LOL...it seems that Maranello often did things like... "Hey Mario, we're out of suspension springs for the 328 I'm assembling. When are we getting a new shipment?" "Beats me, Gorgio, but there's a box of old springs over in the corner. I don't know what they are for but just use them if you can make them fit. As Il Commendatore says, 'who cares about street cars?' "
Is anyone able to measure their car and post or send me the numbers? I'd really like to gather at least 5 or more data points before I make the judgement call about how I'll have my custom springs built. This ride height is the only missing piece of information blocking my order. Thanks in advance for posting your measurements here!
Using a tape measure, I got more accurate measurements from the cap to the lip than from the floor to the cap, due to the concavity of the rim. I trust you can figure it out either way. Looks like I'm riding high! Cheers 1988 328 GTS, 35k miles, measurements to bottom of lip from floor, bottom of cap, top of cap: LF 684mm........RF 692mm LF 417mm........RF 423mm LF 362mm........RF 369mm LR 674mm........LF 677mm LR 405mm........LF 411mm LR 350mm........LF 360mm
Speedcat: I take it yours is an early 1988, with the concave wheels? Your front end rides a full inch higher than mine; did you have the spare in the well in front? Do you know if your front springs were ever replaced? Your rear end rides only 5mm higher than mine, which I'd think is probably within the sag differential due to mileage (Mine has nearly twice the mileage yours does). Do you know how full are your fuel tanks? Did you have anything in the boot? (I had both tool and jack kits, as well as fire extinguisher and Ferrari roadside air compressor, all in my boot) Do you have Koni shocks, or Bilsteins? As an aside: when I had the gas-filled Bilsteins on mine, with no other differences, the car did not scrape the crest of my driveway apron; with the Koni shocks, it just barely scrapes - don't know if that's the difference from gas assist or not, but there is a difference in my case.
Curiosity got the better of me. Mid 88, 328 GTS, RHD Euro, 73k KM, original, everything in it and 1/3 tank of gas LF 678mm........RF 679mm LF 337mm........RF 337mm LF 282mm........RF 282mm LR 681mm........RR 682mm LR 337mm........RR 337mm LR 282mm........RR 282mm
Thanks Lloyd (Luigient)! Your car rides only a millimeter higher than mine in the front, and just 5 mm lower in the rear... I consider these very close, indeed. Just to make sure I understand the details, can you tell me whether you have concave (earlier) wheels or convex (later) wheels? Also, I'd expect your ground-to-center cap measurements to be identical L to R, but it's surprising that your ground-to-center cap is exactly identical on both front and rear; Were your tires inflated to Ferrari spec? Can you tell me which size tires you're running in the front and rear? Which wheel sizes? (front should be 16x7"/rear 16x8")
Interesting thread. I noticed that the 'ground to bottom edge of wheel flare' varies often considerable at 308/328 and Mondials and likely also other models that I did not pay attention to. I have not seen (I checked about 15 some 10 years ago) one with same measurements (within 1 mm) but seen many with more than 5 mm and even 2 with up to 15 mm height difference between LF and LR whilst it were not cars with a (known) damage history. There was no height difference from ground to floor and tyres + tyre pressure was same on both sides on these cars. I would guess that Ferrari Spa. was not that accurate with this L to R alignment. Unfortunately can I not find these figures anymore.
Tim, sorry i forgot to say, non-abs concave 16 X 7.00 and 16 x 8.00 wheels. Pirelli Cinturato P7 all round, 205/55 x 16 front and 225/50 x 16 rear. The tyre pressures at time of height measurement were 28.5 psi fronts and 25 psi rears. pictures of car http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/143631476-post2346.html
Lloyd - thanks for that information.... such low tyre pressures???? Spec for US cars is 33 front/36 rear... Do you find your car handles better that way? How is tyre wear? Your center caps are 11mm higher than mine, with identical setup, except for tyre pressure (mine's 33/36 psi); the tyre sizes are even identical, though brand/model is different... But your lower pressure should make your center cap height <lower> than mine! That would imply your tyre is nearly an inch taller than mine, for the same size, with mine inflated 5/11 psi <greater> than yours! I wonder what could be the cause? Maybe I'm just missing something obvious here, but I can't imagine what could be causing such a great difference. Doesn't matter for spring height, of course, but curious, nonetheless...
I don't think you are "missing" anything per se. There are so many variables that it just seems impossible to come up with anything "accurate." Heck, the cars were hand-assembled/constructed and that right there would change anything to do with measuring using a body-point reference. When you get into different tires/pressure/wheels/car load, etc, etc etc, it seems impossible if the goal is to determine an "original" measurement. Heck, individual measuring methods could EASILY produce different numbers - different tape measures, slight angle in viewing or the angle the tape itself is handled will produce considerably different numbers. Lower tire pressure on different type/brand of tires may not cause the wheel to be lower than it is on a different type/brand of tire. It all depends on the specific tire technology. One tire could simply have a thicker tread area than another. IMO, it's an impossible task to come up with an "accurate" measurement that reflects anything useful. I suspect that in the showroom, had anyone decided to make such measurements, all the 3x8s there would have measured differently...
Thanks to Luigient and speedcat for posting your measurements! Now, with mine, I have a total of 3 cars' measurements. There must be more 328 owners out there who can join in the study! Please contribute your car's measurements, so that those of us who need new springs can figure out the target ride height. I'll close out the survey on Friday this week, and I'll post the analysis of results sometime on the weekend. I'm sure there are many other 328 owners out there in Ferrariland who are just dying to have your car included in the study; Please post your measurements as soon as you can, so I can include them in the analysis. If you want to join in the study, but cannot get your measurements in by Friday, please post or IM me to let me know that you'll be a bit later with your posting.
