Which F355 conversion would cost more?
Discussion
Done properly, which option would be the cheapest to achieve a RHD manual F355 GTS/Berlinetta? non convertible!!.
Purchasing a LHD manual or or RHD F1 ???
I can see the prices of both cars but have no idea what the conversion cost would be, secondhand parts and savy online parts purchases all valid
Purchasing a LHD manual or or RHD F1 ???
I can see the prices of both cars but have no idea what the conversion cost would be, secondhand parts and savy online parts purchases all valid
I assume the F1 to manual conversion is what you should pursue. People are doing it on 575s, I believe cost is 25-30k USD - the advantage of the 355 is that there are plenty of manual cars, so parts availability should be better than for the 575 (or 599, which is what I thought about at some point)
I've not knowingly driven an F1>Manual converted car, I have driven a couple of LHD>RHD conversions though and they were both terrible, one done by a very well known Ferrari specialist.
Aside from the conversion itself cars just aren't the same once they've been stripped/refitted to a certain point, especially when refitted with another cars parts, all in my opinion of course.
If you're seriously considering options then a transmission swap makes more sense, won't affect the feel of the car itself and will be relatively easy to reverse the changes should it be desired come resale time.
Aside from the conversion itself cars just aren't the same once they've been stripped/refitted to a certain point, especially when refitted with another cars parts, all in my opinion of course.
If you're seriously considering options then a transmission swap makes more sense, won't affect the feel of the car itself and will be relatively easy to reverse the changes should it be desired come resale time.
Yipper said:
Quite a lot of Ferrari and Lambo owners now starting to convert autos to manual.
Rising prices and rawer performance, of course. But it has suddenly become (relatively) very trendy.
very true, but they are doing it on cars where very few manual cars are in existence (575, LP-640), not necessarily on cars where there is plenty of choice given the cost of parts & work and the stigma of not being original anylonger is not worth it, if you can just buy a car as it came from the factoryRising prices and rawer performance, of course. But it has suddenly become (relatively) very trendy.
MDL111 said:
on cars where there is plenty of choice given the cost of parts & work and the stigma of not being original anylonger is not worth it, if you can just buy a car as it came from the factory
Thisdvb247 said:
surely it's financially viable given the gulf in price from F1 to manual!!
It's only financially viable if all the sums add up. Drill a big hole in the original value and they usually don't.When I buy a car, it never occurs to me to check that the gearbox the one that was installed at the factory. Anyone else?
For a 355, the gearbox itself is, I think, identical between the manual and F1 (although am happy to be corrected). It's just controls that are different, i.e. a lever and shaft vs some mechatronics.
For a 355, the gearbox itself is, I think, identical between the manual and F1 (although am happy to be corrected). It's just controls that are different, i.e. a lever and shaft vs some mechatronics.
HardtopManual said:
When I buy a car, it never occurs to me to check that the gearbox the one that was installed at the factory. Anyone else?
For a 355, the gearbox itself is, I think, identical between the manual and F1 (although am happy to be corrected). It's just controls that are different, i.e. a lever and shaft vs some mechatronics.
Do you mean looking out for a potential f1 to manual swap or the whole "numbers matching" thing?For a 355, the gearbox itself is, I think, identical between the manual and F1 (although am happy to be corrected). It's just controls that are different, i.e. a lever and shaft vs some mechatronics.
I've said elsewhere that when I bought my 355 (4 years ago prior to the price spike) I wanted a manual but "settled" for a F1 due to availability at that time.
Now I love it so much I wouldn't look back. I fact I'm not sure I would ever buy a manual one now, if the opportunity presented itself (excluding the fact I don't need another 355 and assuming market values are irrelevant). It's different and that's what I like about it. But each to their own....
Now taking into account values and units built, there were only 74 no. 355 GTS RHD cars built with F1. If the other 73 are either subsequently converted or written off, then I'll have the only one "in the world" (spoken like Clarkson).
That will be a lovely pension pot :-)
Now I love it so much I wouldn't look back. I fact I'm not sure I would ever buy a manual one now, if the opportunity presented itself (excluding the fact I don't need another 355 and assuming market values are irrelevant). It's different and that's what I like about it. But each to their own....
Now taking into account values and units built, there were only 74 no. 355 GTS RHD cars built with F1. If the other 73 are either subsequently converted or written off, then I'll have the only one "in the world" (spoken like Clarkson).
That will be a lovely pension pot :-)
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