I am not interested in driving fast

Yes, you heard right I am not interested in going fast. I knew this already. One of the most common questions I am asked is “How fast have you gone?” Most folks are disappointed when I tell them. I really don’t have any interest in going 150 or 160 in the car. Let me make a qualification. I like driving fast around the track. But straight line speed is not too great. Getting the car through corners fast is exciting. Decelerating so you can drive safely through the corner is exciting. Pinning the throttle on the straight not as fun.

Last night I attended the Formula 1 viewing party at Ron Tonkin GT. Had a great time. I had been somewhat hesitant about going. The combination of watching auto racing surrounded by Ferrari owners in the oldest Ferrari dealership struck me as a little too Ferrari. Like too much cologne or too much jewelry. A healthy dose of Ferrari sure, too much, nope. Next time I am going to bring my daughters. Both really like F1 and both root for Ferrari drivers.

I enjoyed talking with other owners about their cars. I did learn that I am probably overpaying for insurance on the Ferrari. We will see I have asked for a new quote.

Ferrari Value Forecast

I should write about not being interested in going really fast but instead I am going to gaze into my crystal ball and add my two cents about Ferrari pricing. I have noticed a few common themes on web sites dedicated to Ferraris. One of the most heated is the forecasting of future values of the cars.

Here is my projection. Some will go up in price. Most will go down in price until they hit some magical plateau, which currently seems to be just around the price of a nice Camry, then slowly follow inflation back up. Some cars will depreciate more slowly than other. Some cars will appreciate more quickly. The collectible cars are already astronomically expensive, rare, and unless you are really lucky, unobtainable.

Not much help huh.

I don’t think there are any great Ferrari values out there right now. 355s, 360s and 430 are all depreciating. 348s going down but not as fast. I take that back. I think 348 and 355 Challenge cars represent a good value. 348 Challenges seem to be selling for slightly more than their road going cousins and 355 Challenges for slightly less. You see the same with 360 Challenge cars but I think they will continue to depreciate. I figured I would lose some money on my car. For me, it’s not an investment. It’s a car. It's a car that provides significant enjoyment value per dollar spent.

Money well spent.

I really like driving on the track

Our weather report calls for seven days of rain. I know I cannot trust the forecast this time of year so there might be rain for two days or 12 days. Who knows? Yesterday I spent some quality time cleaning all the track dirt off the Ferrari. Even though I did not set out to buy any particular Ferrari in my eyes the 355 is one of the best proportioned and sensuous cars ever produced. It cleaned up pretty nicely.

I did have a bit of red neck moment. I had pushed Max, my son, outside in his wheelchair. Max does not like sudden loud noises so I thought, “the car is pretty light and our driveway pretty flat, I will just push it out.” No problem getting it rolling. In about three seconds it was going faster than I expected. I had the door closed to get it out of the garage so I ran around behind it and stopped it. It stopped easily enough but I won’t try that again. It would end up in my neighbors landscaping before it got too far but I think it is better not to test that thesis.

I really enjoyed driving on the track. In many ways it reminds me of riding my bike on a velodrome. Smooth, fast, predictable, and existing for a singular purpose. While you could you would not want do to a long relaxing ride around the velodrome. Same thing with the track. Everyone there shares a common mission. Learn to drive fast, understand their car, improve themselves. What’s more they all go in the same direction and no one is talking on their phone while driving. Someday, probably soon I will own a dedicated track car. I believe I will be happier driving fast on the track a handful of times a year than driving relatively slowly around town. The Ferrari and possibly the Porsche may be replaced by some sort of track car.

In contrast today I took the Ferrari out for a drive. Even going slightly over the speed limit I was aggressively tailgated by a station wagon, minivan, and old mustang. I appreciate them wanting a better look at the car but at 60 on the freeway I would feel more comfortable with more than 10 feet between our cars. What I did not do was step on the gas and leave them behind, as fulfilling as that would be I am trying to be a more mature driver. Eventually they will get bored, pass me and bother someone else.

Hey, I'm a better driver

Today I realized I am a better driver. I learned something, probably several somethings during the track day. I don’t think I can tell you exactly what I learned but I am better able to drive my car. This realization came home when driving the Porsche to Home Depot to get some paint. If you remember I had decided that the Porsche no longer cut it as a sports car. That feeling is gone. Driving it today was bliss. Sure it lacks power but it is so direct and provides so much feedback. It was a joy to drive around. I am back to really liking it. Don’t know if I will keep it but I am really liking it.

My new found understanding of how and corresponding ability to manage a car during cornering is what has rekindled my love of the Porsche.

Now the downside. I could have learned so much more. If you take a driving class listen to your driving instructor. I left a bunch of potential learning on the table. Tony kept saying “get on the gas, get on the gas, quit coasting” as we were going through turns. At that time I knew we were at the limit. I was wrong we were nowhere near the limit. Today driving the 911 I smoothly and quickly went through a turn by my house more quickly than I have ever done before. I was not even thinking about it. I glanced at the turn, mentally calculated my speed, decided not to downshift and went gracefully through. I had no intention to go fast, was not in a hurry, was not trying to speed or do anything except get paint. Exiting the turn I looked at the speedo. I was going to fast. I slowed down. I had no idea. My internal threshold for cornering speed has been significantly raised. I realize I am going to have to pay more attention to the speedometer in the car.

