Fixing, Improving & Updating Kerry's '87 TR

This thread was suggested by 91TR............and so here begins the grand 1987 Testarossa what's wrong, right and in need of improvement drama. Long winded text and even pix of all the carnage!

As of yesterday I had discovered that the switches in the overhead console that activate the fog light and rear defroster were reversed. 91TR was kind enough to provide instructions that Stevie Wonder could follow, and these led to my discovering that the wires plug were plugged into the wrong switch by one of the previous owners..............fog lights work and defroster is performing properly.

Next on my list of things to do was to figure out why the HVAC rotary fan control located in the center console was either on full or off. First on the agenda was to figure out how to get the assembly out of the console, without damaging the component and/or the console. I searched and to no avail. Rifle driver had pointed out that the transistor located behind the center dash vents might be bad, but to first check to see if the fuse located on the rotary control itself might be blown. But how do I get to the rotary mechanism in the console..............no idea at the time but now I know and I will share so that others don't experience the frustration I encountered.

Remove shifter knob
Remove gate (2 hex bolts)
Remove fastener located in bottom of rear storage compartment (hex bolt)
Remove kick panels at front of console (3 screws per side)
Remove scuff plate next to accelerator pedal (Phillips screws)
Remove 10mm bolt that is located towards the front of the opening where the rear storage compartment was
Remove the 2 8mm nuts from the underside of the console that house the clock/oil temp/fuel gauge (these are located, 1 in the center and one to the drivers side under the dash in the area where the center console blends with the dash)
Unplug 3 multi-plugs (you'll see them, 2 large at the front and 1 small one to the rear of the console)
lift the console from the rear( towards rear bulkhead) CAREFULLY and then via a Nadia Comaneci twist and some close attention you can lift the console up over the shifter and gently tip it over to access the controls mounted in the console.
I may have left out a couple of fasteners, but at least now you have a map as to how!

And what did I find............Well first you need a very small Allen wrench to remove the blower fan knob, then remove the retaining nut and lift the rotary assembly up to where you can easily remove the fuse holder cap on the side of the component..............I did just that and sure as hell, just as Rifledriver suggested........blown fuse. So as soon as I determine it's value (if anyone has that info, please share) I shall replace it first thing tomorrow and see if indeed this is the cause for the fan on, fan off condition. BUT.........a funny thing happened on the way to the fan control.

I decided to take a look at what was "hidden" under the carpets........
seats out, all carpet and padding removed (what there was of it). No wonder I was hearing so much road noise. Under the seats there is nothing but carpet and this is glued to the belly pan. The foam padding that is under certain portions of the floor carpets is not all that great and there is none on the rockers/wheel wells/under seats/ front bulkheads/etc.. So out came ALL the carpet to install some guaranteed to reduce cabin noise by 20 db, if installed correctly material I got from a local metal fab shop.....$90 for 3 1/2 5' x 5' sheets that are 1/8" thick and have an adhesive on one side. So just measure, cut, peel backing and stick.....and you had better be sure when you apply it.......coz it isn’t coming' back off in one piece! That will be started tomorrow. The pix show the carpet removal aftermath.

Problem.............the carpeting is not really in that great a shape and infact when removing ...........very carefully.........the fibers were pulling out through the backing. So I went shopping for a high grade, color correct replacement and I did find a great match..........BUT............I really would like to install black carpeting through out and yet keep the red/pink/maroon leather accents. Question..........Would this be a bad idea as it will NOT be original. Understand I am not looking to show the car, but I don't want it to adversely affect its value when I re-sell it at some point in time. Any comments, ideas and /or criticisms (pro or con) would be greatly appreciated.

Well that was today’s adventure(s) and I will document with pix as I go along..........Speaking of pix........here ya go!
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Any opinions on whether I should change carpet color? Here are pix of the leather......black and "red/marron"? (Color balance of the pix is a bit off! Kerry
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Here are a couple pix of the interior before removal:
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Thanks for the replies.....I'm leaning towards staying original now that I have found a perfect match in a wool carpet. I must say that the carpet in this TR is really "cheap". Very surprised that a better quality (wool) carpet and sufficent padding and sound deadening materials are not installed. For a car that cost $130K back in 87 this is dissapointing. Don't get me wrong I realize that the carpet is 20 years old, but the materials and install leave alot to be desired.

FYI..........the fuse required for the HVAC rotary fan control is an F1P

 

Darkhorse......Thanks, if you have others I would appreciate it if you could/would forward them to me at [email protected] for my files.

Also what are the items/controls/etc. protruding from the slots in the console (circled in yellow)? Mine are "empty" and have been wondering what their purpose was/is! Thanks, Kerry

 

Here is an easy, economical way to fix that overhead console switch for the fog lights and/or rear defroster....................
The pix of the "major" components of the switch disassembled, show from left to right the following:
1. Body of switch as veiwed from the front
2. The rear (what would be inside the switch body) of the button it's self
3. The spring that fits into the button
4. The very small and fragile copper "domed" contact disc that lies in the circular contact area of the switch body
5. A piece of copper braid, used for removing solder, but in this case the "new" copper contact

How this fix came about is that after I finally got the wiring sorted out, this link explains that discovery

