The thing about older Ferraris...

"the older Ferrari's ... you know, the ones from the 80's"

kinda makes me smile ... but feel kinda old too

nice description, thanks for sharing!

 

'80s Ferrari = Hot chick who needs to be pleased a certain way in order to have very hot sex with you....And that can be out-of-control fun.... tiring but worth it.

Modern Ferrari = Hot chick who may fake orgasm with you in bed to please you. She has a long way to go before she reach that point but few of us are capable of taking her there with our driving skill.

Both can make us extremely happy.

 

A counterpoint:

I've owned 3 from the 70's and 80's and one modern day version.

Sorry, the "classics" are interesting but not what they are cracked up to be. Sometimes you can't go back. You can call it "romantic" if you want. Others might just call it "a hassle".

And....

They break down (starting one is a version of Russian Roulette), they aren't fast (a late model Toyota sedan can beat most of them at a traffic light), they don't stop all that well (classic ABS: Almost Borderline Stopping), you worry more about how your mechanic is feeling than your girlfriend (after all... you can ALWAYS get another girlfriend...), you sweat your buns off in the heat and freeze to death in the winter, you worry about rust at every raindrop while you dare yourself to try to see if the wipers actually work, you spend more time looking at the temperature gauge than out through the windsheild, at night you could see better if you lit candles instead of using the headlights, you constantly ask yourself one of the following: 1) what's that noise? and 2) what's that smell?....and if you get into an accident-- you better have a fireman with the "jaws of life" on speed dial.

Are they fun? Yes. But with some pain. I decided after 50 years on this planet that I prefer pleasure over pain.

Are they pretty? Some are, some no so much -- same with modern cars.

Do they have personality? Absolutely. And, that's what makes them special. It also makes them at times annoying.

I'm not knocking "oldies". It just that they aren't all they are cracked up to be either. Would I own another "classic". Sure -- as long as it's parked in my garage with something more up to date to drive most of the time.

 

I have never had an 80's Ferrari to compare with my modern Ferrari. This is very funny, though. Thanks for making me laugh after a long crappy day of work.

 

I LOVE older Ferraris.

My beauty is 20 yrs old this year. I hope to get another 40 yrs from her before I give her away.
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As much as I loved my Lusso for thirty years; compared to my 575 it drove like a truck. I enjoyed that fun. Now, I enjoy this fun.

 

Beautiful Car. Thanks for posting.

 

I agree with the OP, although last weekend I got to passenger in a well driven 430 Scud 16M right after a driving myself for few laps in my Testarossa. Simply amazing (and I now know I suck at track driving).

The 16M was far quicker, but at the same time far less work than the TR (except the neck muscles under braking and lateral Gs - ouch). Do I want a 16M? Sure, it could make my mom look like Fangio on the track. But if I had both now and had to sell one, my TR would stay. It's got character. I love shifting gears, learning how to heel and toe, etc.

FWIW, I completely agree with the Countach statement, that is a car which I loved the first time I drove it home, but am still learning to enjoy after 5 years together.

 

I know what you mean as I have a similar relationship with my Boxer. I've had her for 6 years, most of the time a joyous relationship, sometimes painful, but never unforgettable!

It's old enough, with carburetors, to smell like gas and oil and leather, sometimes not start like you'd like it too, sometimes not run quite as good as you'd like it too, but most of the time runs like a thoroughbred, and is an absolute joy to drive up in the hills!

Lately though I've looked a bit at the newer cars. A CS or a 430 would no doubt be fun, are light years faster and more sophisticated, but wonder what they might lack in comparison to my Boxer. Most people would say they don't lack anything compared to some old Boxer, but then again, perhaps it's a more personal thing..

But I don't think a test drive in a newer car would hurt.

John
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Joe, I enjoyed you post and actually can feel emotion and passion in your writing. Bdelp's comment kind of sums it up for me. I love the old F cars and for that matter a lot of other old cars. There something that excites me when I see one. They have personality and are special. It's where we have come from what we have learned and what we are now. I, like you and bdelp, enjoy having something more reliable for daily use, but there is still that thrill that comes from driving and listening to where we have come from. Kudos to you Joe, well written!

 

I think it is John, it's what thrills you, it's personal. Kind of like romance isn't it?

By the way, you have beautiful Redhead sir!! : )

 

A bit apples and oranges isn't it?
Everyone spends his money as he wants and I don't see vintage Ferraris as being substitute goods for more modern ones.

 

When I see a modern day ferrari it stops me in my tracks to see an F-430 or 360 and even a 355 passing by but when I see a F-512 boxer or Testarossa it's just breath taking

 

an older Ferrari is a mistress that snores. LOUDLY.

 

Smells kind of funky too.

Hard to wake up at times.

Creaks a little bit as you get inside her.

May show a little wear but still turns heads.

 

Well written I call my F40 the Italian Dominatrix bcus she is uncomprimising and will kick your but if you are not performing to her standards LOL

The Cali, 612 & the FF are the diet coke of Ferrari, just 1 calorie, Not Ferrari enough
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I love posts like Joes.

Yes, BDelp has a point, but at the same time we have seen a tremendous evolution of cars over the last twenty five years since Joes Mondial was built. It really has been a HP race and safety features are light years ahead of where they were.

I have a Road and Track from about 1983 where they compared a Countach and a 512BB. One of the quotes is "We are damn near 170mph!!" That has stuck with me over the years because that was insanely fast. Yet 170 isnt that fast anymore in comparison.

I know that my 308 isnt "fast" yet its more capable than I am as a driver. I simply love the experience of owning my childhood dream car and THAT is what its about for me.




PDG

 

It's absolutely apples and oranges. There is no perfect solution and it's a matter of taste.

But -- sometimes guys --- we need to be honest with ourselves. The cars from the late 70's and 80's aren't really as great as we make them out to be.

If I were to go classic again, it would be the late 60's or early 70's. But, the 80's were not kind to most all Italian cars.

Sorry to burst some bubbles... but it's true. You call them having "personality" and "passion". I call them not very well engineered or screwed together.

 

If I may I could say that a couple of friends driving 2010 exotics cars have tried my TR while I was driving their car (Cali for one and Carrera 4S for the other).
Both of them came out of my TR with that "stupid happy smile" on their face. Me on the other hand was impressed with the level of control and power at hand...but it was too perfect, aseptisized to the limit.
I must say I prefer my TR and 328 with all their quirks to these perfect cars. But that is just my opinion and feeling.

 

The eighties weren't a high water mark for much of anything