What would it be like if I had listened to Tony? Where would my threshold be? Listen to your instructor. They know more about your car’s ability than you do. When I go back, more gas.

Don't ask too much of your car

Don’t ask your car to do too many things at one time. Sounds simple enough. When you think about it there are really only four things you can ask of a car. Speed up, slow down, turn, maintain speed. I seldom use my brakes when driving on the road. Yes, of course I use them to stop at red lights and stop signs, but I usually drive at a speed where I can safely get through corners without braking. At the track the very first thing I learned is you have to use your brakes to slow down for corners. If not you are either going slow or you are going to end up in the grass or tire wall.

What you don’t want to do is ask the car to slow down and turn simultaneously. Get all the slowing and gear changing done with the car going straight. Settle the car then turn. Why? Turning unsettles the car, braking unsettles the car, shifting unsettles the car. Together, these unsettling events reduce the speed at which you can safely get through a corner.
On approaching a corner just ask the car to slow down and get in the right gear. When you have the right speed, a speed you can maintain to the apex of the corner, and the right gear you can turn. Before you turn you have to be off the brakes and give the car an instant to settle down. Now you ask the car to turn and maintain speed. At the apex you start to unwind the turn and add speed.

Easy stuff but watch other folks when you drive around. Most people are on their brakes when turning not getting off the brake until they are well past the apex of the turn.

I have been driving too fast

When I drive too quickly on the road I feel guilty. I will have a funny feeling in my stomach and tell myself I am not doing that again. Please understand. I drive slowly on the street. I don’t take silly chances, speed, or show off – usually. I remember about two years ago I was driving our 911 down a nice road by our house, having fun. Top was down, it was sunny. Great day for a drive. I came around a bend and there was a photo radar station. No chance to slow down. My speed flashed up on the screen 39 MPH. Uh oh I thought. Until I noticed the posted speed limit was 45. I was going six miles per hour under the speed limit. You get the point.

After my time on the track I have an even greater appreciation of how dangerous driving on the road it. Traffic is coming at you, people drive too close to one another, people talk on phones while driving, and the road surface is uneven. Add all that up and you have a dangerous, uncontrolled environment. I left the track with a greater appreciation of how little change in road surface affect handling. How unexpected patches of water, gravel, or uneven pavement effect the balance and control of the car.

I admit to having a few corners by my house that I like to go through quickly. In hindsight I was lucky each time. No soap box. Just a new found respect for speed, balance, and all the variables that effect control.

A note to end. When I left the track I had not guilty feeling. I felt great. Going fast in a controlled environment is loads of fun. I did drive in the slow lane the whole way home to re-acclimate myself with regular speeds.

More car than driver

Let’s see. What was next on my list? My car has more potential than I am capable of harnessing. As you know I believe the driver is the most important part of the car/driver equation. In my case I am the weak link. The capacity of a 10 year old Ferrari 355 exceeds my driving ability so greatly that I would have to do something truly stupid to exceed the cars ability.

When Tony and I were going through turns he kept saying more gas, more gas. At the time I could not imaging applying more gas. Were the tires squealing? Was the car feeling loose? No. The car was flat and solid, the tires silent. Tony said more than once, the car has a lot more to give. He was right. My internal calculations of what a car can do are not calibrated to the Ferrari. I was close to picking the right line and was rolling on the throttle smoothly but I stopped well before the car was close to reaching its threshold.

I had several reasons for taking the driving course. One was to safely explore the limits of the car. I didn’t get there. I safely explored the limits of what I was capable. I wanted to improve my ability to drive the car. Job done there. I feel I greatly improved some of my fundamental driving skills. I will take another class and bet I see even greater improvement from the second class.

What will I do differently? Trust the car, listen to the instructor, push myself. I know this is verging into the “listen to your instructor” point. There were a few, fleeting moments when I got it right. Tony would immediately say “Did you feel that? Did you feel how the car unwinds more quickly when you are on the gas?” Yes, I did feel it. I tried to duplicate it but there was an invisible barrier in my head which was difficult to get through.

The video below is from the fourth session with me trying second in the chicane.

First Track Day

The next few posts will focus on the lessons I took away from yesterdays track day. In an attempt not to forget anything I made a list.

1. The driver is the most important component in the car
2. My car has far more potential than I am capable of harnessing
3. After leaving the track driving on the road seems dangerous and uncontrolled
4. Don’t ask your car to do too many things at one time
5. Listen to your driving instructor
6. I really like driving on the track
7. I am not interested in top speed
8. I am a timid, conservative driver
9. I will really benefit from more instruction
10. Subarus and Miatas can go really fast
11. Ferraris were built for tracks

I may add a few more items as I write but I think that is about it. Overall, the track day was a fun, exciting, learning experience. I unequivocally recommend it to anyone who drives. I will enroll my daughters when they are old enough and am lobbying Barb to take a course.

