SUBMIT your Ferrari Challenge car...

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Year: 1990
Model: 348 ts
SN: 87544
Location: Connecticut
Color: Black
Do you show the car? I will (just purchased it)
Do you track the car? I will (just purchased it)
Do you race the car? Strong likelihood

Mods from Challenge rules: None. Car was purchased with cage, seats, pedals, steering wheel, fire bottle, suspension bushings, electrical disconnect installed. Re-installing original brake ducts, tow hooks, fog-light covers.

History:

Below is the history of 1990 348 TS s/n 87544 compiled with assistance from past owner and racing driver Richard Behmoiram, Cathy Roush of the Ferrari Market Letter, FerrariChat members Robb Williamson, Sherpa23, 308 GT, Tony Nevotti, the GM of Ferrari of Houston, and ********* member challenger24

1990 348 TS s/n 87544 was originally delivered from the factory to Ferrari of Houston in Houston, Texas in 1990. As per Ferrari of Houston internal work order #5242, the pre-delivery inspection was performed on January 18, 1991 for the delivery of s/n 87544 to it’s first owner. The transaction between Ferrari of Houston and it’s first owner was concluded on March 11, 1991 when it was first titled. Tony Nevotti, the General Manager of Ferrari of Houston was kind enough to confirm and provide a copy of the work order.

7/20/1991: Ad in Ferrari Market Letter (FML) 1615: Offered by Ray Joseph, Atlantic Motorcars, Houston, TX/USA. 713/465-4606. Black with tan leather. 725 miles. Sony, ADS and alarm. Titled, no luxury tax, window sticker, new car. $106,000 (FML 1615). See attached all FML ads.

The car seems to have remained in Texas until CarFax and title search records show a new title was issued by the New York Department of Motor Vehicles on February 20, 1994 with 4,150 miles on the odometer. The new owner on the title was shown as being from Great Neck, New York (Long Island).

Based on the information received on October 10, 2017 from former s/n 87544 owner and race driver Richard Behmoiram, it is assumed that the car was purchased through Ferrari dealer Auto Torino, Ltd. by Claudio D'Chiutiis, owner of the then authorized Ferrari dealership, located at 240 Northern Boulevard, Great Neck, NY.

I spoke with Richard Behmoiram on Tuesday morning 10/10/17. He explained to me the history of prepping the car for racing and racing the car.

The car was built and prepared originally by Ferrari dealer Auto Torino, Ltd, who's owner, Claudio D'Chiutiis, approached Richard about buying the car and participating in the 1995 Ferrari Challenge series.

348 TS s/n 87544 raced in the 1995 Ferrari Challenge series with Richard Behmoiram driving.

Claudio D'Chiutiis purchased the 348 Challenge kit directly from Ferrari, and the mechanics at Auto Torino, Ltd installed the kit components (including roll cage, seats, harnesses, fire system, electrical disconnects, foot pedals, steering wheel, brake-ducted undertrays, and solid bushings on suspension) during calendar year 1994.

The car was well prepared according to Richard, and had all available Challenge components on it, though he stated that they did not perform any engine work, which some Challenge teams did in order to bring their motors up to “Serie Speciale” 320 bhp specification.

Richard recalled they had done some testing at Lime Rock prior to Moroso in order to debug the car. He said the car was quick and turned 0:58 second laps at Lime Rock. It is assumed that the testing at Lime Rock happened in 1994 prior to the track closing for the winter. He stated that the car was very communicative and responsive and ran very well for what was essentially a production based car.

Richard participated in the first race of the 1995 Ferrari Challenge season at Moroso Motorsports Park in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida with s/n 87544 over the dates of February 9-10, 1995. The car raced as number '6'. Mr. Behmoiram stated the car was quick in early practice (top 6), but then had some issues and lost pace over the weekend. Richard finished the first qualifying session 17th out of 25 cars. He finished the second qualifying session 19th out of 25 entrants, and ultimately Richard and s/n 87544 finished the race 17th of 25 entrants.

I was able to contact Bruce Miller, a noted racing photographer who covered the early years of the Ferrari Challenge series, and he confirmed that he has negatives for ten photographs of #6, s/n 87544 from Moroso. Bruce has converted those images to digital images for me, and a sampling of those images are attached.

Before the Moroso, race Auto Torino's legal issues with Ferrari came to a head, and Auto Torino lost it's status of being an authorized Ferrari dealer. At that point, the official campaigning of the cars switched to authorized Ferrari dealer Wide World of Cars in Spring Valley, NY, as Ferrari Challenge rules required the car's to be prepared and campaigned only by authorized dealers.

Because of the possible joint ownership of the car between the driver and the owner of Auto Torino, and with Auto Torino's legal issues with Ferrari taking away Mr. D'Ciutiis' his focus and enjoyment, and ultimately taking away his franchise, the car was not campaigned in any further qualifying sessions or actual races in 1995.

