F40 bodied F355 | Page 7 | FerrariChat

F40 bodied F355

Discussion in 'Special Projects & Concept Cars' started by PAUL500, Dec 3, 2013.

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  1. PAUL500

    PAUL500 F1 Rookie

    Jun 23, 2013
    3,136
    Thanks, not in the condition it is currently in! but once fully rebuilt however it should push the old bus along nicely :)

    Now to work out how to actually squeeze those extra 4 cylinders into the engine bay, quick measure up looks like we will have to have the hump/maintenance panel in the cabin behind the seats just like the real deal, luckily we have access to the mould for that part.

    It then also means we will have the ability to change the cam belts in situ, so none of the 355 engine out issues, which will be a bonus.
     
  2. greg288

    greg288 Karting

    May 28, 2007
    203
    We have a Super America in the shop right now and I must say your car will be a much more attractive container for that engine (not to mention lighter as well). :cool:
    Can't wait to see things take shape!
     
  3. PAUL500

    PAUL500 F1 Rookie

    Jun 23, 2013
    3,136
    It's a huge engine, had not realised just how big these modern V12 Ferrari engines really are.

    Luckily components seem to be readily available/cost effective given the lineage from the 456 right through to the 612 with lots of cross over as well from Maserati's of that era.

    Seemed the natural choice in the end, would have loved an FF or 599 motor but this one was a relative bargain so too good to pass over.
     
  4. Dom9

    Dom9 Rookie

    Jun 6, 2010
    39
    Oxshott, UK
    Full Name:
    Dom
    Great update, Paul!

    Looking forward to seeing you progress with this!
     
  5. PAUL500

    PAUL500 F1 Rookie

    Jun 23, 2013
    3,136
    All measured and marked out, firing up my angle grinder in the morning to make a v12 sized hole in the firewall.

    Holding off on the photos for now as it does not look pretty at the moment, but project is progressing nicely :)

    FrankenFerrari at its best! I feel like Steve Martin in "The man with two brains"
     
  6. greg288

    greg288 Karting

    May 28, 2007
    203
    I was thinking it was about time for an update.

    That will be a huge dose of excitement and motivation to see that engine set in place!
    Can't wait to see pics :cool:.
     
  7. PAUL500

    PAUL500 F1 Rookie

    Jun 23, 2013
    3,136
    pm sent Greg :)
     
  8. sevminasyan

    sevminasyan Formula 3

    Jun 24, 2008
    1,156
    Glendale, CA
    Full Name:
    Steve
    Hi Paul

    Where have you been man ? You cant do this !
     
  9. PAUL500

    PAUL500 F1 Rookie

    Jun 23, 2013
    3,136
    Still tinkering Steve, the cage is fabricated and tacked in, and a welder is coming over next week to work his magic.

    Had an offer on the house yet again, sale has fallen through twice now so third time lucky hopefully, then I can finally start spending some £££ on the old bus :)
     
  10. Dom9

    Dom9 Rookie

    Jun 6, 2010
    39
    Oxshott, UK
    Full Name:
    Dom
    Good luck with the house sale - looking forward to more progress on this!
     
  11. sevminasyan

    sevminasyan Formula 3

    Jun 24, 2008
    1,156
    Glendale, CA
    Full Name:
    Steve
    :) Good luck to you Sir. Hope it goes through this time.
     
  12. PAUL500

    PAUL500 F1 Rookie

    Jun 23, 2013
    3,136
    The news is good in general but bad for the car :)

    House now sold, money in the bank..........

    Problem for the project is that I have just agreed a deal on a plot of land to build another house, so its all currently now sat in a 20 foot storage container where it will remain for some time :-(

    Apologies gents but I did not want to keep anyone hanging.

    The good future news is the house once completed will have a nice big workshop to home it all, so the the car is just hibernating again for now.
     
  13. greg288

    greg288 Karting

    May 28, 2007
    203
    Congratulations on the sale of the house Paul!

    Also very exciting to be able to build your next home from scratch the way you want it.

    Three things I also know to be true however:
    1. The so called construction "schedule" always takes way longer than what was planned.
    2. Things tend to go over budget very easily......cutting into car project funds.
    3. Projects that linger and go into hibernation often result in the dream just eventually dying off.

    I'm hoping you prove all three to be wrong BUT especially the last one :cool:.

    When you start posting again, I'll be here to pick back up on this car with you. I really want to see how this baby comes out.
     
  14. tracktoys

    tracktoys Rookie

    Feb 5, 2017
    18
    Wales UK
    hi Paul- I always wondered what happened to you from the passionford days, sounds like you've been through the mill a bit over the last few years, I remember seeing the Ferrari panels on ebay a few years ago but I didn't realise what an awesome project you had going

    hope you get back on track with everything soon
     
  15. PAUL500

    PAUL500 F1 Rookie

    Jun 23, 2013
    3,136
    Hi thanks, yes that used to be a great site in my cosworth days.

