Notables: First ride in an F-car: '83 308GTSi, Blu Sera First ride in a Lambo: '82 LP400S, White on pimp-white leather Best ride as passenger: '98 F355 on Summit Point Best drive (and first F-car drive): '86 Euro TR Honorable mention for best ride: Modified '96 993TT... fastest car I've ever ridden in... wicked Honorable mention for best drive: Flogging brand new M5's at the M5 driving experience at the BMW Performance Center.
A couple of years ago I got a ride in a real 250 GTO. No doubt, my high point. Didn't think I would ever even see a real one let alone get a ride in it.
1995 F355 yellow with black interior January 10 2004. Down sunny PCH at 120mph chasing down two unsuspecting Vipers and the video to prove it. All with the generous owner not even cracking a smile! Cool as hell for sure.
-Passenger in a 2001 Diablo 6.0 two weeks ago. -Driving a Giallo 355 Spyder last year -Driving 1996 and 2002 Porsche 911 Twin Turbo. (Drove tonnes of non-turbo 911's but just not the same) -Carla 1996 ;-) Sweet, she was the best ride ever. (Had to say it) Vasco.R
Best ride...driving Isle Notre Dame in Montreal (Grand Prix Circuit) a few days before the Grand Prix a few years ago in my 308. I hit 130MPH down the straight and then spent a few momemts on the grid watching the action in the pits as things were being set up.
A few fast laps in a BBLM at Moroso . Chasing James GT40 at Bear Mountain Drive in a Modena.. Coming from Monaco To Stropez at 3am by the Moyenne Corniche road in my Alfa Spider with open exhaust ....
Not a Ferrari, sadly, but a '92 Corvette, banana yellow on tan. My godfather was a 'Vette guy- he had a number of them, including a '77 with the small block- was it a 427/454? with matching numbers. His daily driver was this new yellow vette that looked pretty racy to my sixteen-year-old eyes. I'd only had my drivers license for 6 months or so. Anyway, my parents and I were at his house for a picnic and he saw me checking out the car in the driveway. Then he hit me with sort of a loaded question: "The keys are in it. Why don't you take your mom for a ride?" After getting Mom to promise that she wouldn't say anything parental, derogatory or safety-related, we buckled up and I started the engine. It took a moment to figure out the orange-and-black video game dashboard. The car had twice as many cylinders as anything our family had, and the whole time I was adjusting the seat, mirrors, and all the other drivers' ed mandatories, the V8 rumble was sort of pulsating and insistent- let's go, let's go! A quick shift to "D" (car was an auto), a whiff of rubber as I planted my right foot and we were off, leaving an autograph in black Gatorback and a little shriek from Mom behind us. I've ridden in and driven some fast cars since then- my twin-turbo Z could probably put that car to shame. But never has any car felt quicker or more exotic to me. People gave us thumbs up as we went by and hurried to catch up- I imagine this is what must happen daily in a Ferrari- I'd never seen anything like it. Those V8's gobble gas, though- tank was pretty low when I started, and I returned to the party on fumes! -Gio P
40 mn session with a Lotus Elise on a wet track ...that probably is one of my best. I did spin 3 times though
3 days in a McLaren Can-Am car at Roebling Road. I still get a woody when I remember the sound of that engine right behind my head...
My "best ride" was the 1998 Texaco Grand Prix for sure. It had been really stressful watching Dad lose his four year battle to cancer, finally passing away on my birthday, that May. We walked into the race with only the fact that I had done the AutoCAD on the track for the last year (My team's little secret, even the CART drivers didn't have the image burned into the inside of their eyelids like I did!) as an advantage over the other teams. My crew chief had done the homework though, and we set the pole position first time out, and went for a cold brew. Race day dawn came sunny, but as we met for Driver's meeting, a passing thunderstorm dumped an inch of rain on the track. Dario Franchitti and the CART gang had rain tires, but we had only slicks! I was nervous but my crew chief put nitrogen into my tires until they had a visible crown in them, reducing the contact patch to the size of a half dollar. Pole position worked out well, because after the race the rest of the drivers looked like wet dogs, but since I ran in front flag to flag, I was fresh as a daisy! Champagne was great, but I had pangs of conscience about swigging at ten o'clock Sunday morning. I guess in Heaven they understand these things. Four years later, one month after 9/11, was another great memory. Attendance was down, ROTC walked the perimeter with M16s loaded, and the VIP party balcony sat on top of the 20,000 gallon fule depot of Sunoco Premium racing fuel. Making the final turn and seeing a six story high American Flag waving from an unfinished building shell high rise brought up a lump in my throat that was hard to swallow. Fourth place was good enough after two years of DNFs, and I headed up for the VIPs. My gf at the time was there briefly, but left with friends to tour around, and did not return. She said later it was too much limelight! Nursing my drink, I noticed a lady eyeing my helment on the table. "Excuse me, I know you, aren't you Carolyn Farb?" We spent the rest of the time watching Christian Fittipaldi, her fave, try to battle his way up through the field only to fall short at the end. I went down in the pits and snapped a pic for her! As I ran an Art Car parade, years later, in the 308GTB, about 100,000 spectators were there again. A BMW went out with cooling problems, and the Ferrari moved up through the field, a Mercedes went by the wayside with ignition problems, and the Ferrari made up places again! My visor was down and the red mist had risen, I was on my way! At the finish line, an official came over, stuck his head in the window and tapped my helment. "Nice drive Alan, not everyone can make up thirty two places like that...... in a parade!!!!!!" LOL! This year's event will be May 8, 2004 in Houston Texas. Ya'll check it out! They start me from the front row, these days!