Interestingly, the car is listed on qualifying results sheets from the 1995 Challenge Series events at Road Atlanta and Lime Rock, with no times listed. Richard wasn't able to recall if perhaps he had participated in any practice sessions at those events.

Mr. Behmoiram vaguely recalled that the car may have been sold at that point to someone in New Jersey

He stated that during the time the car was with him, it was never wrecked or had any major incidents or failures.

I was able to locate one of the original mechanics who built and maintained the car at Auto Torino. A gentlemen by the name of Michelo Franco, who now works at Ferrari of Long Island. Michelo vaguely recalls working on that specific car, but will try to think of anything of note he may remember.

Mr Behmoiram's recollection that the car may have been sold to someone in New Jersey is supported by CarFax and Title search reports that show the car next being titled by the New Jersey Department of Motor Vehicles on May 20, 1996 with 9,935 miles on the odometer.

The car was in New Jersey for a short time, as documentation shows the car next being titled in Pennsylvania on February 10, 1997 with 9,965 miles on the odometer. It had gone only 30 miles since last being titled.

1/18/1997: Ad in Ferrari Market Letter (FML) 2202: 348 TS (1990 USA model) CHALLENGE VERSION offered by Auto Palace, Pittsburgh, PA/USA. 412/687-4000; fax 412/687-3141. Black. 9,000 miles. Many spare parts. $63,900 (FML 2202).

5/15/1999: Ad in Ferrari Market Letter (FML) 2410: offered by Sean Hughes, Symbolic Motor Car Co., La Jolla, CA/USA 619-454-1800; fax 619-454-1890, www.symbolicmotors.com. Black with red OMP racing seats. Four harness seat belts, roll bar and sport exhaust. 10,000 miles. $59,000 (FML 2410).

12/1999: Ad in Ferrari Market Letter (FML) 2417: offered by Symbolic Motor Car Co., Beverly Hills, CA/USA. Black with red interior. 10,900 miles. Roll cage, Challenge OMP seats, fire system. (FML 2417).

Ultimately the car was sold to it's last owner in Pittsburg, California on September 3, 1999 by sales person Pat Persichin of Symbolic Motor Car Company of Beverly Hills, California.

Mr. McMillan had a 36 month / 30,000 mile major service performed in September of 2012 with 18,407 miles on the car.

Documentation provided by previous owner shows that they always provided s/n 87544 with much care, frequently showing the car and winning awards.

The car entered Aug 2003 Cavallino Classic @ Concorso Italiano, Seaside, CA, and won a Gold class Award. Aug 2005 at Cavallino Classic at Concorso Italiano, Seaside, CA won a Silver class Award.

16 August 2014, Spotted at Concorso Italiano, Black Horse Golf Course, Monterey Bay, CA. ZFFFG36A4L0087544, 1990 348 ts, black with tan leather door panels, black upper dash and steering wheel, tan lower dash, carbon fiber-backed red cloth OMP seats, black roll cage, Scuderia shields embroidered into black mats, shields, Sumitomo-wrapped standard wheels, black calipers, gloss black front lips and side skirts, gloss black Targa, Sesquicentennial – 150 Years-themed CA plates, no plate frame.

I just purchased the car through San Francisco Motorsports in San Rafael, CA two weeks ago. dog Dolton and Jesse Westlake there have been great to deal with! They are performing a major service on the car for me, reinstalling the aforemention Challenge items that were removed, etc...

I should be getting it in the next couple of weeks out here on the east coast.

<attach 1 picture>

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Jason,
Congratulations- enjoy!

Ira

 

Thanks Ira! And for all of your help and advice on this car!

 

Beautiful! Congratulations, Jason. I hope to see you at Lime Rock Park.

Barry

 

As a quick update on 87544, the major service has begun at SF Motorsports. Jesse, Doug, and Laura there have been great and super responsive to my endless questions and requests.

The cam timing has been set to the more advanced by two degrees Challenge / non-catalyzed WSM specs. While apart, they are going ahead and spot welding the fences on all of the cam pulleys. Fence at the crank was already welded. Transmission side covers will be pulled, and all readily accessible ring nuts and other parts that can be accessed from those areas will be checked, tightened, and re-staked to ensure everything is in good order. He's in the process of installing the original 348 Challenge brake duct undertrays, and plate to block the AC condensor hole in the front bumper cover valence. Same as how the car raced in 1995 as per original photos. AC is long gone.

Also having a new set of Michelin Pilot Super Sports getting mounted on original white Speedline wheels, and installing a NOS never used 348 Challenge muffler (not the more racy minimal Challenge pipes, since the car will be tracked mostly at Lime Rock which has restrictive sound rules)

Confirmed that the car had the solid Challenge bushings on the suspension, except the lower control arm at the left rear, which a previous owner replaced with a street unit at some point. So solid Challenge bushings have been ordered for that corner.

