348 getting some Petrolicious love :) | FerrariChat

348 getting some Petrolicious love :)

Discussion in '348/355' started by itsablurr, Nov 11, 2016.

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  1. itsablurr

    itsablurr Formula 3

    Dec 9, 2005
    1,006
    Carlisle, MA
    Full Name:
    Matt
    #1 itsablurr, Nov 11, 2016
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  2. 2000C43

    2000C43 Rookie

    Nov 28, 2009
    36
    Sacramento, CA
    Full Name:
    Dean Sioukas
    Very nice.
     
  3. M. Brandon Motorcars

    Sponsor

    Sep 4, 2007
    1,759
    Houston, TX
    Full Name:
    Michael Foertsch
    Does anyone know the s/n for this car?
     
  4. ///Mike

    ///Mike F1 Veteran

    Dec 11, 2003
    6,097
    Bugtussle
    More disinformation about the 348. What a shame. The owner talks as though it's a completely different car than the standard 348 when nothing could be further from the truth. Even very early production cars had great success in the Challenge series once they'd been properly set up.

    It’s nice to see some positive press for the 348 but huge jeers to the owner for propagating even more BS about the model.
     
  5. buddyg

    buddyg F1 Veteran
    Rossa Subscribed

    Sep 20, 2004
    5,446
    West Michigan
    Full Name:
    Buddy
    Kind of what I was thinking. According to him if you don't have a challenge car yours sucks.
     
  6. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    99,174
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    Awesome car, that's for sure. :)

    But WTF was this idiot talking about? :eek:
     
  7. taz355

    taz355 F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Feb 18, 2008
    5,942
    Indio Ca/ Alberta
    Full Name:
    Grant
    Not all owners can be like the rest of us pap.
     
  8. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    99,174
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    We are all genuine blokes here. :D
     
  9. sherpa23

    sherpa23 F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 28, 2003
    9,992
    Rocky Mountains
    Full Name:
    Bastuna
    That's my old car. I bought it from Malex in 2014 and sold it a couple of months ago. Malex assembled many of the challenge parts and I converted the car when I owned it. It is a wonderful car.
     
  10. sherpa23

    sherpa23 F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 28, 2003
    9,992
    Rocky Mountains
    Full Name:
    Bastuna
    That's my car you know the SN.
     
  11. ///Mike

    ///Mike F1 Veteran

    Dec 11, 2003
    6,097
    Bugtussle
    He doesn't have a clue about 348s and their evolution, that's for sure.

    Apparently he thinks the 348 Challenge is so different from the standard model that it's special(TM) and the "regular car" is rubbish. What he doesn't know is that the two cars are so similar that he insulted his own car by casting aspersions on other versions.

    I haven't studied the results of the Challenge races enough to be 100% certain, but it's my recollection that the non-factory Challenge cars more than held their own in the series. I do remember that I once turned a lap in a friend's nicely setup early TS that would have put me either second or third on the grid at that year's Challenge race and the car I was driving was certainly not a Challenge car.

    I hate seeing stuff like that in print because it only serves to reinforce the many misconceptions about the 348.
     
  12. Ferrari 308 Vetro

    Ferrari 308 Vetro F1 Rookie

    Nov 12, 2012
    4,426
    Austria
    Story could be much better, but, better then nothing...
     
  13. Nosevi

    Nosevi Formula 3

    Jul 8, 2011
    1,990
    Lincoln
    Full Name:
    Pete
    Hi all, been a while since I've passed these parts. Totally agree with the above, a Challenge is just a slightly track prepped standard 348. I'm sure the car is great to drive because ........ well, 348s are great to drive. Posted up a couple of corrections on Petrolicious before coming to this thread, couldn't help myself. Interesting the car was a converted TB not a factory Challenge (not that it'd make much difference to the car itself who changed the parts). What year was the car, Sherpa? I noticed the plenums weren't the later ones.
     
  14. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    99,174
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    +348
     
  15. AceMaster

    AceMaster Three Time F1 World Champ

    Feb 6, 2009
    34,548
    Ontario, Canada
    Full Name:
    Mike
  16. IAmNotCasey

    IAmNotCasey Formula Junior

    Jul 9, 2014
    290
    Parker, Colorado
    Full Name:
    Casey Duncan
    I thought that was yours, you're a restless one, aren't you? I think mine will be going soon too, there are other cars that need me :D
     
  17. itsablurr

    itsablurr Formula 3

    Dec 9, 2005
    1,006
    Carlisle, MA
    Full Name:
    Matt
    Yes, a bit off-base and disappointing since he seems to be one that is all about genuine informed enthusiasm for collector cars, though perhaps not so much the former quality as it relates to the nuance behind the 348. I suppose that I was excited more than anything to see a 348 of any color getting some social media exposure.
     