When I think about it I have had no driving instruction for almost 25 years. My dad taught me to drive in a yellow Mazda or Datsun, can’t remember which, pickup that was half bondo and had a garden hoses in the engine bay. You could shift it smoothly with or without the clutch. I was 13 and spending the summer with my dad in Hawaii, later that year my new found skills were put to a test when I drove my Grandmother’s farm truck 60 miles through the Missouri countryside in support of a raft trip I was taking with my uncle and cousins. My sister and I drove behind my uncle so we would not get lost. I had a bit more trouble with the transmission on Grandma’s truck and left it in second for most of the drive.

Since that summer I have not had any real driving instruction. Sorry tax payers, high school driving classes in California in the 80s do not count as driving instruction. I learned some things the hard way. Don’t lift or brake in the middle of a corner. Try to enter a corner at a speed you can carry all the way through. If you don’t know the road, go slow. Accelerate out of turns not into them.

I arrived at PIR around 7:45. It was an overcast, cold, grey Portland day. I was not nervous. I have been to PIR around 50 times to race my bike so the track is a familiar place for me. I picked up my helmet and went to the classroom. We had about 45 minutes of classroom discussion prior to our first on track session. The classroom discussion revolved around vehicle dynamics and picking correct line. The instructor went out of his way to make us feel comfortable. For about ½ of the class this was the first time on the track.

When I pulled on my helmet and sat in the car I got that nervous, excited feeling I get before speaking to a large group. I was nervous enough that I fogged up the visor on the helmet and had to put it up so I could see where I was going. We lined up in a staging area in two groups of six and one group of four. I was sandwiched between an Aston Martin V8 Vanquish and a sinister looking black Corvette. Leading our group was an instructor in a Miata. We would go solo on this first lap, no instructor. Once we were underway no problem. Nerves were gone. We were led at a pace which seemed quick at first but after a few laps was very comfortable. Part way through I realized I did not even have to brake at this speed. Later I would recognize these first laps for what they were. A slow, safe introduction to the track.

Oddly, I was the most nervous after this session was over. Can’t tell you why. There was a short classroom discussion to familiarize everyone with the meaning of the different flags then we were into the cars with our instructors. As mentioned earlier I requested an instructor who was familiar with Ferraris. I hindsight I am sure any of the instructors would have been excellent. Maybe just a bit of pompous Ferrari owner peeking out.

There was an 80 mph speed limit imposed during the second session. I admit to breaking it once or twice. Even Tony, my instructor, was saying “more gas, more gas” when we were over the 80 mph limit. That first session was an eye opener. I had no idea the car would grip so well. I also had no idea you can roll back on the gas so early in a turn. The course consisted of four 15 minute sessions with an instructor giving you advice on line, breaking, balance, throttle input, etc. By the third session I felt much more confident and ready to expand my driving limit. I must be honest. I never pushed the car’s limit. Not even close. Even during the last session, in the rain, Tony was still saying, “more gas, unwind the wheel, more gas”. I thought we were at the limit. In a way we were. My internal traction control system had kicked in.

When all the sessions were over I realized I didn’t have the funny, butterflies in my stomach feeling I usually get after driving fast. Why? Because at no time did I feel at risk. At no time did I feel I was doing something dangerous or well, wrong. I felt safe and in control even when cornering fast in the rain.

Here is a question. Common wisdom seems to be driving exotic cars in the rain is bad and driving them on the track is bad. What about driving them on the track in the rain?

So to tackle the first of my take aways; the driver is the most important component in the car/driver equation. It is probably more accurate to say in most situations the driver is the most important component. Important can be interpreted in a number of ways. For this discussion let’s interpret it as getting around a track quickly.

Here are my thoughts. A driver is only able to extract as much performance from a car as that driver’s mixture of skill and experience allow. Further, the capacity of most cars exceeds the ability of most drivers and car capacity is a fixed amount. In other words a car’s capacity remains fixed no matter who is driving it. Certainly some people drive beyond their limit and are unscathed but my hunch is if they were to drive around any course, a track, their neighborhood or even a freeway off ramp, several times driving beyond their limit would catch up with them.

But wait you say, “Your Ferrari is faster than my BWM, I would never be able to keep up with you.” Maybe in a straight line my Ferrari and I would be willing and able to go faster than you and your BMW. But what about turning, braking, accelerating, picking the right line. You are the better driver I bet I won’t be unable to keep up. Why, because your ability as a driver off sets the greater ability of my car. I admit this argument breaks down at its extremes, I think I could beat Alanzo around a track if he were on a John Deer rider mower and I were in my Ferrari, but I think it is valid in most cases.

Here is how I think the relationship between car and driver works. As driver skill increases the drivers the difference between the ultimate capacity of the car and the realized capacity of the car decreases. Will a poor driver be able to go faster in a fantastic car than in a mediocre one? Sure, the overall equation is effected by the cars capacity, but the great driver will make much more of both cars than the poor driver. Overall capability is always less than total capacity of the car. How much less depends on how good the driver is in relation to the car. In my case, overall capacity is far below the capacity of the car.

Track Day

I will write about this later. I tried to pick the part that made me look at least some what competent and left out the parts where I was being passed:)

New Improved Camera Mount

Added an extension to the camera mount today and, based on my checks through the view finder in the garage this should do it. The camera lens is just below my eye level or just about where most drivers would be. I checked in with the folks at ProDrive to ensure they had no camera restrictions beyond SCCA rules – the framework I used – and they did not. Should be perfect to capture my driving greatness. Probably going to capture a bunch of embarrassing moments as I tiptoe around the track like the old, cautious person I am.

