Sorting the F40 and My New Life as a Speed Junkie | FerrariChat

Sorting the F40 and My New Life as a Speed Junkie

Discussion in '288GTO/F40/F50/Enzo/LaFerrari/F80' started by Drew Altemara, Jun 21, 2010.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. Drew Altemara

    Drew Altemara Formula 3

    Feb 11, 2002
    1,532
    Tuscaloosa, AL
    Full Name:
    Drew Altemara
    #1 Drew Altemara, Jun 21, 2010
    Last edited: Jun 21, 2010
    Just a note to get you too laugh.

    About a month ago I collected a recently purchased F40 from Joe Sackey in Cali that we brought to FOA (Ferrari of Atlanta) for service. Got to FOA and collected the car. Headed south on 400 to get on 285 to head west on 20. Things going pretty good; a 3.5 hour trip. About half way home it starts to rain. No big deal. Heck the car doesn’t even leak; not a drop. First Ferrari I ever owned that did not drip water somewhere.



    How in the heck do you defrost the windshield? Open the top dash vents but there is no air coming from them. (Turns out the material FOA used to make a filter was too thick). After wiping the interior of the windshield it stops raining enough that I can roll the window partially down. Still OK. Stop for gas. Decide to nail it on the entrance ramp. Whoosh and flash, flash, flash 4-8 cat ECU. Now its raining hard, windshield is fogging up and I have this flashing ECU light staring me in the face; maybe there was a reason why the cat ECUs were disconnected.



    I can do this. Stop at an abandoned weight station on the AL side. It’s almost stopped raining. Raise the rear hood and check things out. Cats not burning up so probably OK. Call FOA and their opinion is that it’s probably a bad cat ECU but keep checking. Make it back to Tuscaloosa, with light flashing then stopping then flashing. These things always take a while to sort out but I’m home and it’s in the garage.



    Its rains all the next week. During the week I have time to remove a few of the layers of the defrosted vent filter material that FOA used. Read the manual and realize that the front windscreen is electrically defrosted. Go over the cat ECU connectors and switch ECU from side to side to see if the problem follows. 4-8 cat thermocouple seems a little loose so tighten it about 1/16 turn. Learn the car.



    Wife is out of town next weekend. Take the car and start heading north for open roads. Starts to rain. This time I’m ready, dash vents open, air flowing and the electric defroster is doing its job. Rain stops. Get to the point where if I head north I’m going to use the car. I’m at the intersection, no rain but roads are wet. No, I’m not going to kill myself today. Turn back for home. Park the car and go see a movie. (Take him to the Greek – really funny).



    Out of town next weekend.



    Finally last weekend its dry and I’m ready. Get the car pointed straight, dry pavement and warm tires. Wow, this thing really goes. Find myself shifting way before red line, maybe 6,000 as the tack moves up very fast and the acceleration takes some time to get use to.



    Fast forward to this weekend. It’s hot and dry and the car is well sorted. Idle has evened out as car has been driven – maybe the fuel injector cleaner did its job. Still suspect a cat ECU but so far so good.



    Take the car out, getting use to her. Drive below 3000RPM until I hit my distance point and all temps are up. Head up north from Tuscaloosa I go. I’m a speed junkie!



    Find myself looking for any stretch of straight pavement I can find with good visibility. Even better yet if a couple of cars are in front of me. Down to third, up to 7,000, grab fourth. Up to maybe 6,000 – crap out of road. Again and again and again – never gets old. Feel like the guy in the movies with his face getting pealed back due to the speed.



    Get home after driving a couple of hours. Dripping wet. Put the car to bed. Get up the next morning and do it again. Heck I have 800 recent miles on the car, 225 from Atlanta, and the rest for my playing around. I love this dam thing.

    Can't wait for the weekend. The grass, painting and house projects can wait.

    Drew
     
  2. joe sackey

    joe sackey Five Time F1 World Champ

    May 23, 2006
    57,525
    Southern California
    Full Name:
    Joe Sackey
    Great writeup Drew!
     
  3. boiseferrari

    boiseferrari Formula 3

    Nov 11, 2005
    1,077
    Boise, Id.
    Full Name:
    Kriss
    Outstanding! Great story.
     
  4. mattymouse33

    mattymouse33 F1 Rookie

    Oct 25, 2004
    4,634
    We'll set aboot ye!
    Full Name:
    Matthew
    Thats what its all about!
     
