355 1997 F355 Restoration

97 Spider · Dec 30, 2019

ArtBR8 said: ↑

There is about 85% of the car present. I am missing one harness that runs from the ecu up the center console to the fuse box in the footwell. I am missing the ECU, And a few other such items. I have an immobilizer ECU but someone cut the harness about 1/2” out of the metal retaining box, so there isnt even enough wiring to solder a pig tail to! ‍♂️ I am considering going stand alone engine management anyway, so not a big deal. The windshield is ****. I need the driver side air inlet behind the door into the rads, hard brake for the rear brakes. Shif linkage, and the rear wall carpet and leather covers, and e brake cover. I have pretty much everything else. Engine goes to the shop this week for service and valve guides.
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We’ve spoke on the Facebook page before about this car. I do believe I have have much of what you need including the wiring harnesses if you decide to stay stock management. I know I have a lot of interior in black but only a few things in tan I’d have to look.

ArtBR8 · Dec 30, 2019

Got a bit more done this evening. I finished scuffing and sanding the subframe in preparation for POR-15 coating later this week. The subframe had been painted red at some point it seems... there are several scratches in the black powdercoat that red paint shows through. Perhaps the black/grey coating is just paint also. Either way, it will go back to the original satin black coating. Image Unavailable, Please Login

Also got to remove the throttle bodies and inspect each cylinder more closely. Everything operates smoothly. A few more things to remove, and she will be off to rebuild.
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MAD828 · Dec 31, 2019

ArtBR8 said: ↑

Got a bit more done this evening. I finished scuffing and sanding the subframe in preparation for POR-15 coating later this week. The subframe had been painted red at some point it seems... there are several scratches in the black powdercoat that red paint shows through. Perhaps the black/grey coating is just paint also. Either way, it will go back to the original satin black coating. View attachment 2873406

Also got to remove the throttle bodies and inspect each cylinder more closely. Everything operates smoothly. A few more things to remove, and she will be off to rebuild.
View attachment 2873408 View attachment 2873409

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Click to expand...

Interestingly all subframes I have seen are painted red underneath the blackish top coating.

SE16 · Dec 31, 2019

Awesome project! And manual shift in red with tan. Only a berlinetta would get any better than that!

I once saw a rusted out subframe on a 355. This one looks lovely and solid.

pnicholasen · Dec 31, 2019

Glad there are people willing to tackle bringing a great car back to life, but you deserve some kind of medal for bravery! Is there an equivalent of the Delta Force in the Ferrari army? Would that be the Φ force? Maybe the Italian Foreign Legion? Either way, may The Force be with you!

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ArtBR8 · Dec 31, 2019

SE16 said: ↑

Awesome project! And manual shift in red with tan. Only a berlinetta would get any better than that!

I once saw a rusted out subframe on a 355. This one looks lovely and solid.
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Thanks Mate! I love the GTS model! Best of both worlds to me really! There is very little rust on this frame and I have removed what little there was, and will protect it from further rust with POR-15 coating soon.

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ArtBR8 · Dec 31, 2019

pnicholasen said: ↑

Glad there are people willing to tackle bringing a great car back to life, but you deserve some kind of medal for bravery! Is there an equivalent of the Delta Force in the Ferrari army? Would that be the Φ force? Maybe the Italian Foreign Legion? Either way, may The Force be with you!

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Click to expand...

Bravery, or stupidity? I will know when I can finally drive her. There is much to be obtained still, and much to be done. Will post more progress tomorrow! Thank you sir! I hope this all comes together nicely!
Cheers!
Art

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ArtBR8 · Jan 5, 2020

Sorry for the delay gents! Holidays and kids occupied the last week or so.
As I got to the bare bones of the subframe, I found 2 small cracks in the gusset of the passengers side(US) motor mount so I had to have that addressed before further progress could be made. I continued on with some interior refreshing, so I got around to redying the carpet with a color matched dye I bought from “Leathermagic”. It is Ferrari tan and really brought the tired and yellow looking carpet back to life. Here are some photos of the work. I also disassembled the rear brakes to prep them for Fresh paint. That episode soon.

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malex · Jan 6, 2020

ArtBR8 said: ↑

Got a bit more done this evening. I finished scuffing and sanding the subframe in preparation for POR-15 coating later this week. The subframe had been painted red at some point it seems... there are several scratches in the black powdercoat that red paint shows through. Perhaps the black/grey coating is just paint also. Either way, it will go back to the original satin black coating. View attachment 2873406

Also got to remove the throttle bodies and inspect each cylinder more closely. Everything operates smoothly. A few more things to remove, and she will be off to rebuild.
View attachment 2873408 View attachment 2873409

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Click to expand...

Art -

I might be too late for this question . . . but have you worked with POR-15 previously? It does not adhere well at all to other coatings. You really need to bring the components to be coated down to bare metal. And it adheres best to a sandblasted surface (no need for chemical etching), though a lightly sanded, bare metal surface will work (needs etching for best adhesion). Fwiw, it also adheres nicely to rust, once loose rust has been knocked off.

