They never let you forget...

Good and bad attention. Can never seem to go anywhere without being flagged down or approached. Ill have lipstick stains on the car from chicks kissing the car, that's fun but lipstick is a pain to clean off.

 

That's a new one and a problem I'd be happy to have

 

First time I've heard of lipstick stains

 

Bravo! Well stated. I'm with ya brotha.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Me too, but not on my car...

 

As long as she doesn't have braces!

 

I have described driving an F 355 as such:

"You never forget you are in it. It is like the car itself is the celebrity, and I am the driver."

Yes I agree a very special car indeed. As a new owner, I notice this a lot, but I always knew how special these cars are. The first time I saw one I was floored. I had never even seen a blue Ferrari before, let alone with body-lines like the F 355 has. I immediately told myself I would one day have one. 17 years later, I picked one up. Now it fits right in with the huge shrine of Ferrari diecast models I have, the flags, hats, jackets, tshirts, posters and pictures from a 1999 355 Challenge event.

But waiting 17 years, dreaming about her...and finally having one in my garage is priceless. Actually manifolds are available for $3000.("Manifolds! YOU TWO...listen here...I hate you both. Be off with you.")
Anyway, moving on...as a new owner, it is quite unique to see peoples' reactions. Wide-mouth, big eyes...people taking pictures, people talking to me at traffic lights and restaurants. I had a cop pull next to me while in a parking space on the curb, and I thought that he was going to hassle me about not having a front license plate. Instead he said "I just wanted to ask what year that is? It's beautiful....I mean that car is amazing." He blocked traffic while I pulled out and followed me. It was the first time I ever got to floor it knowing there was a cop behind me. I am sure he loved it, given the new Nouvalari sport exhaust, which I think sounds absolutely incredible. Phenomenal. Going under overpasses sounds EXACTLY like an F1 car. (Last year's, at least, and I don't like the new 6-cylinders, they sound like Atari.) I digress.

If you want to know what it feels like to almost be famous, stand somewhere in public next to your F-car. If the car could give autographs, it would.

Another way to explain the mystique of this car....well, say this to someone when they ask if it costs a lot:

"She's a bi*ch but she's good in bed!"-and watch people laugh every time. Try it sometime, seriously. They will undoubtedly quote you later in their life at some table-gathering.

One of my favorite moments was opening the front hood after walking out of a nice liquor store with a pot-hole free parking lot... and putting a 12-pack and two bottles of wine in the "trunk". This is hard to explain...but picture the bystander who is also loading their alcoholic goods into their trunk simultaneously, while shaking their head yes and no at the same time, as if they were following a MOTH with a wide mouth. [ If you want to know what I mean, try to shake your head NO while nodding YES at the same time. Hilarious.] The brain has a hard time processing the beauty of the car quickly enough...and leaves the onlooker in luscious epileptic denial.It was basically a clear look at disbelief itself....the same look I had on my face the first time I saw one.

Unforgettable...there I was, chasing moths, twitching like a zombie.

And now I own one.

Unreal. You only live once.
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Winner!

That's hilarious. British humor wins again.

 

I have a 355 Spyder and despite owning many lovely classics and still have my VW Karmann and a 911 its the 355 that gets the admiring glances where ever we go. Kids salute me or bow in that 'we are not worthy' manner. I am looking forward to our first classic show next weekend with the 355 and to see just how much more attention it creates

 

I get the same types of responses with my 348. Recently my neighbor and I were driving together to a car show. He was driving his very, very nice red 1966 Corvette coupe. We stopped for gas and almost before I was out of the car, the guy on the other side of the pump wanted to race. Two other guys ran over gushing about the car and Ferrari in general. They both asked if it would be OK to take photos.

Meanwhile, my buddy and his Corvette are being totally ignored. The same thing happened at the car show. We talked about it at the show and I mentioned that the 348 is much rarer than his Corvette as they produced over 27,000 Corvette's in model year 1966 alone. It is difficult for people to fathom how few Ferrari's have been produced. Which is why a Ferrari sighting is special to people. For many it may be the first time they have ever seen one in person.

 

I've owned a 63 split window Corvette and some other nice muscle cars and NONE of them garnered as much attention as I get in my F355. It's actually a bit uncomfortable at times, but it's a burden I have learned to carry well.

Henry

 

+1 ... I have an idea of what you mean .......... when I first got my 355 I was driving it a lot .... and in addition to the random lipstick marks ...... there were other streaks that resembled dried 'snail tracks' ............. those came off a little easier, as they seemed to be water soluble .......

 

When I go to "local" events it is almost totally domestic cars. > What kind of cars do you have at your car show? "We have both kinds, Ford and Chevy."

The times I have gone I could tell it really upset the dynamic of what is the better car, Mustang or Camaro, so they just tune the 355F1 out. It is like watching a military parade, as they walk along the row you can call eyes front as they hit your car, and eyes left after they pass it and resume taking pictures and looking.

 

This is one of the reasons I am learning to drive it at night. But this is changing as I get better and she becomes more road worthy. After the alignment next week, I am heading on a road trip and will park it for the first time in public at either rest areas or restaurants for breaks. We'll see. Any thoughts on Meritt Parkway and Wilbur Cross? It's kind of out of my way since I'm heading west. I'll probably just stick to 84.

 

If you go to a cruise-in, you will definitely see nearly all types of American cars and hot rods. Some of them probably tune us out because they think all Ferrari's cost at least $100K. Little do they know most of them have much more in their cars than I do in the 348.

Secondly, some of them truly could care less about any foreign car. I have no problem with that. That's why there are so many different types of cars available.

Cars & Coffee and similar events typically show a more diverse assortment of cars. Which is why I prefer these venues. I have been a Porsche club member since 1978 and obviously like Porsche's. But I like all types of cars from hot rods to classics. Because my neighbor is into hot rods and muscle cars, I have been doing the cruise-in circuit the past few years. While I love to see the ingenuity and skill many of these guys have woven into their unique rides, I get bored seeing '57 Chevy's, Camaro's, rat rods, etc. after awhile. I am ready for something like the 1952 Cunningham that showed up at the Charlotte C & C last year. It was in barn find condition but was magnificent.
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