  5. 355dreamer

    355dreamer F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Apr 3, 2006
    10,476
    DC Metro
    Full Name:
    L.C.
  6. BigP1202

    BigP1202 Formula 3

    Jul 11, 2007
    2,391
    Sarasota, Florida
    Full Name:
    Peter
    This makes me smile. Keep it up!
     
  7. 430rcks

    430rcks F1 Rookie

    Dec 26, 2009
    2,737
    West Palm Beach
    Full Name:
    Jason
    +1.

    Dude, thats awesome.

    You've had it for a month and put 800miles on it. And it's an F40?!?!

    Kudos to you!
     
  8. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Ten Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    100,220
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    Very cool story! Thanks for sharing Drew! :D:D
     
  9. GFUracing

    GFUracing Formula Junior

    Nov 12, 2005
    625
    Ahwatukee Foothills
    Full Name:
    Darrell
    I read along and almost lived my fantasy LOL nice story! add pics and it would be over the top!
     
  10. Veedub00

    Veedub00 F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Jun 30, 2006
    5,069
    Troy, Michigan
    Full Name:
    James
    awesome stuff! I live vicariously through posts like this.
     
  11. F430GB

    F430GB F1 Veteran

    May 5, 2008
    6,286
    Reno, NV
    Full Name:
    Gil Folk
    +1. Very cool! :cool:

    -G.B.
     
  12. Bill S

    Bill S Formula 3

    Oct 2, 2004
    1,995
    Very cool! It does take a while to get the F40 sorted out especially when you add mileage, that typically takes years to accumulate, in a just a few days!

    I bought my 1990 with 6.5K miles and put 500 in just 2 weeks. The alternator broke, water pump belt broke racing a GT-R (and the car quickly overheated), and I destroyed a wheel on a rock and had to flatbed it home.

    But I killed the GT-R, even when I was overheating during the race!
     
  13. texasmr2

    texasmr2 Two Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Oct 22, 2007
    22,232
    Houston
    Full Name:
    Gregg
    Thanks for sharing Drew.
     
  14. atomstrange

    atomstrange Formula Junior

    Jun 3, 2005
    856
    Lenexa KS
    Full Name:
    Nathan
    absolutely spectacular. Thanks.
     
  15. Tifosi15

    Tifosi15 Formula 3

    Jul 15, 2009
    2,125
    Austin
    Full Name:
    Bryan
    Awesome story, enjoy as you have already in good health
     
  16. Ferrari 360 CS

    Ferrari 360 CS F1 Veteran

    Dec 4, 2004
    6,888
    Cape Town,SA
    Full Name:
    Jacques
    Awesome story!
     
  17. 134282

    134282 Four Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Aug 3, 2002
    40,647
    California
    Full Name:
    Carbon McCoy
    Probably the coolest F40 thread I've ever seen. I love that you're enjoying it and having so much fun with it, Drew. You sound like a kid with his first BMX stunt bike.

    "And then, we set up some wooden boards and made a jump, and I jumped it! And then I raced around the block in like way under two minutes. And then I was jumping all the curbs on my way home. And yesterday I put a Topps in the spokes and it sounds friggin' sick!"

    :)
     
  18. cridom60

    cridom60 Formula Junior

    Feb 2, 2007
    826
    France
    Full Name:
    dominique
    This is the way it as been design! enjoy this fabulous car, I was doing the same few years ago, and I will do it again soon, good souvenir.
     
  19. RufMD

    RufMD F1 Rookie
    Owner

    Jan 31, 2004
    3,246
    USA
    Full Name:
    Jas
    haha great stuff Drew ! perfect match of car and owner it is clear !
     
  20. TexasMike

    TexasMike F1 World Champ

    Feb 17, 2005
    10,485
    Austin, Texas
    Full Name:
    Michael C
    Awesome!! Thanks for making me smile Drew. :)
     
  21. Jaws

    Jaws Karting

    Nov 30, 2006
    191
    New England - USA
    Drew - you should write for EVO! Have fun and be safe, not necessarily at the same time! Gotta love turbo cars!!
     
  22. toddjw73

    toddjw73 F1 Rookie

    Feb 5, 2004
    3,506
    Nor-Cal
    Full Name:
    Todd Westbrook
    Great Story!

    Keep us up on the drives. Be sure to get some pics of where you've taken her.
     
  23. texasmr2

    texasmr2 Two Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Oct 22, 2007
    22,232
    Houston
    Full Name:
    Gregg
    Aswell as some incar vieo!!!!
     

Share This Page