My guess is it will rain on Wednesday. There goes my “never in the rain” claim that so many owners make with exotic cars. Well since that claim will be out the window, Barb and I took the car out yesterday and got caught in rain, hail, and snow. It was beautiful when we left the house, five minutes later, rain, then slushy hail, then snow, then rain, then sun. I admit I was uncomfortable. I can’t tell you why. When I wash the car it gets wet. I have driven it in the rain before. I even drove it once when it was snowing. Why does this bother me? It does seem to bother the car. Just after the rain started the “SLOW DOWN” light flickered briefly. I have read that one common cause of the “SLOW DOWN” light is dampness interfering with the sensors attached to the catalytic converters. I hope this does not impact my track day.

Camera Mount Test

Tested my camera mount this morning.

Do not watch this video if you want to see a Ferrari tearing around on city streets. I drove very slowly.

I had a hunch the camera was too low and it is. Today I will see if I can get a longer stalk for the arm the camera is mounted on. I am also going to fashion a tether to keep the camera from becomming a missle if it does happen to come loose.

What it looks like if you are in a Ferrari but only four feet tall.

Ferrari 355 Camera Mount

Today I fashioned the camera mount for next Wednesday’s Drivers Ed/Track day. I abandoned my initial idea to mount a bar between the rear windows and affix the camera to the bar even though I had already purchased a spring loaded bar which fit between the rear windows. It was not a bad idea but I feared I would not be able to keep the camera level and the ProDrive folks might not approve it for use on the track.

My next idea was much better but required more work.

Not an unusual combination. The glove box on a 355 is between the seats at about shoulder level. It is held in place by three bolts. I removed the glove box and fashioned a mounting plate using which made use of the brackets for the glove box. I covered the mounting plate in a black felt fabric which matched the black carpet in the car. An adjustable arm bolted to the mounting plate allows me to position the camera where I want it. The installation looks nice, my opinion, and is very solid. I wanted to test it but today it was snowing and hailing for most of the day. Spring time in Oregon.

Three Ferrari Things

Yesterday while surrendering to the short in the car I realized no matter how much it costs to fix, no matter how much I spend on maintenance I will not regret buying this car. Sure I might have a fleeting twinge but I will not regret it. I realized something else. According to the owner’s manual the gauges, speedometer, tach, etc share the circuit with the license plate bulbs.

The gauges still work? I am glad I am surrendering.

While searching through the owner’s manual I came upon the following gem.

“Warning
Always remove the ignition key when leaving the car in order to avoid risk to passengers remaining in the car who may accidentally operate the window switches.”

Good advice. I can think of other reasons to remove the key…

I am going to end this post with some words of advice from a past Ferrari owner.

“I figured I'd try again before I forget.(all of this happened to me..)

Do not buy a Ferrari if:

You mind people slowing down on the freeway to get a good look at the Ferrari.

You mind people speeding up on the freeway to get a good look at the Ferrari.

You mind total strangers taking pictures of the Ferrari as though she was a supermodel.

You mind total strangers taking videos of the Ferrari on the freeway. (see 1 and 2)

You mind pedestrians or other fellow drivers yelling, "Open her UP!", "Floor it!" or making accelerator gestures with their hands.

You mind cars revving their engines at you at a stop light.

You mind jokes that reference Mustaches, Aloha shirts or "Magnum, P.I." in general.

You mind topsiders, unconstructed pastel sport coats or other "Miami Vice" jokes.

You mind questions about what you do for a living.

Do buy a Ferrari if:

You don't mind any of the above.

You bought the Keychain first, knowing the car would follow.

The sound of a flat plane crank engine negates the need of a stereo.

You know you're just taking care if it for the next "Piloti"

You're already planning the 2nd one. (a V12)

You don't mind full engine out 30k Mile service, and plan to do it yourself, next time!-

NV

former caretaker of #2635, waiting for my next Italian girlfriend to come into my life!”

How to finance a nasty sports car habit

I had a good idea. I went to the Ricambi site, found the parts catalog for a 5.2 Motronic 355 and looked up the part diagram for the license plate light. Ah ha. A wiring diagram. Well kinda. More like a top view of the car with some lines that show the routes of various wire bundles. Anyway the wire I am interested in runs from just above the license plate around the engine on the passenger side then behind the passenger bulkhead to the center tunnel. From there it runs under the ashtray and up into the dash.
Maybe I nicked the wires when I was installing my new ashtray. After I tucked the kids in I went into the garage, set up my shop light, we have terribly weak lighting in our garage, and took the ashtray out. No luck. The wires are well below and too the side of the screw that holds the ashtray in.

Uncle. Ron Tonkin it is all yours. I surrender.

I have been thinking about different ways of financing my sports car habit. I am toying with the idea of starting a business which makes carbon fiber bits for Ferraris, Porsches, and Lamborghinis. Not gaudy dash covers or speaker grills but functional pieces that improve the performance of the car. That’s not much of a business plan but you get the idea. The business supports a couple of my interests; cars and manufacturing and allows me the opportunity to play with a bunch of interesting cars and interact with interesting people.