If you go the POR-15 route, a few other tips . . . use a high quality brush for application (I use Wooster, but with plastic handles as the brush will be next to impossible to clean), it's not necessary to spray. A thin coat is all that is required as a little goes a long way. Too much material will cause it to run, badly. The coating flows very well and brush strokes will completely disappear if you apply it in the right conditions, i.e. when the temp is between 70-80 F and not particularly humid. If the humidity is too high, it can cure too quickly and finish quality will suffer.

Use fresh POR-15. Don't use it if it has been sitting on the shelf too long. Also, you'll need to use an etching primer, then topcoat after the POR-15 if your goal is to match the OEM look. Note that POR-15 fades when exposed to UV if not topcoated.

Given the above, might be easier to use a 2-part epoxy chassis black paint. Good luck and looking forward to seeing the results.

phrogs · Jan 6, 2020

97 Spider said: ↑

We’ve spoke on the Facebook page before about this car. I do believe I have have much of what you need including the wiring harnesses if you decide to stay stock management. I know I have a lot of interior in black but only a few things in tan I’d have to look.
Click to expand...

Do you have a passenger side black carpet?

ArtBR8 · Jan 6, 2020

malex said: ↑

Art -

I might be too late for this question . . . but have you worked with POR-15 previously? It does not adhere well at all to other coatings. You really need to bring the components to be coated down to bare metal. And it adheres best to a sandblasted surface (no need for chemical etching), though a lightly sanded, bare metal surface will work (needs etching for best adhesion). Fwiw, it also adheres nicely to rust, once loose rust has been knocked off.

If you go the POR-15 route, a few other tips . . . use a high quality brush for application (I use Wooster, but with plastic handles as the brush will be next to impossible to clean), it's not necessary to spray. A thin coat is all that is required as a little goes a long way. Too much material will cause it to run, badly. The coating flows very well and brush strokes will completely disappear if you apply it in the right conditions, i.e. when the temp is between 70-80 F and not particularly humid. If the humidity is too high, it can cure too quickly and finish quality will suffer.

Use fresh POR-15. Don't use it if it has been sitting on the shelf too long. Also, you'll need to use an etching primer, then topcoat after the POR-15 if your goal is to match the OEM look. Note that POR-15 fades when exposed to UV if not topcoated.

Given the above, might be easier to use a 2-part epoxy chassis black paint. Good luck and looking forward to seeing the results.
Click to expand...

Malex,
Yes, I have used POR-15 on several other projects, including a 1989 Lotus Esprit chassis restoration and a 1993 300ZX restoration. I just opened the can of POR and am familiar with it’s degredation, but thanks for the reminder. I purchase pint sized empty cans from Lowes for a few dollars and separate the cans and label them so I have fresh POR in several cans as to limit it’s overall exposure to air. I have not experienced any real issues with POR adhering to coatings before if prepared properly. I suppose if the coating applied to is compromised, I would have experienced issues, but haven’t seen any notable detriment to the coatings applied previously. I have always cleaned and degreased the substrate, lightly sanded and scuffed all surfaces and degreased again and allow to fully dry before application of POR15. I have yet to apply the UV top coat, but I will once I have the second coat fully applied.

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malex · Jan 7, 2020

ArtBR8 said: ↑

Malex,
Yes, I have used POR-15 on several other projects, including a 1989 Lotus Esprit chassis restoration and a 1993 300ZX restoration. I just opened the can of POR and am familiar with it’s degredation, but thanks for the reminder. I purchase pint sized empty cans from Lowes for a few dollars and separate the cans and label them so I have fresh POR in several cans as to limit it’s overall exposure to air. I have not experienced any real issues with POR adhering to coatings before if prepared properly. I suppose if the coating applied to is compromised, I would have experienced issues, but haven’t seen any notable detriment to the coatings applied previously. I have always cleaned and degreased the substrate, lightly sanded and scuffed all surfaces and degreased again and allow to fully dry before application of POR15. I have yet to apply the UV top coat, but I will once I have the second coat fully applied.

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Click to expand...

Sounds good Art. I do think that you might be missing out - at least partially - on one of POR-15's top properties, i.e. its absolutely tenacious grip to properly prepped bare metal. A few months ago, I mistakenly used an older can of POR-15 on a few parts. I was disappointed with the finish (micro bubbles everywhere) and decided to strip the parts back to the metal. It was damn near impossible to remove the coating but I eventually succeeded using a combo of blasting (70g aluminum oxide at 110-12o psi) and paint stripper (even this took multiple coats). But doing so was very time consuming. Once cured, POR-15 is very tough stuff.

If you're getting good adhesion to other previous paint, the POR-15's grip will only be as tough as the adhesion properties of that paint. But factory coatings normally are tough as well - so long as they're not compromised by corrosion. Good luck!

