Hi all, OK, if you are a purist turn & run, however if you like to make your 348 look like its a current run vehicle have a peek! Carbon Fiber sills just received & fitted. Honest opinions as always, I really think they look waaaay better than a piece of cut metal & a rubber strip that was OEM. Also as most know I changed the lower portion of the car from the original black strip to red. I also took it one step farther...One thing that annoyed me from day 1 was the jambs being flat black. Just looked wrong or like it was never finished correctly. Can you think of any car you own that the inside jambs do not match exterior color? I cant soooooo- sprayed'em Rossa Corsa. With the new carbon fiber sills & the jambs red (like they shoulda been from day 1) the interior is starting to look more "normal" when I open the door. Next additions coming next week are the new Momo steering wheel & shift knob. will send more pics once they are installed. Chris Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
The sills with the logo are illegal to make and sell, as they violate Ferrari's trademark rights. We could probably sell a lot more of them if we cut Ferrari's trademark script into the sill, but we've had several frank conversations with Ferrari NA's trademark lawyer about just how not O.K. this is.
Back before I knew about Valence, I got my sills from a company in Canada, with simply a recession where the rubber kick panel goes. I reused my existing rubbers, simply adhering with some spray adhesive. Now that I've touched and held Valence stuff, that's the direction I'd go. -Daniel
oopsie, did not mean to step on any toes. Was first I have seen since I am new to the 348 ownership deal. If this post offends anyone tear it down. I was just showing what I thought was a good look. Just being annoyed at the metal plate I bought the first ones I saw. No offense I am just an end user consumer he did not know any better. sorry, Chris
Chris, please do not take my comments as a personal slight to you or your car. Enthusiasts like you who personalize and/or improve their cars keep guys like me in business, and I appreciate your mentality, regardless of the source of your modifications. We play by the "rules," and that can sometimes put us at a disadvantage in this market. Other manufacturers who step outside the bounds of what I'd call fair play do so at their own risk, and I am not opposed to pointing this out. We've turned down business in the past when we thought we'd be in the wrong when it comes to intellectual property rights. One of our discussions with FNA's lawyer happened after a potential customer asked us to apply the Ferrari name and script to a carbon fiber part. He clarified the company's position when it comes to use of the name and script, and we turned down the order (as we have quite a few other times). The part? 348/355 door sills... I do think the sills look cool, and I'd like to be able to make some like that. The door jambs are a nice touch. -Chris Coffing Valence USA
I think that your approach is admirable. Congrats. Still, playing by the rules works both ways. There's nothing stopping you from making sills that have an empty (say, shield-shaped) insert. What the customer puts into that insert is not your liability, per the rules. That the insert opening is precisely fitted for an OEM Ferrari badge/emblem (e.g. side fender shields) is no violation. Nor is there anything stopping you from re-selling a used OEM fender shield as a stand-alone part.
Correct - we do make sills, for example, with a recess for the logo text rubber strip. We make center consoles with a pre-cut attachment point for the crossed flag logo.
That looks fabulous! Congrats! Keep us updated on your latests mods/upgrades. I'm sure you're giving many of us new ideas on what to do with our money.
