outclassed by Ferrari on the fwy

[jhugh]

Yesterday I had a rare opportunity to enjoy a 50-mile midday drive down a (mostly) nice stretch of fwy here in the Bay Area. I was just starting my journey when I came upon a guy driving a gorgeous red Ferrari 355 with the targa top off. Wow, did that car sound good. But so did mine. We exchanged smiles & waves - we obviously had the same idea this day.

When traffic evaporated and I got a nice straight stretch, I figured he'd follow if I opened it up a bit. So I did, and he did. Top speed comes pretty quickly with these new cams! Unfortunately, I discovered, so does a pronounced sensation of INSTABILITY. I took a bump on a corner at a very high speed and, with the way my car reacted, I pretty much saw my life flash before my eyes. OK, so this kind of speed is tres stupid on public roadways, even virtually empty ones on a nice clear day.

Meanwhile, this is all a casual walk in the park for the 355. He was kind & sporting enough not to humiliate me with any passing. And the thing doesn't even appear to move on its suspension, even at speeds like that. As I mashed the brakes and heeled to behind an unmarked CHP cruiser (V1 saw no radar), the Ferrari guy pulled up beside me and we "chatted" over a background of windnoise and combined engine notes - sorta like a baritone and a soprano in a hurricane. He said he saw me CATCH SIX INCHES OF AIR over the bump. Jesus, do I need uprated suspension or what? Stock torsion bars and dampers have got to go. I might even need a whale tail & chin spoiler to respect myself on the road with this Ferrari.

So my big question is.. Why did Porsche spec a car that can do 160 mph with suspension & aerodynamics that are only good to 120mph?

my ear & friendly 355:



Cheers,

[masraum]

Well, your car is probably at least 15 years older than his. How would an '84 ferrari have done. Too, how new are your shocks and struts?? I recently replaced mine. The car felt fine, I thought. I could bounce with my body weight on the front or rear bumper and jump off and the car would return to rest with no bouncing, but when I pulled the old, original parts they were totally shot. The new stuff totally transformed the car.

[s_wilwerding]

A think a spoiler would definitely help you out. The 911 has a tendency to get real twitchy at high speeds without spoilers, front and back. If you have spoilers setup correctly, it tends to make the car "squat down" at high speeds.

[Neilk]

Hey, is that 280 (or "the 280" in LA) around Redwood City?

I used to live in San Mateo when I went to high school. Damn that was a long time ago... :-(

[Rick Lee]

I had a similar experience this past weekend and my car performed superbly. My Carrera has a whale tail, new 29mm t-bars in the rear, 23mm in the front, new spring plates and bushings all around and Bilstein Sports are about 20k miles old. I was doing 140mph on Sunday on a very long, straight, flat and EMPTY road in the NJ Pine Barrens. It was no luxury cruise, but even the bigger bumps weren't nearly as bad as you describe.

[jyl]

Based on several recent threads, including this one and my earlier one, seems like us Carrera owners need to be replacing shocks etc if they haven't been done before. I too feel some instability when hitting bumps or dips at speed and I was only doing 70-80 mph.

By the way, the Ferrari 355 is a heck of a car and I think you'd want to match one against a 933/996, not a 20-year old 3.2.

[beepbeep]

Next time make sure you sit in warmed-over 930 and do this:



That's little less than 180mph indicated and i believe even 355 driver would think twice getting there... boosted cars have nasty habit of gathering speed fast.

[motion]

All hail Suderia Ferrari!!!!!!!

[Joe Bob]

When I bought my low mileage 83 SC....the shocks and t-bars were ....OK.....but after a set of Konis, bigger t-bars and Carrera sway bars, it sticks like skunk stink on a wet dog.....

[RickM]

Let's see.....1984. Ferrari equivalent would have been a 308 GTSi or GTB Quattrovalvole with a weight of around 3300 pounds and 235 hp. This would have been an interesting romp.


BTW: Targa is a Porsche trademark. All those others have Removable Roof Panels. :-)

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Hey Mike,

Your welcome in my part of Texas anytime!!! Sticks like skunk stink on a wet dog!! ROTFLMAO!!! Haven't heard that one in some time!

[Joe Bob]

I have experienced skunk stink on a wet dog up close and personal....the stupid floppy eared poop machine got out, got sprayed and tried to jump in my SC cab when I went out looking for him.....

Did not realize that it was phrase in general useage.....thought I thunk it up all by my lonesome....

[RickM]

Sounds like my Golden "Reliever"......

[jhugh]

My dog got into skunks many times. I have an excellent anti-skunk-stink recipe if anyone wants it... mix over-the-counter hydrogen peroxide solution (no water) with some baking soda and a little dishsoap. Unbelieveably effective... even on an unruly Airedale skunked at pointblank range.

Yeah beepbeep, I was wishing I had a 930 yesterday! Someday..

My shocks and T-bars are original, with 106K miles on them. I was thinking of going 22/28 with Bilstein sports, but Richard LS.. it sounds like you're very happy with 23/29. How's the ride feel? At this point, I'm all for it, as long as my wife will still ride in the car.

Yeah Rick, no way in hell a stock 308qv would have held with my car acceleration-wise, that's for sure. I think the GTO came out in '84, though too... that's a YIKES-mobile.

JohnL - I don't think there's any N/A 911 of any vintage that could hold a candle to a 355. It's a different breed. I couldn't believe how LOW it sits. My car is dropped, man, as low as it can go. But it towered over the Ferrari.

Neil - yes, it's the 280. The best fwy we have up here, I think... if fwy's are good.

Cheers,

[Rick Lee]

My car rides a little stiff - lots of fun, but no good if you have rough roads or lots of mini potholes in your area. When I had it on the track, however, it was just totally awesome.

[RickM]

Well, I'll let you know how a 360 Modena Challenge car fares in a couple of weeks. Going to the Thunder Road Annual Weekend at Watkins Glen with a buddy and he's offering to toss the keys over. F1 Paddle shifter here I come.

You will have to spend quite a lot of money if you want your 911 to keep up with a 355. That's for sure I'm in the same boat as you. I own an 84 911 too and also feel the competition from other cars (lesser cars, not fine machinery such as Ferrari). Try a traffic light race against a Mercedes Diesel taxi with a chipped turboengine. They are fast off the line AND they don't have a worn 915 to fight with.

But lets be fair. Our 84 911 is at least 11 years older than the Ferrari 355. A lot has happened in that period of time.

[APKhaos]

There were a few Ferrari Challenge cars at Watkins Glen for the Trac Quest event Monday/Tuesday this week. Did not get to instruct in one, but running with them on track was an experience. They are devilishly quick [vs my humble 85 Carrera] and they sound drop dead wonderful.

If you really want to beat one of those puppies, you will need to sign up for the arms race in a major way.

[RickM]

Saw them at one of the Challenge series races at VIR a while back. These guys play like they're in bumper cars. It was great to see both the 355s and 360s going at it.
Basically, my friend pulled from the series because he thought the carnage was ridiculous....uses the Challenge car for Ferrari Club events. He just finished building a Winston Cup car and plays with his 360 Spyder.

Anyone want to buy a 360 Challenge car with low miles?

[McDaniel]

This post reminds me of the time I was pulled through the dog-leg
bend at Sebring by the first of the rear engined Ferraris faster
than I had driven it all day....and with my foot off the petal...
Pedro Rodregiss was driving...before he stuffed the Ferrari under
the fence some time later...