Testing the 360 NOVITEC at ZR auto

awesome. looks like you had a blast

 

Those rear tires on the red 360 Novitec are WIDE! I like it!!

 

Holy cow...a Lambo Murci convertible!

I like that, looks good even with the soft top on.

 

Hiya Roland.

Sorry I haven't said hello sooner.

First off, thanks for the pictures. They are great, and bring back good memories.

We've had incredibly mild weather here for the past week, although today we got dumped on badly. That being said, Dan and Zahir and I were able to get out for lunch the other day and take the cars for a little drive.

Dave is a magician with F-cars. It's like I have a totally different car now, and in many ways, I do. The car is very torquey, and it seems I have much more low end power now. The shifting is crisp, and the car really pulls hard throughout the rev range, all the way up to redline. I'm a cam-timing disciple for life.

The other upgrades handled by Zahir and Ellery over at ZR Auto are amazing. The sway bar has stiffened up the car substantially, and the huge tires now give me a fighting chance to keep up with Dan in his new Lambo roadster. I love the front and rear spoilers, and the exhaust note... pure sex.

I'm dying a slow death though, since the aforementioned snow has simply eliminated all our asphalt escapades until the weather clears. I'll have to keep watching the DVD over and over again.

Cheers.

 

Yeah, I've got the Players Run brochure sitting here with me right now. As much as I try to ignore it, it seems to always end up at the top of my inbox.

Got a question for you (or Dave or anyone):

I'm guessing the larger Novitec wheels and rubber are heavier than the stock set-up from Ferrari. Given the existing stock suspension, how will the additional unsprung weight affect things? Is there any cause for concern? Will handling be affected?

 

The wheel are actually not all that heavy compared to a set of cast multi-piece wheels.

Roland, were these cars out fitted with the Supercharger or any type of performance mod other than the exhaust?

 

Hmm.

I picked up one of the Novitec rear wheels at ZR and it certainly felt heavier. I'm probably mistaken though, as I didn't have a stock wheel sitting there for comparison.

Regarding new ECUs, I'm not certain how much of a difference they make. Squeezing more power (and torque) out of a normally aspirated engine is quite a bit more difficult than doing so in a comparable supercharged or turbocharged vehicle.

Are there any 360 chip manufacturers out there that can back up claimed power increases with dyno sheets? I'd be interested in checking out their websites and/or literature.

Cheers, big ears.

 

Ive got a set of Novitec wheels on hand and they are okay, very nice looking but not too heavy. Im sure they are heavier than stock but who is really going to notice?

Regarding ECU tuning i know the owner of a company in the UK called DMS automotive. He has been in the business for some 8 years and used to be a computer programmer. He told me about one 360 they did which dyno'd at about 458hp! the website is www.dmsautomotive.com

 

Good Morning Glenn,

Thanks for the kind words. On your car the credit goes to Ellery and his fine touch, I simply provided some advice and guidance. I readily admit it was a lot of fun teaming up with Ellery on the project! Niki, my daughter and co- mechanic at my shop have been working computer simulations on the tire / wheel combinations to predict how to change the setups. I will be having Ellery measure and weigh the setup as soon as I run a number of ideas on my program. Ellery did a great job on the suspension and body kit, which really spices up the car to a new level! The snow on the ground is necessary to provide time to finish your car, fine tune the bugs out, and get the chin pads fabed and installed. Something tells me if there was no snow on the ground, it would be difficult to pry the keys from your hands.
I hear rumor there has been a convert from Turbo Panzer to Ferrari?! This is setting up to be the clash of the Titans! Bet there will be a shortage of Hoosier slicks in Canada this next summer!
As Roland said, the season starts earlier down here. I spoke briefly with Zahir about combining events with the Colorado group, each hosting an invitational event. You folks are so fortunate to have such an enthusiast, as Zahir is to set up these events. I learned a great deal from him in these regards, and look forward to learning more. We have formed a true friendship and I look forward to spending a lot of time with all you folks. Heck, I have to as I did not have enough time to have Maurice teach me the fine points of being a Ladies Man! Hey Roland, how about that Maurice? We will have to keep a tight hold of our ladies while around him!
I had a wonderful time meeting all of you. Allisun and Zahir, and Ellery and Judy made me feel right at home and were terrific hosts. It took both Zahir and myself to wake up the "Old Guy" (Roland) to go to work in the morning but with a slight modification in wake up time for him we might have a system down pat. Come time for the track event up there we will have to put him to bed early so he can make the drivers meeting.
Remember Glenn, spring is right around the corner! You will be able to tell how close it is by how much Ellery is sweating.
Dave