Absolutely best ride: in Carlo Voegele's 330 GTO around Dijon circuit during the 40th anniversary reunion. Regular best ride: thrashing my Porsche 964 C2 around Swiss alpine roads.
I don't know these are "best", but very memorable experience. In early 80's, I rode w/ Mr. Tsuchiya, famous drifter in Japan, for about 20 minutes. Very scarely, but very exciting. He took me to the world I didn't know it existed. My butt still remembers feeling of a car sliding on a road. In 1990, I drove Porsche 911 for the first time, and it was great, then I drove 911 Turbo. The torque & sound just about made me shout for excitement (sales man was sitting next to me, so I tried to play cool) I ended up buying this car. Ride in 512TR was fun, and listening to the real sound of 12 mid-engine was so exciting. This experience motivated me to switch from 328 to 12 cylinders now. I expect more fun rides are coming in my life later!
I did "baby sit" that 250 GTO while the owner was away. They used exotic birds as an excuse for needing an on-site security person.
Best Ride: My first and only ride in a Ferrari was my best ride. A 250 GT SWB!!! Around the streets of Washington DC. It was unbelievable. Best Drive: Flooring my 1966 Ford Galaxie (w/ 390V8 and Flowmasters) down a one lane bridge, with Jersey Barriers on either side. The noise from the normally very loud car was absolutely ridiculous.
Nürburgring Nordschleife at the Ferrari Racing Days in my 328 GTS. Had to fight against all the stronger 348, 355 and F40, TR ... Very difficult. Was passed by so many F40 Insane. Some day I will digisize and post the pics. forza cinquevalvole
Summer of 1983 got a ride in a 121 LM at 1 in the morning, up and down the I-75 service road while sitting on a milk crate. I had just helped Bob Norwood install an MSD ignition and that was how we 'checked it out'. That was my first summer working of Ferraris, how times have changed!
May I update this LOL. Drove a 1997 Lotus Twin Turbo on the weekend and I totally love Lotus now can you say whoooooooooshhhhhh??? Cheers, Vasco.R
When I bought my mr2, it was a perfect sunny day and the first task was to drive back over a mountain range along New Zealand b-roads. I took the targas off - let her warm up. And absolutely let rip up and over. I especially remember winding out 3rd gear past redline as I overtook a b-train along an uphill straight. Best drive ever. Second to that would be another b-road drive this past summer - a road called the Balance Valley road: smooth tarmac; flat and level corners - no traffic at all and beautiful scenery. As for the other kind of ride - I've had too many churchgoing girlfriends. So... Sigh.
Last month I saw a F355 spider in the window of the local exotics dealer. I had never been in a Ferrari, much less, drive one. I just wanted to look at it. The salesperson asked me if I wanted to test drive the car, and the next thing I knew we were off. Three hours later I was buying the car. Since then my, I have added Tubi headers, Tubi cat bypass, and Tubi exhaust. That day I drove almost 250 miles all over Western PA. Sounded, looked and felt incredible.
Rob, Let me be the first to welcome you to FC. I Love the spontaneity of your Story!! Unfortunately, most folks here get the F-Bug before we're willing or able to take the plunge Please post pic's? Chuck
The ride of my life (or day of my life) was riding with Armen in his 288 GTO followed by Rick's F40. The 288 has F40 turbos on it & as Armen's says, "Is like roller skating on ice." Nice.