Limited series 348gt competizione - I need Help

Try this link. It's just some basic info. I will have to look at home for a link with s/n's.

http://www.qv500.com/ferrari348p9.php

 

http://www.club348.com/technical/Tech/348.html#VINs


The *really* cool Competizione's (not all) were modified by Michelotto. Some modifications included carbon fiber front/rear bumpers, fixed glass-covered headlights, carbon doors, F-40 half-shafts, straight air intakes, tweaked ECU maps, etc.


One 348 Competitzione had the 2nd fastest qualifying time in class at Le Mans, 1994.

 

Ferrari of Atlanta, GA. (USA) had one for sale for a long time....$165K, IIRC....call them.

 

Here's a link with s/n's for the Micholletto comp's

http://www.qv500.com/ferrari348p5.php

 

Good luck, yellow would be very nice.....

 

The way to know for sure is to match up the numbers.

The engine should be an "H" block. You will need to look at the top of the block, under the intake plenum to see the numbers. Looking in from the back of the engine bay it will be on the right hand side. The first five digits MUST be F119H. If the block does not contain the "H" that is the first clue. Another clue to the H block is the taller intake plenum top.

Next you will need to match up the chassis numbers. They are the last five numbers of the VIN. According to the book "Original Ferrari V8", by Keith Bluemel, the Competizione chassis number are 96064-99143. You can find the chassis number stamped on the frame above the right hand shock tower, looking in the engine bay from behind.

ONLY if the engine block & chassis numbers match together it's the real deal. The reason I say this is that the '94 GTB/GTS models also had the H block. Another thing to look for is the cover for the steering wheel. It should have 348GT competizione stamped right on it, along with the what ever number out of 50 the car production it is. (Actually they made 56) So if it were number 45 the stamp would read (45/50) and it will be located directly under to crossed little flags that are also on the steering wheel cover, under the horn button. The flag on the left will have the Ferrari horse on it, and the flag on the right will be a checkered flag.

The car should also have the carbon fiber racing bucket seats, and the door inserts should be made out of carbon fiber, along with the bumpers. There are a couple of other things you can look for but those should be good for now.

 

Reportedly, car has CF hood, aluminum pedals and model specific wheels - Speedlines 18". Beautiful car. La Forza puts the value in the $60K range. These are the best of the 348 model. If you can get one at a decent price go for it. If you are thinking of importing to the US (I was) you really have to check out Federalization - I was budgeting about $20K. About the H engine, you ought to be able to note a significant height different in the intake runners/plenum, about 40mm. Man, I am so jealous!

 

If it is one of the 56 street comp. cars(special Edition for Euro only) it will have a special steering wheel with car number on the wheel, aluminum pedals, kevlar door sills, carbon doors and grate, kevlar frt and rr bumpers, F40 style seats, "348 Competizione" script on the rear RH side of the engine lid, the wheels are also different 18" 5 spoke than the std 348 wheel. As Ernie said it will have the H engine 320 hp vs 300. A fast way to tell an H engine is looking at the intake plenum its fatter than the 89-93 cars it also has 2 fins at the frt instead of 4 on the top of the plenum. IIRC they were all Red but I could be wrong on that. There was an article in Auto Italia Mag. in April 1999 on one of these. Regards, Vern

 

http://www.rmauctions.com/AuctionResults.cfm?SaleCode=AM07#

They made 11 Michelotto GT Competizione cars, one of which sold for $83K here, with only 2600km on the clock. This to me was a real sleeper of a deal. I'm having the car tracked down now to see what will buy it. Ed-at FOA has one, saw it this past week on the track at Roebling road. To quote Ed-it sounds like it's full of Marbles. As you an see I am a 348 fan...but the GT is a real race car.
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I'm a cash buyer at that price. I'm not even in the market for another 348, but if one of the 11 Ferrari race-history Michelotto (for real) 348's is on the market, well...call me.

I'll drift the wheels off of that car.

 

There are a bunch of differences really, but the hard part is pinning down what they all are! Here in the UK we got 8 in RHD and we owners have been trying to discover the truth for some time...as far as we know there were only 50 *official* street Competiziones - we do hear other numbers occasionally but no evidence to back them up. There have also been cases of GTBs being fitted with Competizione parts so they look the real deal, even if they aren't. Check for carbon seats, ECU covers, and sill plates. And check the sticky label in the door close, as far as I recall mine says Competizione on it.

Here's one of the UK spec cars which was up for sale recently http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/221228.htm

As far as I know all the street-spec Competiziones were red, so if that is a real GTC then it must have been resprayed, recarpeted, had the shields removed etc. Now that's possible, but would you do that to one of these very rare cars? My guess is it's a 348 Challenge.

cheers
CG

 

Sounds like a great car. Look forward to pics.

As above the competizione's where all red IIRC. The had special 17 in 3 piece wheels and special competizione steering wheel. The 320 hp 119H engine was used in '93 and '94 Euro GTB/GTS's.

The 18 in. speedlines were used in the '95 and '96 348 challenge race. I have not heard about a one off shell/momo 348. I would be interested to know more, so please post when you get the car.

Ferrari made a "street" challenge in '94. These were sold in the US market only. To my knowledge Ferrari did not sell a street challenge in Europe.

 

Hi Chris Its good to here some first hand info. Couple of questions, does your steering wheel # say ... of 56 or 50 I have heard both #s claimed as production figures. Your doors are composite too aren't they? That is why I mentioned the red car thing as I think the car in question here might not be real comp. car. Like you said why mess up a rare car. There are so many differences in your cars that it would be hard not tell a true one from a fake. Thanks for posting. Regards, Vern

 

My steering wheel says 42/50, and every other GTC wheel I've seen says #/50 too, but there are stories that there are a few additional cars out there...who knows if Ferrari slipped a few extra off the production line?

Yes the doors, seats, front and rear bumpers are all made of 'Kevlar and carbon, to achieve a remarkable weight reduction' to quote the owner's manual. As you can see from the attached photos, my car does not have drilled aluminium pedals - there is a theory that they only put these on the LHD cars, or maybe some owners just prefer the look? I'm tempted to get some myself actually.

The wheels are three-piece 18in Speedlines, (8Jx18 fronts and 10Jx18 rears) and these are different to the Speedlines used in the various 348/355 race series. The suspension is slightly different too, stiffer than the other European street cars by all accounts. I like to think of it as the spiritual predecessor of the Challenge Stradale

Orlando, your car sounds fantastic, and it wouldn't surprise me at all if Ferrari had made a one-off for somebody.
Hope you have fun with it.

cheers
CG
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Nice ride Chris. Thanks for posting the pics.