I don’t want to stress my current company with the growth or profitability goals necessary to support my habit. I would rather risk a breaking a new venture than breaking a successful little company.

Seven days and counting

I am one week from my first drive on the track. The forecast is for showers. Initially, I was hoping for sunny weather but this is Oregon and I expect I will learn more driving the car in the wet than on a dry track. Certainly I will not have a chance to push the car to its ultimate performance edge. That is probably for the best considering this is my first time on the track and I am a petty cautious driver.

I know from experience that the car does really well in wet, even snowy conditions. I also know from experience that if the rear end gets away from you on a wet road you are in for a wild ride. So, assuming, it rains next Wednesday my focus will be on picking the correct line, gentle application of the throttle, and driving delicately. Not really a bad set of things to practice. Now my instructor may have different ideas so we will see.

I am working on mounting a camera in the car so I can record the session. I have tried a few different homemade mounts that did not work. I have another idea that I am going to try this weekend. There are not many (any) good spots to mount a camera in the 355 so I am forced to improvise.

Our 911 needs a new clutch. The car has 78K miles on it and is still on the first clutch. Before the Ferrari this would have been a no brainer. Put in a new clutch. Opt for a lightweight flywheel to make the engine more responsive and go happily on my way. Now I have a dilemma. I am not sure I will keep the 911 after my year with the Ferrari. If I put in the lightweight flywheel I think I reduce the total pool of potential owners. Our 911 is a great example of a very clean, slightly modified 911 C2 Cabriolet. From my perspective the new flywheel is a positive but it will make the car a bit more engaging. If I am trying to sell it I don’t want prospective owners stalling if a few time in my driveway during their test drives.

Unfortunately, the lightweight and regular flywheels are almost identical in price. The labor is slightly higher to put in the lightweight flywheel but not appreciably different. Right now I am leaning towards the lightweight version. If I keep the car I would want the lighter flywheel. If I eliminate some percentage of potential owners so be it.

Why opt for the lightweight version. If you have driven the 964 variant of the 911 you know that it takes a while for the big flat 6 to spool up. The flywheel in the car weighs 29 pounds. If you position the car perpendicular to the rotational axis of the earth in such a way that the flywheel is rotating in the opposite direction the earth is spinning you can slightly increase the rotational speed of the earth. If you own C2 please do not do this too often as you will change the storm patterns in both hemispheres.

The next Ferrari

I was planning a trip to Wilsonville today to help a client. I arrived at the client site a bit early, about three hours early actually. I forgot they don’t open until noon so I made a side trip to Lamborghini Portland, formerly Gran Prix Imports to see a 430 coupe they have in stock and kill some time. I have only sat in one 430, right at the beginning of my quest for a Ferrari. I was smitten by that car, months ago. I was equally smitten today but, being a jaded Ferrari owner, by different things.

A 430 is a Ferrari for Americans. This is code for a Ferrari bigguns fit in. The seats are supersized, softer and much wider than the seats in my 355. What more the bolsters adjust to allow someone of my width to fit in the car. Even at the widest setting I don’t fit between the bolsters of the 355. There is plenty of room in the 430 for my knees and noggin. Maybe the numbers 348, 355, 360, 430, 456, 550, and 612 secretly relate to pant size. I can’t fit in a 348 but if I skip breakfast and exhale I can squeeze into my 355. 360 no problem, 430 room to grow. I bet I could eat at Mortons three times a week and fit in a 612.

Visually, I like the front and rear of the 430. I know that sounds odd but the nose and tail of the car are stunning. The middle is not bad either but not remarkably different than the 360. The tail of the car is more evocative of past Ferraris than the 360. I appreciate designs that build upon a historically precedent. I think the 430 does this more elegantly than the 360.

I have been thinking about my next Ferrari. If you remember the fellow at the gas station asked “So, what do you get next?” When I first contemplated buying a Ferrari I admit I thought it would be a one year fling then back to the Porsche. Now I bounce between keeping the 355, buying a new Ferrari, or selling the Ferrari and the Porsche and just driving my truck. The last sounds extreme but why go backwards? After the Ferrari I don’t think I want a “lesser” car. Unfortunately, lesser means just about all other cars, so I may just keep the truck. The if I can’t have it all I don’t want anything strategy.

Still shorted

This evening I decided to make another run at the short. Yesterday I bought a multimeter so I could better isolate the circuit at fault. Before starting I made the mistake of looking up the cost of new gauges, about $3600 for the set. I don’t imagine the gauges are causing the short, looking up the price just a bit of macabre entertainment.

I laid out a moving blanket, some tools, and my new multimeter, which looks just like the multimeter my dad had when I was a kid. I decided against a fancy one with a digital display and got an old fashioned on with a needle. I removed the license plate light assembly and bulbs. Presto, continuity. Like I thought, or anyway like I hoped, there is a short somewhere on this circuit. What I still don’t know is if the license plate bulbs and the gauge bulbs are on the same circuit. For now I am going to assume they are not.