    It will happen in time, priority is a new home for now which is exciting in itself but the car is what I have always dreamed of doing.

    Back in 2003 Top Gear magazine did an article about the new cosworths I built from scratch and when they asked what was next, I said in the article how about an F40?, never did I ever think I would find the basis of this project though a few years later.

    We will get there :) I am aware of a few others on the go along similar lines so they may well beat me to it.
     
  16. PAUL500

    PAUL500 F1 Rookie

    Jun 23, 2013
    3,136
    #166 PAUL500, Feb 18, 2017
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  17. sakne79

    sakne79 Rookie

    Jul 21, 2013
    32
    Latvia
    Full Name:
    Armands
    Subscribing!
     
  18. PAUL500

    PAUL500 F1 Rookie

    Jun 23, 2013
    3,136
    Funnily enough I put the finishing touches to my latest workshop today on my new house build plot and moved one of the 355 chassis into it. Will be a few weeks of sorting other things before I am back on it though, but this should be the projects final resting place now before its completion.
     
  19. PAUL500

    PAUL500 F1 Rookie

    Jun 23, 2013
    3,136
    #169 PAUL500, Aug 22, 2017
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    I thought I had posted this pic up before of the cage going into the first chassis but it appears not, so here you go.

    Remember that this is just the roll cage buck to work out where everything needs to sit so it is not meant to be pretty, the actual final chassis will be far more refined.
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  20. Mang

    Mang F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Jul 11, 2007
    5,911
    ta HO
    Full Name:
    Mike S.
    Oh yeah...this project. Like it, pleased to see you progressing on all of it. Look forward to watching things unfold.
     
  21. MD355

    MD355 Formula Junior

    Mar 8, 2004
    794
    Athens, Greece
    Full Name:
    MD
    Your work and your project are AMAZING !!!
    Big Respect to what you are building !!!
    Very interesting thread and you are making a reality the dream of a lot of fan, of building an F40 with a V12 engine !!

    My question, however, is have you considered the chance that what you are building might be dangerous or it's handling might be unpredictable ??
    No disrespect here, but the weight distribution, the suspension geometry, etc etc Ferrari has a large number of engineer & test drivers that design their cars...
    I don't know the degree of your engineering skills (again no disrespect) but is there a small chance that you might spend a lot of $$$ and put a lot of effort and man-hours in something that might be undriveable or dangerous to drive..

    Excuse my ignorance on the subject, but because you are puting serious BHP power from a V12 engine , the performance is going to be impressive, but the high speed might also cause concern for the risks involved...
     
  22. PAUL500

    PAUL500 F1 Rookie

    Jun 23, 2013
    3,136
    #172 PAUL500, Aug 23, 2017
    Last edited: Aug 23, 2017
    Very valid question.

    This is why I decided in the end not to stretch and widen a 308/328. To do so you need a state of the art fab shop and the knowledge that comes with such.

    Essentially the architecture of the project remain pure 355 which is proven engineering.

    All 4 corners are in the same place, the location of the gearbox is the same. The additional weight of the v12 engine is centrally located forward of the original 355 engine so it is very much a mid engined application which is the best layout for such a car.

    The extra cylinders actually lay in the same place as the front cylinders of the F40 v8 engine, just behind the driver.

    The car will be far more rigid than the donor 355 and much stiffer/safer than an F40 as you can see from the fully integrated into the chassis FIA spec 44mm roll cage.

    Brakes are uprated to cope, and once completed the car will be fully balanced and corner weighted.

    The proof however will be on the track where it will be finally set up before hitting the public highway.

    I guess the answer is simply, we shall see. I tend to work on the Brunel rather than the Chapman way of doing things :)
     
    13DM likes this.
  23. MD355

    MD355 Formula Junior

    Mar 8, 2004
    794
    Athens, Greece
    Full Name:
    MD

    Very smart thinking !!!

    Keep all 4 corners the same (so suspension geometry is proven F355) and weight distribution in the center so the car should have similar handling characteristics as original F355.

    I did some research a while ago and found this guy in Germany who built an F355 with a V12 Testarossa engine ! He calls it the F512 GTB.

    http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/boxers-tr-m/501378-project-f-512-gtb-f355-512tr-engine-transmission.html

    You are using a more modern V12 engine and much more powerful !!!

    You are also adjusting the body panels of the F40 and making the car much lighter and much safer (with the roll cage)

    So the end result should be amazing !!

    Good luck and keep posting photos of the progress !!!
     
  24. Dom9

    Dom9 Rookie

    Jun 6, 2010
    39
    Oxshott, UK
    Full Name:
    Dom
  25. PAUL500

    PAUL500 F1 Rookie

    Jun 23, 2013
    3,136
    Looks a good meet Dom. My 53 plate Focus estate may steal all the attention though!
     

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