355 Race Technologies: Brembo GT Big Brake kit. 4-pot/355mm all around. Now or never.

Alright guys. I'm back at it again. I have a possible "budget" solution, which could lead into a viable option.

Giro Disc currently offers 2-piece rotor replacements for our fronts using the same OE calipers. However, they do not offer anything for the rears. They stated something along the lines of their current hat design not being able to accommodate the E-brake. Not enough clearance. So for now... you'll have to use OE rear rotors. IF there is enough demand, they would consider designing something for the rear.

https://www.************/Girodisc-Front-2-Piece-Floating-Rotors-for-Ferrari-348-F355_p_5511.html


The problem is, their 2-piece front rotors looks nothing like an OE rotor, so their is a matching issue. However, there is a way to make them look close to OE. Hats would be in silver, not blue (anodized) and they are willing to do a drilled set (without slots) to match OE drilled rotors. Hopefully, near exact replica. So from a distance, it would look very close to OE, but it will be 2-piece, thus lighter weight. OE front rotors are 300mm and weigh 19 lbs each. GD equivalent 2-piece rotor weighs 14 lbs each. 5 lbs savings per corner.

Thoughts?




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Here are OE Brembo drilled and non-drilled rotors.


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Sample of slotted/drilled custom GD rotor. We would request drilled or non-drilled. No slots for an OE look.


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Here's one they built for the 360. They mentioned they can do matching drilled hole sizes with OE rears.



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Sample of inside.


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I spoke with Martin at GD in length just today about the setup. I too would like a front and rear match, but there are complications with the rear due to parking brake clearance. I don’t know the technicalities of the issue in detail, but I’d suggest giving Martin a call if you have suggestions. He does believe it is possible, but at a cost, which most likely needs to be amortized over several units.

He doesn’t believe there’s a market for in 355 community. He could be right, but can’t say I didn’t try.

On a side note, there is a guy at GD who tracks his 348. He has the 2-piece fronts. He doesn’t feel the stock 300/310 mm rotor sizes are adequate for extensive/more serious track use. It would need to be 330mm+all around.

A 330mm Brembo Big Brake kit would be lighter all around vs standard. Lighter rotor and lighter caliper. Not significant, but the savings are there. I believe I posted the weights somewhere in this thread.

My main issue was Race Technologies wasn’t willing to paint “Ferrari” on the 4-pot F50 calipers. I’d have to figure out how to do that properly on my own and frankly, I don’t have the time for that right now.

I like the idea of these light-weight 2-piece OE replacements made for factory calipers for the road. They just have to look more OE.

I’m thinking if there is enough demand for the fronts, which they already need 10 pairs of orders to do, that might incentivize them to do the rears.

 

I just realized my first link to GD’s site for the 355 front replacement didn’t work. Here’s a pic of how they currently look.





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@INTMD8 keep in mind the rears are already slightly bigger than the fronts by 10mm. The next size up would be either 315 or 320mm rear, while the fronts are only 300. Could look funny.

 

If it were that easy, people wouldn’t be painting their stock 355 calipers like this …



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As far as I can tell, I don’t believe I’ve come across someone who successfully (properly) stenciled in “Ferrari” on their stock 355 calipers. What I mean by properly is, correct shade of white, exact font style and size, and correct positioning.

Most repainted calipers I’ve seen use a “Ferrari” sticker and clear-coated over. My current OE calipers are the same. Painted red with a black Ferrari sticker clear coated over. Personally, I think the font size on mine is off.

Here’s one Dave had Bradan do. You can see the Ferrari sticker protrude.




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A few things to know regarding Brembo GT brakes and painting them:


1. The standard Brembo logo is stenciled in. I mistakenly thought it was a sticker. In short, you can’t simply stencil in “Ferrari” over the “brembo” logo. You’d have to paint the caliper first.

2. After some discussion with Race Technologies, there are intricacies in painting calipers properly. There’s a method to the madness. Perhaps the way things are masked or what is removed, how it’s prepped/primered etc.. The little details that go into doing a proper and excellent job vs. doing them willy nilly. They explained to me, most shops don’t paint calipers properly. I don’t know these intricacies. It will take time for me to figure it out on my own. I won’t just send them to any shop either. These calipers go for about $1000 each. How do you want them done?

3. Race Technologies charges $600 to paint and re-logo (some change to a Brembo race logo) for the set. Their service is only offered one time when you first buy the calipers from them new. You can’t go back to them months later asking them to paint. It’s a one time offering, which expires when you walk out the door with the calipers/brake kit.

4. RT will only stencil a “Brembo” logo. They won’t do anyone else’s logo. They will paint the calipers whatever color you want as long as you provide them the color code.



Getting Brembo GT calipers done with a “Ferrari” logo properly takes some thought and effort. That’s if you care about the result of your $4k calipers + cost to paint/stencil. I do .


I’d first have to find a cheap/used F50 caliper to build a stencil off. I’d want exact font/size and positioning. A close color match (white) will help with the final OE look. If black logo, much easier. There are a million shades of white.


Here’s a brand new F50 caliper for $2500. That’s a hard pass for me. I need waaay cheaper .

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ferrari-F50-RH-Front-Brake-Caliper-Brake-Pads-NEW-165880-/120239606048?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l6249&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0

It might even take a few tries to get 95% close to OE, which is what I’m after. Then it’s about finding someone who can paint the calipers properly (not ruin them with missed spots or overspray).


So yeah… easy. Easier said than done . It can be done, but it will take time. I’d need to find a cheap F50 caliper before putting any effort into it.




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Here’s how a “Ferrari” logo on a caliper would most likely turn out if you simply take them to the nearest shop and don’t care for accurate results.


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That might actually help. As long as you're confident the stencil is a 99% match, that would actually save a ton of hassle. I'd definitely pay you for those stencils. Color (white) I'm going to assume is pretty close to the one on the 355 OE caliper, so at least I'll have a sample I can try to match.

The StopTechs to get are these. The StopTech logo is engraved. That will be a challenge to overcome.

https://www.vividracing.com/stoptech-trophy-sport-big-brake-kit-silver-caliper-slotted-2piece-rotor-rear-ferrari-rear-p-151615685.html

 

I'm one of those . The calipers have to be right before they even go on the car. Otherwise it's just too much of a hassle to install, then later remove, clean, repaint, re-logo etc... I need time. Time I don't have because I want my car back on the road. I have my car up in the air at the moment and I need to do something that will get me by in the meantime while I figure out this Brembo GT caliper dilemma. I can always switch the setup to my other car when I upgrade to the GT's. The current logo on my repainted OE calipers (done by previous owner) is driving me nuts .

The ones you bought, the guy did a great job actually. Was the logo painted or is that a sticker?

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/brembo-f355-front-and-rear-bbk.539985/

 

When that time comes, you're gonna want those OE perfect Ferrari stencils .

 

What could really help is if you can confirm the "Ferrari" logo is the exact same size/shape/spec as the one on the 355 OE caliper. If it is absolutely identical, that would make life much easier as I do have OE calipers in black I can use to build a stencil off. Once the stencil is created, it would simply be a matter of correct positioning/centering on the Brembo GT caliper.