I worked my way back up the wire to a junction, disconnected the junction and tested the upstream end. Again the multimeter read a short. I continued working my way up the wire. Unfortunately, the air intake began to get in the way. I removed a small side panel and pulled the hose connecting the air filter box to the intake on the side of the car, behind the passenger’s ear. The hose is flexible and made out of fabric. Strange, further it takes an odd route from the intake vent near the front of the engine to the air filter box at the rear. I followed the bundle of wires as far as I could before they disappeared into the car. I did not find anything that looked or felt like a short.

Oh well, into the dealer. My only hitch came when putting the car back together. The panel I removed was held on with three allen head bolts. Each had a washer and I dropped the washer from the last bolt into the engine bay. On a regular car this would not be a big deal. The washer would bounce off the exhaust manifold and land on the garage floor. In the Ferrari it lands on the tray that runs from the front to the back. I considered leaving it there to fall out the next time I drove but that did not seem right so I took a coat hanger bent it straight and fished it out. Barb gave me an odd look as I went back into the garage with the coat hanger.

With the car back together I decided to test the circuit again at the license plate bulb. No short. Fantastic, maybe my wiggling of wires had temporarily fixed it. Then I remembered I had not reconnected the junction. Still shorted.

A reason not to buy a Ferrari

Do not buy a Ferrari if you are bothered by people you don’t know starting conversations with you about the car, the brand, and Ferrari history. If you do buy a Ferrari, study a bit. You will feel better being reasonable able to answer questions and you will have some interesting conversations with people you would otherwise not meet.

If you are an unmarried woman looking to meet men. Buy a Ferrari. The past few times I have driven the car guys have walked up and started talking with me about it. Drive a Ferrari to Home Depot or the grocery store, your trip will take twice as long as it should, and you will have a nice conversation with complete strangers.

I need to get away from paying homage to the car but looking at it today under cloudy skies it was absolutely beautiful. The color reflects the gray and graphite blue in a way that brings out the light blue hues in the paint. It looked fantastic. Better than on a sunny day. While red or yellow Ferraris are certainly showier I think silver is the color for me and possibly the best color on a 355.

Back to work

I spend significantly more time sitting on my bike trainer looking at the Ferrari than I do sitting in the Ferrari looking at the road. Today I did both. Finally, good weather in Portland. I almost wussed out and drove the Porsche. Not sure why. I think I was a bit intimidated to drive the Ferrari. I was also worried about parking it in the garage at work. I hid the car between two decoys, a Honda and a Subaru.

The parking lot attendant in our garage likes the car. The first day I had it I drove it to work.

“How much did this car cost?”

“Not as much as you might think.”

“It is new?”

“No, a 98.”

“Looks like a new car.”

“Tell me, how much did you pay?”

“Just over seventy thousand.”

“Seventy thousand for a car! You can buy a house for less than that.”

Now he tells people the car is his. He lets them take pictures but not get to close.

“Get away from my car.”

I could not ask for a better guy.

Every other time I drive the Ferrari to work the “SLOW DOWN” light comes on as I drive home. I think the car is trying to tell me something.

“Don’t drive me to work, what do you think I am? A sedan? A minivan? I deserve better than

this.”

Anyway on the drive home the slowdown light came on at almost exactly the same spot where it appeared the first day I had the car, and the only other time it has come on. Literally, within ten feet. Maybe it does not like that particular set of coordinates. The light went off within a few seconds.

Today I took the car on a long drive through the country. While driving I thought about the sacrifices I am making to have the car. I feel like I have to work more and harder. While I bounce back and forth between keeping and not keeping the car I always feel I have to pay for it. To make matters worse, I hate debt so paying for it means writing a check. I am sure there are many Ferrari owners who were able to simply write a check for their cars without any problem. Unfortunately, I am not one of them. For me to write that check I have to work a lot harder. Even when I am in “sell the car” mode I am still working harder.

The other sacrifice has been in time on the bike. For many years I have been a bicyclist. Now I have to choose, drive the car or ride the bike. Today I chose drive the car even though I had just come from a bicycle race my company helps sponsor. To make matters worse working more also cuts into riding time. I miss being on the bike but have a hunch that driving the car on the track may, just for those moments, compensate.

Settling the bet

To settle the bet between Brian and Carl. Carl, I secretly decided to take this car to my grave 30 seconds after I bought it. I still have not figured out how to it but there you are. I think Brian won.

Cheers.

d

Even getting touch up paint is fun

This morning I was in NE Portland for a meeting with a client. I was close enough to Ron Tonkin’s Ferrari Dealership that I decided to stop by and see if they had any touchup paint for the 355. I have a love hate relationship with the paint on the car. The color is great and the paint beautiful on the surfaces that do not have to face any road debris. However, the lower hood, fronts edges of the front fenders, and mirrors have taken a beating. My 911 has 78 thousand miles on it. It has far fewer paint chips than the Ferrari with 51 thousand fewer miles. The paint on the 355 is amazingly thin. Don’t get me wrong it is not poor quality; it is not a bad paint job. It is just thin paint.

Every other day I admire the ethic that creates such a beautiful, purpose driven machine then, instead of covering it in an inch of deep lustrous paint applies just the thinnest of veneers. Beautiful paint does not make it go faster or turn better.