 

Morning, gentlemen.

Tezta, thanks for the prompt information. I shall check out that website when I've got a bit more spare time today. The prospect of more power is always exciting, although pushing a vehicle closer to the edges of its performance envelope may cause concern in terms of mechanical longevity. I'm sure Dave could comment more on this.

Speaking of Dave, hiya there, sir. It was great to get your expertise on the vehicle, and was even greater to drive the car to experience it. You're entirely correct about the snow situation as well - had it not snowed, I would still be out and about performing numerous "acceleration and handling tests."

Thanks for your help on the skid plates. I've rubbed concrete a couple times, and although the sound was sickening, no physical damage was done. It's such a small matter, however, the plates would give me quite a bit of piece of mind. Borne of trivia comes great things, and all that.

Roland, I was in Boulder in September, and winding through the mountains was great. I should comment that at the time, I was in a Ford Windstar, so perhaps the experience was slightly different than that in, for example, an F-40.

Anyway, in the spring, whether it's Vegas, Boulder, or Calgary, we don't care. Just as long as wherever we are, there is no snow!

 

Where the heck is Maurice coming from ??? During the party, he had all the girls around him and I was in the back seat.


I told you it was so, the man is a legend!


Zahir, thanks for the package, but why on earth did you send the chocolate to Dave's place ??
I might just forget about them now...hahaha!!! Thanks a bunch


Chocolate, the breakfast of Champions!

 

beautiful pictures!

 

does ZR auto service exotic cars? Im thinking of buying an exotic and I live in Calgary but there is no sense in buying a Ferrari,Aston Martin ETC if there is no place with the expertice to service them

 

Hi Dino.

I've got some feedback on this one because I had the very same concerns when I purchased my first exotic.

While I'm not certain about Aston Martin, I know that ZR can handle all sorts of Italian exotics. They have a brand new service bay, and their technician was/is mentored by Dave Helms of Ferrari of Denver.

I know they have a plethora of neat gadgets in there, including a new wheel machine and an SD2. The latter, for me at least, makes me feel a lot more comfortable about purchasing a car with an F1 transmission.

Thus far, for servicing, I've seen Lamborghini Diablos in there, along with the Murcielago roadster, in addition to 360 6 speeds and F1s. Have also seen a Countach in there, and apparently they can handle Fiats too.

I'd love it if they could service AMs, as I'd be very interested in getting my hands on a DB9 or AMV8 in the future, but for that, I'm not certain.

 

GO for it dino!

I live in edmonton and haven't let the distance thing bother me. I'll pull the car down on a trailer or flat deck it if I can't drive it there.

As Glen mentioned, ZR now has the tools and the know how to get stuff done. Without a doubt, they are the premier exotic car force in western canada. Just a matter of time before they get Canada and North America under their belt.

All this while Maurice keeps the ladies satisfied!!!

 

does ZR auto service exotic cars? Im thinking of buying an exotic and I live in Calgary but there is no sense in buying a Ferrari,Aston Martin ETC if there is no place with the expertice to service them

Stop by the store and meet Zahir and Ellery (the tech). When it comes to Ferrari they have it covered! Sales, service, events, everything! Not just done, but done very well while sharing the same passion the owners have for their cars.

"All this while Maurice keeps the ladies satisfied!!![/QUOTE]"

Randy, talk about passion, how about that Maurice? I am going to talk to Zahir about renting him to hang around my shop for awhile.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all,
Dave