812 GTS v 330 GTC | Page 2 | FerrariChat

812 GTS v 330 GTC

Discussion in 'Vintage (thru 365 GTC4)' started by irvinest, Jun 14, 2020.

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  1. Bluebottle

    Bluebottle F1 Veteran
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    Oct 15, 2012
    7,698
    Newbury, Berkshire, England
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    John
    You have an enviable collection! There are one or two common threads running through yours and my, rather more modest, stable: I also have a 550, an E-type (3.8 FHC), a 911 (964 C2) and a Bentley 6+3/4 (Turbo R).

    For me, the performance of the 550 is already comfortably in excess of anything I would use on UK roads (a sign of age, perhaps!), so a newer one would be wasted on me, and I am not a great fan of modern Ferrari aesthetics either (though the Roma looks rather more attractive than most, so maybe Ferrari styling is taking a turn for the better again).

    I am surprised that you didn't take to the Dino - I am just over 6 ft. and I drove to Maranello and back in mine a couple of years ago and could not fault it (apart from lack of aircon in Italian summer temperatures!). It's a pity, because the Dino is a truly remarkable car.

    The Talacrest 330 looks very nice (apart from the red carpets), and it is in your colour!
     
  2. Bluebottle

    Bluebottle F1 Veteran
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    Oct 15, 2012
    7,698
    Newbury, Berkshire, England
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    John
    Not everyone is a devoted fan. I have an acquaintance who bought a Dino from them and he was not exactly complimentary about the experience, but then a lot of people are not very polite about him either! I have no direct experience, so am not in a position to pass judgement. At the end of the day, they are all second-hand car salesmen, whether their stock in trade is multi-million pound Ferraris, or five hundred pound Fords - count your fingers on the way out!
     
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  3. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 28, 2003
    75,370
    Texas!
    Wow, I thought SCantera and I were the only ones crazy enough to have a foot in both camps. Once upon a time, I owned a 550 and a GTC. See below. But an 812? Wow, I can't imagine the difference. The 812 has, what, 700+ hp, DCT, every safety device known to man. A GTC has maybe 300 hp and is a death trap if you do something stupid.

    Somewhere in the electron ether, there is my write up of what it is like to drive a GTC. There is only one line through a corner. You line up on the far outside. You pitch it in and the car goes from understeer to a graceful oversteer. Kinda like the dosey doe. Once past the apex, you gradually feed in the power and the car responds beautifully. But like a graceful lady, she doesn't like rude changes. She wants you to take control and lead. There is no gender confusion here. YOU have to drive a 330 GTC, and, when you do, it is one of the most rewarding drives you will ever have.

    But, time moves on. When I used to play chase in my 550 while a buddy drove the GTC, I was yawning. Corner speeds that are fun in a GTC are boring in a 550. I can't imagine what it would be like in a 812. To be frank, if I wanted to drive, I mean drive, I would pick up the keys to the 550. (Please understand, it is nothing for me to do 250 miles on a Sunday morning. After all, I live in Texas.) If I was a mellow mood, I'd take the GTC.

    Sadly because I'm wimp. One key factor is air conditioning. If you are in the UK, this may not be a problem. My GTC had factory A/C. It would freeze my right knee.

    Why not buy both? Life is short.


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  4. rossodino

    rossodino Formula Junior

    Dec 16, 2007
    447
    corona del mar, ca.
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    bruce sansone
    You obviously have a fabulous collection of cars, some great oldies and a great stable of modern Ferraris. An Enzo era V-12 would be perfect ,that incredible cacophony of sound that engine emits is sublime. Every time I get in my Daytona I am in heaven, I have owned the car for 13 years and have had the Becker Mexico on once ,when I first bot my car to see if it worked which it did ,its never been on again!
     
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  5. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Jan 5, 2002
    23,988
    Portland, Oregon
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    Don
    There were a few of those responses, but overall surprisingly positive!

    The old cars are actually much more reliable than the new crowd believes, however. These cars were made to cross continents, after all.
     
  6. Bluebottle

    Bluebottle F1 Veteran
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    John
    Yes, I was only joking - many owners of modern Ferraris were, of course, once owners of classics when they were younger (cars and owners!), and the old joke of Ferrari owners needing their mechanics following them around is a myth (actually it should be Aston Martin owners!), though obviously they do need more maintenance that a modern, and the attention of a "mechanic" rather than a "technician", but that's the same for all old / new cars.
     