The thin paint gave me an excuse to go to Tonkin. It looks like a previous owner tried to touch of a few chips with the wrong color of silver. I understand I had the color wrong to start with too. Steve was working, called their service center, found me some paint and had one of their guys drive it over. In the mean time we looked at a F40, 599, and 456 that were parked in their garage and a Radical that was on the showroom floor. I have not seen an F40 in person in several years. What a fantastic car. It is the embodiment of a sports car distilled to its barest functions. The utter lack of leather and carpet, of any nod to comfort or fashion make the car what it is. A tool designed to go really, really fast.

After chatting with Steve I drove to their service center and talked to one of the guys there regarding the fuse on the 355. “Bring it to us, we will fix it.” was his recommendation. I think that probably what I will do. I doubt my ability to quickly find the short or problem and don’t want to end up with pieces of the Ferrari spread all over the garage.

Vanilla Wafer Pudding

Inexplicably my tinkering with the dash and license plate bulbs has fixed the sticky fuel lid. I know the two systems have nothing to do with one another. Well, I think the two systems have nothing to do with one another and I cannot fathom how my messing with the dash or the lights would have any effect on the fuel lid but it now works perfectly. So, my efforts were not completely in vain.

Today I tried a new approach. Kevin, the 360 owner I went on the wine country drive with, suggested removing all the bulbs, putting in a new fuse, and adding bulbs until the fuse blew. This way if the short was in one of the bulbs I could find it and replace the bulb. I had already put the dash back together so I tried this approach with the license plate bulbs. No luck. However, motivated by Kevin’s more thoughtful and scientific approach I tried the exterior light switch in different positions. The fuse will not blow immediately if the exterior lights are off. This leads me to conclude that the short is between the lights and the relay. Maybe.
If you notice a sudden increase in the stock price of companies making fuses you know what is causing it.

After my lack of success with the electrical problem I decided wax the hood and front fender. I purchased a bottle of Zymol last week and have been slowly working my way around the car. I did not think different brands of wax would have such a large difference. I used good wax before but you can see the difference. Further, Zymol smells like banana vanilla wafer pudding. I love banana vanilla wafer pudding but ate too much when I was young and have not been able to eat it since. Luckily the smell brings back only fond memories.

Let’s talk about writing for a moment. I have written just over 41000 words and think I have a good template for the chapters in the book. I will take a crack at writing the chapter about searching for the car. I don’t think this will be the first chapter but one whose content should not change dramatically between now and end of this experiment.

Still Broken

I was right. I did not fix whatever is causing the fuse to blow and my instrument lights to not work. I picked up a packet of 7.5 AMP fuses, put one in, turned the key far enough to provide power to the headlights but not so far as to start the motor. No instrument lights. I checked it was blown. I put another in, the pulled it back out to check it. Still intact, I put it back in and turned the key again. I did not turn the lights on. When I checked the fuse it was also blown. Gonna have to think about this one.

Removing the Instrument Pod

I couldn’t wait. I read some articles about removing the instrument panel and it did not sound that hard, so this morning, right after I made a cup of coffee I went into the garage, set up my shop light and went to work. Actually, I could not wait until the coffee was done. I ground the beans, set the shop light up, went back in the house and poured boiling water into the French press, back to the garage to find and remove the two screws holding the instrument pod in place, back in the house to press the coffee.

To remove the instrument pod, a leather covered module that holds the instrument panel, you remove two screws, lift the end facing you up, pivoting the back down to free it from a bracket. I had to use two different screwdrivers because the one I started with was too long to fit between the windshield wiper control and the dash.

Both articles I read recommending turning off the power to the car prior to starting this project. Notice, I did not say disconnect the battery. No, in the 355 you turn a knob, the same one I found when looking for the fuse box to “off”. This knob is hidden under a panel in the trunk. I turned the power off before starting.

I also took the precaution of covering the steering column with a cloth to protect it from scratches. The steering column is covered with two trim pieces made from the silly putty rubber product that Ferrari used on the interior of the 355. I am sure this product had some redeeming features at one time if it still does they are lost one me. In spite of my precautions I did scratch the top of the steering column. You wouldn’t notice it if you were not looking. Unfortunately, I will notice it every time I drive the car. I had planned on replacing the lower of the two panels, now I get to replace both. The material they are made of is so soft you could scratch it by covering it with terry cloth and yelling at it.

In the manual version of the 355 there are six different wiring connectors you have to remove. Luckily they are all different so you don’t have to mark them as you disconnect them. After a minute of two of fiddling they come apart pretty easily. At this point you have a Ferrari with a big hole in the dash with wires hanging out. Looks like you stole it and are parting it out to pay for drugs. Not the most flattering look for the car.

Anyway, I looked at the ground. It was not really “behind” the vent. It was behind and to the side of the vent. Enough so that my big fingers would never be able to get to it. The ground was fine. I assumed it was since the gauges still worked and I figured they would be connected to the same ground. I messed with all the wires looking for corrosion, burns, or any other weird stuff but found nothing. I loosened the screws that connect the lighting rheostat to gauges and made sure they were making a good connection.

Before connecting the wiring and putting the instrument in place I cleaned and conditioned the leather. Easy disassembly is a blessing of a mostly handmade car. I doubt I fixed the problem. Unfortunately, I don’t have a 7.5 AMP fuse to test my work with. Later I will go the hardware store and pick one up.