The springs on the car are stiffer part number 143390 springs front and rear (360 lbs/inch). I'm guessing those were how they raced the car in 1995. Not ideal, but i'll stick with them for now. Will most likely want a softer rear. Anybody have any softer rear springs lying around? Rob at Delta Vee has helped quite a bit with guidance on proper suspension set-up.

Car will be tracked, definitely driven on the street. Maybe vintage raced at some point depending on how many Trans Am TA3 races I decide to do next season.

Vinyl is in the works for what was the original as raced graphics on the car. Pretty basic with a yellow windshield header with WIDE WORLD OF CARS, red on the fog light covers, white door number rectangles, round white hood number background, appropriate series decal, and contingency sponsor decals, etc... just not sure if i'm going to put the numbers themselves on right away, or the WIDE WORLD OF CARS on right away. May be a little too racy for street use. Same with one or two of the larger series sponsor decals. Thanks to Barry W for putting me in touch with his vinyl folks (see another recent thread on that in case anyone needs any).

Car should be done on the next week or two. Ill post more pics as they come.

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Go all the way with the decals, Jason. My pharmacy's delivery car has more graphics than your car would have...

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Stock rear springs might be what you need for your car.

I'm happy to hear you'll be coming to Lime Rock Park.

Barry

 

Barry- are you in Short Hills? I grew up in South Orange. The car will be staying at our place up in CT four miles from Lime Rock. Any fellow F-chatters who are ever up at Lime Rock should shoot me a note so we can get together and grab a beverage.

 

Yeah, Jason. I took that picture three years ago to justify driving around with full graphics on my F355 Challenge. I knew it would come in handy one day.

I haven't seen a 348 Challenge at track events in years. It looks like that's about to change.

Barry

 

Ha ha! Funny! Glad I could 'help!'

 

Hey Jason. I am in New Milford Ct and have #95820 I would love to meet you sometime and see your car. Mine is kept at my shop in Ct. Also have a chassis dyno there if your ever interested.

 

Hey-

Yes, would definitely be interested in doing the same. I hope to have the car back to me in the next week or two. The. Should be at Lime Rock for the drivers club season finale on 11/17 and 11/18. If i get the back in time, might do SCDA event the week before on Saturday 11/11 to shake the car down and start getting used to it.

Shoot me a PM with your info and let's make it happen.

Jason

 

Year: 1999
Model: 360 MC
SN: ZFFYR51B000118767
Location: Maryland
Color: Rosso Corsa
Do you show the car? Yes
Do you track the car? Yes
Do you race the car? No

Mods from Challenge rules: N-GT Front and Rear spoiler. Tubi Exhaust

History: Car #75, Originally owned by Benny and Alfred Caiola. Raced by Alfred from 2000 to 2004. Retired from racing in 2004. 5800 Kilometers.

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here is my car from last year. Will miss the 458 as I step into the 488. More here: https://www.instagram.com/martinberryracing/

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Year: 2018
Model: 488 Challenge
SN:
Location: The Netherlands
Color: Black
Do you show the car? Yes
Do you track the car? Yes
Do you race the car? Yes

Mods from Challenge rules: None

History: Doing the Club Challenge with the car and various track days and events

 

Dear Maximus,

Do you have any further info regarding the Club Challenge?

Gr. Martin

 

Hi Martin,
What would you like to know that isn’t online?
It’s the most fun you will ever have with your pants on!

 

Any FChat challenge car folks heading to Limerock this Tuesday 5/29/18?

 

Year: 2006
Model: 430 Challenge
SN: x146310
Location: Chicago, IL
Color: Blue
Do you show the car? Yes
Do you track the car? Yes
Do you race the car? No

Mods from Challenge rules: front fender/splitter, rear spoiler, exhaust, headers, airbox.

Car has been nicknamed the "512M Tribute" due to the livery placed on it in mid-2018.

 

Year: 1994
Model: 348 STREET Challenge Car
SN: ZFFRG36A0R0098076
Location: California
Color: Red
Do you show the car? Yes
Do you track the car? Yes
Do you race the car? No


Mods from Challenge rules: This car was 1 of 13 built by the factory. Basically a street car with all the Challenge goodies installed at the factory, except the roll cage and the racing seats.

History: I am the 3rd owner since 1998.
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Year: 2001
Model: 360 N-GT
SN: 004
Location: Illinois
Color: Red
Do you show the car? Not yet
Do you track the car? Not yet
Do you race the car? Not yet

Mods from Challenge rules: None
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History: I just got it. It may have raced at LeMans. It did race in Spain.

 

Ciao Chris,
race history of the 348 TS?
Best, Miki.

 

Just seeing this. Im four minutes away from Lime Rock and always go. Send me a PM whenever your around!

 

Nice I have one of her sisters , great to see another so close