So... Who's out DRIVING?? | FerrariChat

So... Who's out DRIVING??

Discussion in '365 GT4 2+2/400/412' started by full_garage, Apr 30, 2011.

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  1. full_garage

    full_garage Formula 3
    Owner

    Feb 15, 2010
    2,241
    Sarasota Florida
    Full Name:
    Jay
    #1 full_garage, Apr 30, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    OK guys- seems like we can go weeks on any of the various sub forums here just diagnosing problems for each other, looking for parts or complaining about ebay sellers...

    Let's share some driving experiences! Weather is good almost everywhere, (Except for the tragic Tornadoes here in the States) so let's hear where you've been!

    My 400i is my daily driver this week. Back and forth to work, the bank, the hardware store, and plenty of "detours" to some gorgeous country lanes. I just had Timevalve build me a 400i-fit version of the exhaust they hang on more than a few award winning Pebble Beach Daytonas- and the car is just transformed- Probably lost just a bit of power over the free-flow Stebro, but it's regained that silky-smooth character and that lovely bass note. Now the sound of the car is an equal mix of engine and exhaust- and just glorious.

    Right now every single feature of the car works as intended- mirrors, windows, heat and A/C, headlights and wipers- everything just perfect.

    Today off to my son's Lacrosse game, hammering down some country roads, hitting 120 MPH on rt 495, then shuttling three big High School athletes home- their gear stuffed in the trunk, "Houses of the Holy" cranking on the stereo, barely audible above the wail of that big V12... Life is good my friends.

    The 412 with the much derided automatic transmission is getting some fluids and assorted details dealt with- but it was my DD last week. If I had to chose between the 5-speed 400i and the auto 412 I'd chose the 412- hand's down- no question. Steering is lighter around town yet better damped at high speeds- It's quieter on the road yet louder when you punch it, while it is slower from a dead start it is faster in every other possible situation. Heat and A/c just work better, and I dig the looks.The auto tranny works as intended- and honestly I like it a lot. As a kid growing up driving big auto GM and Ford cars- I'm at home with it... I've hit 130MPH in that car, and it was dead-solid... I'm going to try and be brave at some point and go faster- without going to jail.

    My faster and fancier cars tend to just sit in the garage right now- I get enough of the "Vintage vibe" from these cars yet they are still so usable and practical. I can't imagine a Ferrari I'd rather have right now-

    Share some of your experiences and photos with us!
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  2. koisokok

    koisokok F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 8, 2006
    10,806
    nine 0 two one 0
    lookin good jay! :)
     
  3. Tifosi15

    Tifosi15 Formula 3

    Jul 15, 2009
    2,125
    Austin
    Full Name:
    Bryan
    Awesome stuff there, thanks for sharing. White really works for that car!
     
  4. Flinch

    Flinch Formula Junior

    Nov 15, 2009
    302
    Holland and Sweden
    Full Name:
    Peter El Cheapo
    Great post. You have convinced me to take her out for a spin too in stead of painting the garage. Thanks Jay ;)
     
  5. brettski

    brettski Formula 3

    Feb 29, 2004
    1,754
    north of toronto
    Full Name:
    brett swaykoski
    great to hear Jay !
     
  6. kliko312

    kliko312 Karting

    May 21, 2008
    169
    NLD
    Full Name:
    Graaf
    #6 kliko312, May 1, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  7. full_garage

    full_garage Formula 3
    Owner

    Feb 15, 2010
    2,241
    Sarasota Florida
    Full Name:
    Jay
    I agree- Two is better than one!

    Looks great- Man i SO dig the wheels on the 365 Gt4 2=2....Gotta add a carbed car to the stable at some point... Maybe Brett's got something he's working on???
     
  8. full_garage

    full_garage Formula 3
    Owner

    Feb 15, 2010
    2,241
    Sarasota Florida
    Full Name:
    Jay
    #8 full_garage, May 1, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    You know it's really growing on me... I had the image below up on my computer and my wife walked into my home office and said- Now THAT is a good looking car... whose is it?

    "um Honey- it's the car in our garage"...

    Oh and the thing EVERY SINGLE person who rides in the car says- "I cannot believe how well this car rides". My BMW loving friend said "Rides better than my 750il, and that sound!". We hit a few tiwsties and while the 400/412 ain't a canyon racer- it is fairly well composed, and the 750 guy was pretty impressed- cause if you've ever tried to hustle a 750 through a narrow curvy road you know they wallow quite a bit.
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  9. Flinch

    Flinch Formula Junior

    Nov 15, 2009
    302
    Holland and Sweden
    Full Name:
    Peter El Cheapo
    Just got back, the weather is great, went to my buddy and talk about the technical updates on his Iso Grifo.