  7. SCantera

    SCantera F1 Veteran
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    Aug 4, 2004
    5,111
    Living Falls NC
    The Talacrest car looks pretty sound. No a/c but I guess in the UK that might not be much of an issue. There are a couple of details needing attention but nothing major I can see from the pictures. I chuckled at one of the interior pictures of the upper console showing the "A" switch turned on. You will learn this is a necessity. It's the switch that turns on the FISPA electric fuel pump that's located in the left rear wheel well. Has a distinct click-click-click sound. The owners manual says to use turn on this switch to fill the carbs before starting. And once warm turn it off. The reality is once the engine gets really warm the mechanical pump at the bottom of the engine won't function well enough on it's own. So basically you just leave the electric pump on all the time.

    Silver looks great on a GTC. My first I bought in 1976 was silver w/ a French Blu interior. Great combo.

    By the way.....I agree with the others....you have a fantastic collection of cars!!!
     
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  8. jcavalie

    jcavalie Formula Junior
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    Jun 4, 2005
    659
    Oakland, CA
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    Jim
    Steve - my mechanical fuel pump works great. I am able to turn off my FISPA (and do), once the car is warm, and drive it for hours. The only time I need to flip it on is if it's a really hot day and I get stuck in traffic, and I can feel the engine start to cut out due to the known vapor lock issue on low s/n cars (IIRC occurs on mine at about 90C on my acqua temp gauge). I can feel the car start to hesitate, flip it on, and then it picks back up and runs normally. Once I'm out of traffic and engine temp comes down (normal for me is 60-70C), I can turn it off again.

    Anyone notice the headrests on the seats on the Talacrest car? Are those original? Does anyone else have them or has anyone added them? IMHO they take away from the clean look through the cabin but could possibly improve one of the safety aspects that worries me!
     
  9. -CD-

    -CD- F1 Rookie
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    Jun 7, 2005
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    near the Nürburgring
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    Christian
    I was one year in the market and i didn‘t saw any good GTC for 375K pounds, to be straight there was no car!

    It was much more the problem that below 600K Euro there was always story and average quality
    and that the very good cars to top cars are end 600k mid 700K Euro but the problem is they are hard to find.

    Good luck with your search, would be a great addition to your fanstastic collection.
     
  10. turbo-joe

    turbo-joe F1 Veteran

    Apr 6, 2008
    8,866
    southwest germany and thailand
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    romano schwabel
    same problem I have with my 250 GTE
     
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  11. SCantera

    SCantera F1 Veteran
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    Aug 4, 2004
    5,111
    Living Falls NC
    I just received an email about a 330 GTC for sale. This seems to be a very nice car. From the pictures it looks better than the Talacrest car. Late production s/n 11203. And it's your fav color too!! Located in Newport Beach CA.

    https://www.copleywest.com/showroom/1968-ferrari-330-gtc-for-sale/
     
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  12. SCantera

    SCantera F1 Veteran
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    Aug 4, 2004
    5,111
    Living Falls NC
    I have seen TF's picture of the 550 and GTC before. Both great cars. Why I like this photo is that it reminds me of the best car deal I didn't know I was making. I ordered a new 360. Waited almost 3 years for delivery in 03. After a few months I really didn't like the car at all. At the time 360s were in big demand. Traded the 360+$30k for my current 330 GTC and an '00 550. Loved both! Still have the 330 and after a few years graduated to an SA. I wish I could say I knew it was going to be a good deal. But it really was just finding cars I liked.
     
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  13. SCantera

    SCantera F1 Veteran
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    Aug 4, 2004
    5,111
    Living Falls NC
    Jim

    I guess it depends on where you live and drive. My car has been in Naples since 2004 when I acquired it. And even though I had the mechanical pump re-built it would only function until the engine temps rose to a point that vapor lock set in. In FL that can be 10 minutes in summer or 20 minutes in winter. When I get the car here in the mountains maybe the electric fuel pump won't be necessary. Note....I didn't say FISPA. The FISPA failed me once on the road. I hit it with the lead hammer to get it restarted. But I decided to replace it with a Holley. I do miss the click-click-click of the FISPA. But I have no worries about the Holley. The FISPA is carefully stored in a box along with the Lucas alternator and radiator fans....lol.
     
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  14. jcavalie

    jcavalie Formula Junior
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    Jun 4, 2005
    659
    Oakland, CA
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    Jim
    My conditions shouldn’t be too much different than yours - driving from the Bay Area to Lake Tahoe crosses California’s Central Valley through the Sacramento area, where ambient temp is often in the low 100s. Then you climb 7000 ft to the summit. My car still stays super cool and has no vapor lock - unless I get slowed in stop and go traffic, which is when I turn on the electric pump. I should clarify - my FISPA is fully restored and stored in a box. I have a Bendix fitted in its place. It does do the clicking though - not quite as loud but the click is there. I still have my box fan motors and Lucas alternator fitted. Though they’ve all been rewound/rebuilt and work admirably now.
     
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