ArtBR8 · Jan 7, 2020

malex said: ↑

Sounds good Art. I do think that you might be missing out - at least partially - on one of POR-15's top properties, i.e. its absolutely tenacious grip to properly prepped bare metal. A few months ago, I mistakenly used an older can of POR-15 on a few parts. I was disappointed with the finish (micro bubbles everywhere) and decided to strip the parts back to the metal. It was damn near impossible to remove the coating but I eventually succeeded using a combo of blasting (70g aluminum oxide at 110-12o psi) and paint stripper (even this took multiple coats). But doing so was very time consuming. Once cured, POR-15 is very tough stuff.

If you're getting good adhesion to other previous paint, the POR-15's grip will only be as tough as the adhesion properties of that paint. But factory coatings normally are tough as well - so long as they're not compromised by corrosion. Good luck!
Click to expand...

Yes sir! I absolutely agree with you that the ideal adhesion would be to bare metal. As you stated, POR-15 is tough and tenacious also on a well prepared, Uncompromised surface. I have yet to apply my UV protectant top coat, but once I do, I will post some photos. The coating is 1000% better looking already, than the grey ashy frame my car came with, and since there is no corrosion present, I am fairly confident it will serve me well for years to come. Sometimes the ideal scenario isn’t the best option. In this case, budget and time are also considerations, and I am not a “half asser”. The coating has held up extremely well on my Lotus, and this car will be well cared for also, and never driven in inclement weather on purpose. I do greatly appreciate your input and experience as I have limited experience with F355’s but I have restored several cars to this extent, one being almost an entire frame off. I will continue to post my progress, and also, if the coating turns out awful when the clear is applied, I will be the first to admit my error and post that right here. Since this frame will be removed from the car again in a few years, additionally, I can assess the robustness of my overcoat approach, and will most likely post that review here again. I have had my R8 for 6 years, my Lotus for 8 years, and I plan on keeping them all in my collection indefinitely.

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krazykarguy · Jan 7, 2020

I still have POR-15 on my garage floor from painting a rusty subframe on a car almost 5 years ago. That stuff is basically invincible when dry.

ArtBR8 · Jan 7, 2020

krazykarguy said: ↑

I still have POR-15 on my garage floor from painting a rusty subframe on a car almost 5 years ago. That stuff is basically invincible when dry.
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Yup! I have it stuck to my garage floor, and my driveway! I’ve been in the house for 5 years and spilled some the week I moved in working on this old 300 ZX prepping the rusty battery box! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

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ArtBR8 · Jan 10, 2020

Got the engine loaded up and off to the specialist. Popped a valve cover and looks very nice inside. Hopefully disassembly will begin Monday.

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Ferrarium · Jan 11, 2020

Awesome project, it should be amazing when done!

ArtBR8 · Jan 11, 2020

Ferrarium said: ↑

Awesome project, it should be amazing when done!
Click to expand...

Thanks! I can’t wait to have it all assembled and on the road again!

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355OXO · Jan 11, 2020

This is a fantastic thread, I will follow with much interest. I have spent the last three years doing a similar project on a 97 355 Spider. It was a completely stripped except the engine that was in very good condition. At times I found the project very challenging and sometimes disheartening but I am just an amateur. I shall follow this thread with great interest.

Julia · Jan 11, 2020

ArtBR8 said: ↑

Got the engine loaded up and off to the specialist. Popped a valve cover and looks very nice inside. Hopefully disassembly will begin Monday.
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Click to expand...

Gotta love minivans! Where are you having it rebuilt?

ArtBR8 · Jan 11, 2020

Julia said: ↑

Gotta love minivans! Where are you having it rebuilt?
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Its not a minivan. It’s my daughter’s Saturn Vue SUV. I have never owned a minivan nor will ever own one!
Blackhorse Motorwerks is going through it. New valve guides and seals along with belts and tensioners and front timing bearings.

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ArtBR8 · Jan 11, 2020

355OXO said: ↑

This is a fantastic thread, I will follow with much interest. I have spent the last three years doing a similar project on a 97 355 Spider. It was a completely stripped except the engine that was in very good condition. At times I found the project very challenging and sometimes disheartening but I am just an amateur. I shall follow this thread with great interest.
Click to expand...

Yes, it is challenging for sure. But the challenge will ultimately be worth it in the end! Keep moving forward my friend. I will post as much content as possible!

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Repack · Jun 21, 2020

MAD828 said: ↑

Interestingly all subframes I have seen are painted red underneath the blackish top coating.
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I believe that the yellow F355's have an yellow painted subframe underneath the blackish top coat.

chris1866 · Jun 22, 2020

Repack said: ↑

I believe that the yellow F355's have an yellow painted subframe underneath the blackish top coat.
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Mine is yellow (yellow exterior as well).

MAD828 · Jun 22, 2020

chris1866 said: ↑

Mine is yellow (yellow exterior as well).
Click to expand...

Must be body colored underneath then. Perhaps they sprayed the body with subframe attached. Then added the black after.

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