    Anyway now I need to wash her again. We are plagued by a pollen explosion here in Holland. My 400 looks yellow now...

    BTW, Kliko, how do you do it, driving 2 cars at the same time :D Nice photos!
     
  10. kliko312

    kliko312 Karting

    May 21, 2008
    169
    NLD
    Full Name:
    Graaf
    Thanks Jay. These cars are indeed the ultimate driving machines. Brings a smile on anyone's face. I indeed would highly recommend you a carburated version. Throttle response is so much different I think and it makes you appreciate the car even more.

    Thanks Peter, I drove each of them for about an hour this early morning. Almost no traffic. I you're on the road again feel free to stop by for a cup of coffee. You're always welcome, as anyone over is by the way.
     
  11. Flinch

    Flinch Formula Junior

    Nov 15, 2009
    302
    Holland and Sweden
    Full Name:
    Peter El Cheapo
    Will do, sir. The main problem is that I am waiting on legal plates and a new gearbox gasket. Todays drive was on green dealer plates. Pretty hard to explain when I get pulled over by the police on a sunday ;) But who cares.

    I hope to get a new technical inspection in a few weeks or so. Coffee sounds great. All black, extra gunpowder, no sugar.
     
  12. Highmiler

    Highmiler Formula Junior

    Dec 8, 2010
    414
    Missouri
    Full Name:
    Greg
    We also have a pollen explosion in mid-Missouri.
    I had mine out two weeks ago for a couple hours.

    I can now understand what Jay means by the Michelin TRX tires trying to hang on in a curve. They do but they let you know about it.

    Another thing caught my attention in a series of rolling hills. These are short and steep enough to almost qualify as "woop-de-doos". The rear suspension seemed to push up on the body just as the car left the bottom of one hill and started up the next hill. The feeling was as if the downward force going into the bottom unloaded noticeably when the g-force switched back to normal. I presume the load leveling feature is cause of this feeling. Has anyone had a similar experience?

    On the way home I got stuck behind Ma and Pa Kettle in a Mercury. Being forced by the hills to run the speed limit I had nothing to do but listen to the car. It seems that every mile it runs makes it happier to be on the road again. At 65 to 70 MPH it literally purrs.

    Greg
     
  13. oldcoin

    oldcoin Formula Junior

    May 1, 2006
    258
    Reno NV
    Full Name:
    Tony Mitchell
    I drove the black 1984 4ooi to work Friday and the Red TR today
     
  14. full_garage

    full_garage Formula 3
    Owner

    Feb 15, 2010
    2,241
    Sarasota Florida
    Full Name:
    Jay
    But in a fun way- They just finished paving a three mile stretch of lovely country road near here- I can get the damned car positively sideways at 40 MPH. The TRX have a very "vintage" kind of grip.

    Took the same route today in the 355 and I can hit it as hard and fast as I possibly can and the car will not budge from the line I chose-just a slot car.

    The 400i and 355 are 16 years apart- but look and feel more like 50 years. Oddly I really enjoy each car equally for different reasons.
     
  15. Highmiler

    Highmiler Formula Junior

    Dec 8, 2010
    414
    Missouri
    Full Name:
    Greg
    Took the same route today in the 355 and I can hit it as hard and fast as I possibly can and the car will not budge from the line I chose-just a slot car.

    Sounds like fun!
    I once had a Norton Commando what would do the same thing. But, be advised that a few leaves or a little sand on the road surface when taking a high "g" turn can ruin more than your whole day.

    Greg
     
  16. simon klein

    simon klein Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Feb 25, 2009
    28,802
    North Qld
    Full Name:
    simon klein
    Something I've just noticed;USA spec 400s all came out with the unfortunate side indicator/flasher appendage..why not the 365.
    Was it right on the change of legislation of those and the big bumper explosion thing there?
     
  17. judge4re

    judge4re F1 World Champ

    Apr 26, 2003
    13,477
    Never home
    Full Name:
    Dr. Dumb Ass
    There were no US spec 400s, all were after the fact federlization jobs, some much better than others.
     
  18. full_garage

    full_garage Formula 3
    Owner

    Feb 15, 2010
    2,241
    Sarasota Florida
    Full Name:
    Jay
    All Grey Market- Really up to how much the conversion agent thought he could get away with. My 400 has the USA side marker on the rear quarters- but NOT on the front- For me the front markers look unsightly- My 412 has NO USA sidemarkers whatsoever, yet most I've seen have them front and rear.