Fuse still blown

The fuse I replaced last week has also blown. Is it correct to say a fuse blew? Not sure. In any case the instrument lights still do not work. To add insult to injury the lid that covers the gas cap is no longer popping open. To open the gas lid you push a button on the central console, a little pin retracts, and a spring forces the lid open. The lid on the Ferrari now requires a bit of coaxing to open. My hunch is the spring not longer has the spring to open the door. I cannot find just the spring for sale. I can buy the entire hinge assembly for $72 but I would like to try to fix it myself before just replacing the whole thing. I don’t think the electo – magnet (Ferrari’s term) is bad because the pin holding the door closed is retracting the door just does not pop open.

Back to the fuse. The instrument lights are on the same circuit with the license plate lights. Since it appeared to be a lot easier to check the license plate lights than remove the instrument panel I started with them. No luck. I was hoping to find a frayed wire partially welded to the rear bumper. Nope everything was in good shape. I took the time to clean all the sooty exhaust buildup off the bulbs, lenses, and bracket, but still have an electrical problem somewhere.
A bit of online research points the possibility of a grounding problem with the ground for the instrument panel lights. Unfortunately the ground appears to be located behind a vent with no convenient or even inconvenient access from below. I can get to the ground by removing the vent or the instrument panel. Neither seem like good options to me. I am toying with the idea of calling Dick Gutherie at ADT and asking him to fix it while I play spectator. I know the saying about mechanics charging double if you get to help. Given the number of questions I would ask double seems reasonable.

When I was at the gas station on Tuesday having the Ferrari filled up a fellow walked up and commented that “Grigio” as a great color on the car. He had just purchased a Maserati Quattroporte in black.

“So you have a Ferrari, what are you going to get next?” he asked.

“Good question and something I have thought a bit about.” I said. “I have driven a Gallardo, but not doubt it would be a good next car.”

Frankly, I don’t know what I will get next. I think I will cycle through a series of cars, but there is a problem with owning a Ferrari. Most other makes are a step down.

Ferrari Versus Porsche Take 1

I believe I have answered one of my original questions. “Will the 911 continue to cut it as a sports car after having the Ferrari?” Before I answer that question let me reverse something I said earlier. Not fun to drive to the grocery store? I take it back. This car is great to drive anywhere. Sure you can’t go fast or utilize its full potential but you can enjoy the other wonderful qualities of the car.

As you may have guessed I drove the car to the grocery store and bought two pints of ice cream. Actually it was frozen yogurt but the idea is the same. It turns out that my labors with the fuse box did not fix my dash lights. I was worried there might be a bigger problem. In my experience fuses seldom just blow usually there is something else afoot. I have yet to check the bulb or the replacement fuse but I am betting the replacement is also blown. I will look into it tonight.

Back to the 911 providing a satisfactory sports car after the Ferrari. Yesterday I drove the Ferrari for most of the day. I would have driven it all day but I can’t fit either of my kids in the trunk so I took them to school in my truck then traded for the 355. It was a sunny dry day. The first we have had in some time so I figured I would do some research and take the long way home. The long way home consists of about 15 miles of twisty roads with switch back turns and constant elevation changes the speed limit is 40 mph for most of the drive which if exceeded just slightly make for an entertaining drive.

I know the 355 is an older Ferrari. I know there are more capable machines. But this car is magical to drive. I have said it before, everything is in proportion. I now compare driving the Ferrari to having a fascinating conversation with someone you know well, respect, and find incredibly beautiful. Someone who never says “um”. Driving this car on a beautiful road in great weather is simply fantastic. If you like cars you owe it to yourself to buy, borrow, rent, or steal a Ferrari and drive it in a like setting.

As I was driving home I realized that there is only one gas station I am comfortable taking the Ferrari to. It is not that I don’t trust other gas station attendants but when I first had to fill up the car I took it to this station. The fellow who filled the car was very careful and asked a bunch of questions and the mechanics came out and looked at the car as well. So now I only fill the Ferrari up at that station. Here is the downside. It is one of the most expensive stations in town. I justify paying 20 cents more per gallon for their care for the car. I figure a scratch in the paint will cost a bit more than the few hundred dollars I would save filling the car up somewhere else. What happens when I run low on gas and am not near my house? I will have to get over my gas station phobia and let someone else fill up the car.

That evening I took the Porsche to get ice cream. It was ice cream this time. No frozen yogurt, I needed some calories. The car felt, I hate to say this, old. I guess at 18 it is getting old. The Ferrari is only 10. The motor felt heavy and unresponsive. If you have driven a 911 you know the back of the car feels like it is stuck to the ground (until you lift going through a corner) and you have to trust the front to go where you point it. In some ways driving the Porsche is a balancing act. You have to use the weight at the rear of the car to get it through a turn. In contrast the Ferrari feels like it pivots around the cockpit and that all four wheels are doing exactly what they should. Even the rebound of the suspension feels faster.

So, no the Porsche will not cut it as a sports car now that I have driven and lived with the Ferrari for a few months. Is the 911 still a great car? Sure. Do I plan on selling it no. Will it fulfill what I expect a sports car to do? No longer.