gauges all pointing dead center, no funny smells, noises......heaven.


Hmmm, wonder where that fluid came from?
I'd swear the oil pressure used to be higher than that..
How could I only have half tank of gas? I just filled it.
I'd swear the oil pressure used to be higher than that..
Okay...left blinker works, right doesn't.
Okay...right blinker works when engine revs are above 2k.
Left blinker doesn't work? Huh.
I'd swear the oil pressure used to be higher than that.
What's that smell.
Did you hear something?
I wonder if the brake lights are working.
Still half tank of gas?
Oil pressure warning light comes on with ignition...goes off when running. Ignore the oil pressure gauge, your fine.
If I'm wrong this is going to be really expensive.
I'm not low on gearbox fluid, it's still leaking out of the breather valve.
No blinkers at all?
It's not making that smell anymore....guess it's okay.......or broken.

 

I'm guessing you have the original Fuse Box? 26 years I'm assuming you have a 308. Do a search on the topic, you'll get a lot on replacement.


If so, it should be a simple fix.
Except for that puddle on the floor...

 

I spend more hours searching old threads here than I do reading current ones.
Fuse box is next on the list.



Gotta go, I think I smell something in the garage.......

 

i tried the "exotic as only car" thing on 3 separate occasions. in the end, there were just too many times when I wanted to turn up the radio, a/c, and concentrate on where I was going instead of watching gauges or listening for noises.
But wait.....I do drive a Maserati to work everyday....So...get a modern exotic, and it can be made to work !

 

LT-1,
Love the way you presented that!

Sounds like MY Ferrari, and my Jeep, and my Kaiser, and my truck......

 

Here you go!

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22713&highlight=308+fuse+box+replacement

http://www.ferrarichat.com/discus/messages/112/307297.html

Just a little F-Chat help.

 

Charles,
Nice.
Thank you.

 

And you guys make fun of British cars with Lucas electrics???? The Prince of Darkness doesn't hold a candle to these problems. Geez, my '69 and '70 XKE's are DREAM cars compared to all this. And I'm definitely going out to the garage right now and kiss my Mondial for being so incredibly reliable by comparison!!!

 

I drove a 911 as my daily - and only- driver for years, no problems. Would never consider this in my ex-308!

 

Robert did you drive your car out to Maryland recently?? I thought I smelled something yesterday on the shoulder of the road.

Just joking you'll get it squared away and be loving life in it.

 

I drove a '68 TR250 (TR5 wo/fuel injection for you Brits) for four years. I'll take the GT4's problems any day.

The best thing about the Triumph was a tach needle that spun in complete circles.....the faster you went, the faster it would spin. I thought about getting it fixed but realized it was probably the most enjoyable feature of the car.

 

San Francisco to Maryland? Yeah, I'm pretty sure you'd be smelling something on the side of the road.

 

haha ..great post. I can totally relate to that when i had my Alfa.

Thats what make them so attaching.

 

Yeah, but everyone knows that most Triumphs are cheap pieces of crap. They were cheap when they were new and did not get better with age.

 

But Lucas is Lucas.....
Doesn't matter whose badge is on the cheap piece of crap.

 

I was the same way with my old 308. Will the fuel pump the fuel. With the car bog down when I pull into traffic because of vapor lock in the carbs. (Will it start after 15 minutes in the grocery store due to hot carbs.) Will the left-hand signal work today (nah). Will the calipers start leaking soon (yes, they will). Will I be able to make this next shift into 2nd. Yes, with a crunch. 3rd? No... even with a crunch. Will I lose a bank and burn down the car. Almost. Cats, time to go. Will the car pass emissions. Not anymore (but at least it won't catch on fire). (sigh). Will the battery charge when running. Depends on how the alternator feels. I'd rather no charge from the alternator (car just dies) than too much charge (battery explodes). Too much charge was what happened. A/C? Forget it. How's the oil pressure? Not good. Replace the sender. OK, it's good now. Water temperature? Oops. Too hot. Oh... Radiator fans aren't working great. Fusebox rebuilt. Ahh, that's better. Wait, car still overheating! Pull the ol' lucas motors in the radiator fans. Better rebult those, or upgrade to QV fans. QV fans destroyed in shipping? Argh! I guess I'll buy a new lucas fan then.

Now there were tons of positives. When things were good, it was the best driving experience I've ever had (since the 328). I don't mean to rub your nose in it, but this is what I wasn't really doing well with my 308.

What I really needed is a 328. And that's what I have now. No nail biting, no nothing. It's just built better, in every department. If I didn't get the 328 when I did, I would not be a happy Ferrari owner.

Don't mean to "rub your nose" in the 328, but it was the solution to my own white knuckes.


--Mike

 

No 'nose rub' detected.
What's the point of owning a classic if it doesn't come with stories, right?

 

Nice post. Don't worry, after the first few months, you get used to it, and get all of the little things sorted out (or at least enough of the little things sorted out to make you more or less happy).

I always carry my cell phone with me, just in case, although I have never needed it.

I drove my 308 gt4 as a daily driver for about 3 weeks, with no problems when I was getting my alfa painted. It was a lot of fun.

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56720&highlight=308+gt4+daily+driver

Dom

 

LOL..... i can relate to all those emtions w/....all my new and old exotics..

 

Most British car jokes are made by we British car owners. I find The Ferrari bunch very respectful as a group and I appriciate that!

Ken

 

Ask a pilot about "automatic rough": the funny noises an aircraft engine always makes whenever you're out of gliding distance of a landing spot (esp. over water in a land plane).

It's amazing how knowing you have a top-flight mechanic available for your Italian takes away 99% of those noises --- A feeling I haven't had since just before I stopped driving Alfas as my daily.

Mind, you, the EVO makes "neurotic noises" too -- but it's easier to replace that car, if the mechanic mungs it up: it's still under warranty. (For what little that's worth, these days.)

As you get experienced in fixing problems, the fear of problems arising subsides.

 

That's a true statement! Twice in the past I was stranded, but if I knew then what I know now, both times I could have made roadside repairs and driven home.

Ken

 

This was a very funny, but somewhat true post. I will say though that once you get the little things sorted out they can be reliable cars. I have had my 308 apart in the garage several times in the 1 1/2 years I've owned it but.... I also drive it. Since last Friday I put over 500 miles on it and it didn't miss a beat. It has never left me stranded on the side of the road and is just plain FUN to drive! Next week will be a three day weekend drive with the club for a few hundred more miles!!

Enjoy the car and don't worry about every little sound, it'll drive you nuts if you do!!

 

I sweat w/ all my old sports cars. Just have to get used to it.

 

Robert,

That was one of the best posts I've read. And I can relate to that 100%. Reading it gave me a good laugh. Welcome to the club.