    Neither of my cars is running any of the 80's smog stuff installed by the converters to be legal- and the door side impact beams have been removed to save weight.
     
  19. aidanparte

    aidanparte Formula 3

    Jul 18, 2004
    1,222
    Had my 400 out a couple of times in the last week. Nice blast up Route 2 and local pottering around to schools, etc.

    Aidan
     
  20. judge4re

    judge4re F1 World Champ

    Apr 26, 2003
    13,477
    Never home
    Full Name:
    Dr. Dumb Ass
    We were in the middle of the storms, litterally. One went north of us, a second south. Likely not going to be driving any of the red cars until the community gets back on line.
     
  21. Flinch

    Flinch Formula Junior

    Nov 15, 2009
    302
    Holland and Sweden
    Full Name:
    Peter El Cheapo
    Gonna take a small celebration drive now! I dedicate this drive to the Navy Seals!
     
  22. GreggG

    GreggG Karting

    Jul 14, 2008
    202
    New Jersey
    Jay,

    The white really shows well on the 400. Mine was originaly bianco duco, although if I ever were to consider a repait, I'm not quite sure I can commit to the original color--your car, however, is making me think about it though. You should consider a 365 to round out the collection. A very rare car here in the states. Can't be more than a dozen on this side of the pond, give or take a few. I know that early on you mentioned that some had expressed reservations about the model. Now that you have them and have driven them, have opinions changed?
     
  23. full_garage

    full_garage Formula 3
    Owner

    Feb 15, 2010
    2,241
    Sarasota Florida
    Full Name:
    Jay
    Gregg-

    Well I'm not sure I had reservations- but I think I tried to realize what these cars are and what they are not. I knew going into it that the car would be nearly as fast nor handle as well as my 355 or my Porsche cab, and I knew that what i really was interested in was the iconic nature of the car- The hand-crafted 70's vibe of these cars- that's what really appealed to me.

    I think I have a couple of cars that really tick all of those boxes for me. There is no performance aspect of the car that competes with modern cars- nor should it. They look incredible (to my eye), they sound amazing, they feel very vintage yet are completely modern in the way they go down the road and handle. They are not sports cars, nor are they intended to be. Not even really a "Sports GT" in the sense that a DB9 or 928 is... But really Ferrari's attempt to build a luxury GT to compete with the Rolls Royce and jaguar cars of the day.

    You really have to be into "classic" cars- I mean, my 88 Carrera doesn't really do anything special when viewed in the context of modern cars, but it's still extremely cool and a blast to drive. Same for the 400i and 412- Just looking at those gauges and scanning the leather while hurtling down the road makes me happy- not sure why- but it does.

    Honestly I can't get enough of the look of these cars- Hard not to glance back at the car five or six times after parking it... They are works of art that happen to be driveable.

    Driving the 355 is like the circus is in town- People's heads whip around, they pull up alongside you on the highway to see "WHO" is driving... the 400/412 is invisible. NOBODY notices it unless they have a chance to walk around it and notice the badges. I like that aspect of it- it's a cool Ferrari that is not an advertisement. If I was into the ego stroke of having a fancy car I'd sell these all off and buy a red 430 spider, but I really, really enjoy having these cars.
     
  24. GreggG

    GreggG Karting

    Jul 14, 2008
    202
    New Jersey
    Jay, a very thoughtful reply, thanks. I also like the under-the-radar appeal of the model. Actually, the understated elegance of the lines was one of the things that first struck me when I saw my car. I should have been more clear in my original post, though. I know that you did not have any reservations, but, instead, you indicated that other familiy members did. I was wondering if the wife, kids, etc., were now more appreciative of the 400/412 after having had some seat time or, at the very least, having had the opportunity to see them in the metal (or if even only in one of your photos, as the case may be).
     
  25. full_garage

    full_garage Formula 3
    Owner

    Feb 15, 2010
    2,241
    Sarasota Florida
    Full Name:
    Jay
    Not really... My wife, upon seeing the 400i in my storage garage for the first time said "It's just...awful...". But now she kind of likes it- She saw a photo of it on my computer yesterday and thought it was gorgeous. Pretty much nobody likes this car... except me. She sort of does not like the 400i but she really likes the 412- That perfect red leather interior and the overall fit and finish of this car is impressive.

    Friends who are real car guys walk around it once or twice and basically say "Huh... what an unusual Ferrari". Of course when they see the engine they are just speechless, and of course driving the car and hearing that sound makes everyone a fan.

    Now of course reading old copies of various car mags- the SAME exact thing was said about every 2+2 Ferrari- some of which are quite valuable and desirable today.
     

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