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=76626

I still did not get the one switch to work, except by making contact across the contacts in #1 where normally there would have been #4 in place. You see the copper contact disc was missing (they also tend to wear out) and search as I did I was unable to find a suitable replacement, nor could I fashion one out of a thin sheet of copper (couldn't get the dome to be "flexible". So it occurred to me that I had done on sight repairs using copper braid while at my job (sound engineer) years ago by devising a quick fix to get an electronic piece of gear to work for a day or two until a new and proper switch could be found. Many times I had this "quick fix" in place for months, and would activate the switch maybe a 100 times a week.............So why not do it in this instance where maybe it will be used 5 times a week, if not less if used in the rear defroster. In fact if the fog light switch needs a dome contact, steal it from the defroster and use the "quick fix" in the rear defoster switch, easy enough to do!.....................Well it works just fine, cost about a penny for materials (the braided copper used for removing excess solder (available at any electronics store, ie. Radio Shack) and takes about 5 minutes. One other mod to make sure it works is to grind off just a little of the spring on both ends...in other words make the final end coils of the spring half the thickness, turning them from round to half-moon in shape...I hope that was clear to you readers,, if not please ask and I will re-try that grinding description.

I hope this will useful to some one as "cheap" as me!!!

So here are a few pixs to demontrate this "quick/economical fix"..........
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I don't think it is the same TR.......Mine is Nero Blanco Metallic and has never had the retractables........I may get them to have on hand for a future owner, but they are not my cup of tea.............Kerry

 

Just in case some of you missed it:

Well here ya go.................this is a link to the manufacturer of the machine that did my tires and wheels. There is a tab in the top right corner to locate a machine in your area! How's that for service..............

http://www.gsp9700.com

Posted this in another section and thought it best to be displayed here!

Here is the entire thread link http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=97668

Kerry

 

Replaced the fuse on the side of the HVAC fan contrl knob and just as Rifledriver suggested in another thread. Now the fan works properly and it's one more repair crossed off the "The things to do list".

 

Does anyone know of a different source, other than Ferrari for these light assemblies that are located on the end of the door jams on a TR?

I was told by Doug at Ferrari Parts Exchange, that these are on many different models of Ferrari and that they are not a "prioritized" Ferrari assembly. So maybe Alfa, Maserati, Fiat or some other make may use the same fixture and not be priced at $48 per. Kerry
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Darkhorse,
I stand corrected..........that is indeed my TR come to find out.

Also was "told" that the interior may very well be a "special" order color combination. So I think I will "obligate" myself to keeping it that way. I have an appointment this morning (9 AM) to take a look at a variety of foams to replace the foam I removed. By the way I will post the grand total of what this is gonna end up costing to sound deaden, and upgrade the carpeting both in the cabin and cargo area when all is said and done.

By the way here is another "economical" way to replace certain black leather wrapped components in your 20 year old F-car. When I was initially looking at the car it was pointed out by the previous owner that the panel above the glove compartment on top of the dash was suffering from shrinkage (a common TR problem). He had tried many non-fulfilling methods of trying to resolve this issue at hand but to no avail. I started looking around everywhere to find some leather to replace it, but also trying to find leather that would match the grain and the 20 years of aging the rest of the leather dash clad pieces had suffered compliments of the evil Sun. No luck until a shoe repair person, after looking through their remnants, suggested a very novel idea........ I should go to the local Salvation Army Store and see what they had for old, used leather coats and jackets. So off I went on 1/2 price Monday (also their suggestion) and low and behold there were 6 or 7 coats to chose from, ranging in price from $4 to $12! With the original in hand I found a near perfect matching coat, paid $7 and off I went. I cut out a section that was large enough and re-wrapped the panel (and now I have a "stash of "inventory") and it is fairly hard to detect the difference. I notice a "slight" difference, but the unaware would be tested to decipher the "new" piece. So for those of you in need of some repairs or replacement of leather in your sun baked TR or any seasoned F-car..............check out the local Salvation Army or Goodwill store.......might even have a use for that old leather coat in the closet that you "out grew"............Save a cow.......re-use those 70's/ 80's/ and 90's fashion statements and Harley leathers of yester year!

Another money saving tip from the "How a cheap bastard can afford a Ferrari Society & Club" at 5 AM on a Saturday morning..........
Why?
Because, "I have no life, I have no friends and I have no future,......but I do own a Ferrari"........................ Kerry

 

Today I start the installing of the sound deadening material into the TR. It's only an 1/8" thick, very pliable and has an adhesive on one side. $26 a sheet 5 ft. X 5 ft.

Next will be to install "hard card foam" on the floor rear bulkhaed wall surfaces and where ever else I think it might be needed(to deaden road noise even further). Should have that material here by Wednesday at a cost of $20 per sheet (102" X 24") which includes shipping.

Then the carpet by next weekend at a cost of $30 per sq. yard, all wool and much tighter weave (higher density) and a touch thicker than the OEM carpet.

Here are pix of the difference between what is OEM in most areas of the TR interior and what will be now in place...................I have included both end veiws and "stepped" photos of the materials, with captions, for comparison purposes. I apologize for the poor focus.

I will post later what the total cost of materials, as well as the time it took to do this project. Also with db sound levels to compare, Kerry
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Well here are some pix of the sound deadening material in place............ Real happy with the results. Still have a few small areas to do as well as the inside of the entry doors, and then the foam gets installed. Kerry
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