  18. ///Mike

    ///Mike F1 Veteran

    Dec 11, 2003
    6,097
    Bugtussle
    Agree-- it's great to see the 348 getting mention but in general the piece did a lot to perpetuate the erroneous prejudices the 348 has been saddled with for far too long. It's a shame the writer didn't do more research, but instead he took the word of someone who is apparently a friend. Not sure what the owner's deal is-- was he misinformed and just hasn't bothered to learn the truth about a model he claims to love, or does he feel the need to think that his car is oh-so-superior to all those other plebian 348s out there (that are pretty much just like his mechanically)? Who knows…

    I was just disappointed in the content after the brief excitement of thinking that some of the prolific BS about the 348 was going to finally be debunked on a reasonably well known car site. At least the author and the owner are getting a bit of an education in the comments. In fact, I need to add one myself. :)
     
  19. SoCal1

    SoCal1 F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Jun 14, 2011
    8,562
    SoCal LA/OC/New Mexico
    Full Name:
    Tim Dee
    It hurt's when I pee and still did after reading that. :)
     
  20. Nosevi

    Nosevi Formula 3

    Jul 8, 2011
    1,990
    Lincoln
    Full Name:
    Pete
    Yep, I just think it ironic that they are both saying how great the car is comparing it to how a 348 drives, clearly not knowing the differences are small in some areas and non-existant in others. The fact it was a standard TB 2 years ago kind of makes me smile.
     
  21. ///Mike

    ///Mike F1 Veteran

    Dec 11, 2003
    6,097
    Bugtussle
    Dude, I tried to tell you to stay away from Pam Anderson. But did you listen? Noooooooooooo. :D
     
  22. sherpa23

    sherpa23 F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 28, 2003
    9,992
    Rocky Mountains
    Full Name:
    Bastuna
    Well to be honest, I had no plans of selling but something came up in my personal life and I made the decision to downsize a little. I talked about it in the owner's section and I don't really feel like rehashing it here. I sold the 550 and 348 CH and set the cash aside for someone important. I miss those cars but with three Ferraris in the garage, I am in no position to complain.
     
  23. IAmNotCasey

    IAmNotCasey Formula Junior

    Jul 9, 2014
    290
    Parker, Colorado
    Full Name:
    Casey Duncan
    I read that you sold the 550 as well. The people you love are much more important than cars, however Italian, so cheers to that.
     
  24. Chupacabra

    Chupacabra F1 Rookie
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Sep 30, 2005
    3,213
    Behind a drum kit
    Full Name:
    Mr. Chupacabra
    I have driven that car and honestly would have purchased it had my Cayman S sold quickly and if Malex had not decided to hang on to the 348 for a while (a smart decision, honestly :)) Superb example, just beautiful. Even better now, I must say.

    As for the new owner -- what are you smoking?? :)
     
  25. malex

    malex Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 5, 2007
    1,245
    FL
    I owned the car from 2008 (bought it from Sport Auto) before selling it to sherpa23 in 2014. It is indeed a "factory" Challenge car. But the changes that distinguish it from a typical late model 348tb are minimal at best. When I bought the car, there were only several features identifying it as a Challenge car:

    - 348 Challenge" script on rear deck lid
    - Roll cage and harness mounting points welded to the chassis. This included carpeting cutouts and cutout vinyl covers in the rear panel (in front of rear window). The panel also included steel grommeted holes to accommodate the harness eyebolts
    - Suede steering wheel
    - Drilled aluminum brake and clutch pedals (I sourced the throttle pedal and installed it myself as it didn't come with the car)

    That's it. The car, which was originally sold to an anesthesiologist by Ferrari of Houston, did not come with the optional Challenge kit. The car had no special suspension. Springs, shocks, anti-roll bars and suspension geometry were delivered the same as another other 1994 348tb. It didn't even come with a plate installed where the Serie Speciale i.d. plates are installed identifying the car as a Challenge car (though this was admittedly, not uncommon). The engine had no more power (I believe that I posted hp/torque curves on FChat several years ago when the car was run on Bradan's dyno) than any other late model 348. Basically, there was little that was truly "special" about the car.

    Don't get me wrong. I loved that car and tried to buy it back from sherpa23 before he sold it to RM. It was setup properly and ran so well and I had regretted selling it before it was even loaded onto the trailer. But unfortunately, I couldn't justify the prices that these cars now seem to fetch in the few sales that have transpired - despite there being little special about this particular car (other than limited "production") and no significant racing history.

    As sherpa23 mentioned, when I bought the car originally, I set out to collect/install the Challenge kit. I sourced front light covers, a full OEM OMP roll cage, and Challenge seats (which Bradan reupholstered from the original, worn out red Nomex to tan leather matching the interior . . . . Bradan kept and cleaned the original OMP logo patch an installed into the seat's headrest area.). I also sourced original 18" Speedline "Challenge" rims in a deal that was, oddly enough, brokered by sherpa23. I later had Bradan revise the suspension by installing H&R springs (which lowered the car 0.75"), rebuilding the rear shocks (by Delta Vee) and setting the suspension geometry to Challenge specs.

    The front tow hook is actually from a 360 Challenge. I had my machinist friend in New Jersey, Pete (who owns a few Alfa Montreals), make a new shaft to match the 348/355 metric thread. The rear tow hook, which appears to be the proper (larger) tow hook for the 348/355 Challenge cars, was later added by sherpa23. Pete also made the mounting brackets for the Challenge seats as I was only able to procure one set of mounting brackets.

    If the car is lighter weight than a typical 348tb, it's due to the lighter seats and wheels. When I had the car, I saw little evidence that there was any other factory lightening.

    Phew, that feels better. It's a great car, but that article is far too gushing and stretches the facts a bit too far.
     

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