Ferrari F430 Spider
Discussion
Thanks all - glad you're finding it interesting. I am really enjoying the project.
My Dad, who is a retired mechanical engineer, was never interested when I was changing gearboxes etc. in my Minis.
The company he worked for (Ruston in Lincoln and later Newton-le-Willows) built various sized diesel engines and gas turbines and he said a tiny 998cc A Series petrol held no interest for him.
He only ventured out to check for oil spills on his driveway :-)
I do love spending time with Dad on these car projects. He's helped me out since I got my first car at 17 and in fact I started learning by watching him on his cars in the days before they mostly just worked. Dad is an architect by trade so is very good at precise measurements and usually always comes up with a solution to a problem when I've got miffed! I got the modification thing from him too.
With regards the battery, current tech means there isn't an easy way to save weight without taking on a big compromise and because I will use the car for 'regular' work and long road trips I need a cast-iron reliable battery. I have another type of AGM to go in but it will save only about 1.6kg.
GreatGranny said:
Zombie said:
Is there a lightweight Lithium battery you could buy to replace what the presumably standard lead acid battery?
Good to see your Dad's involved - My Father is similarly talented
Love reading updates on this thread.Good to see your Dad's involved - My Father is similarly talented
My Dad, who is a retired mechanical engineer, was never interested when I was changing gearboxes etc. in my Minis.
The company he worked for (Ruston in Lincoln and later Newton-le-Willows) built various sized diesel engines and gas turbines and he said a tiny 998cc A Series petrol held no interest for him.
He only ventured out to check for oil spills on his driveway :-)
With regards the battery, current tech means there isn't an easy way to save weight without taking on a big compromise and because I will use the car for 'regular' work and long road trips I need a cast-iron reliable battery. I have another type of AGM to go in but it will save only about 1.6kg.
Nunga said:
If two things summed up your work on these cars, they would be courage, and attention to detail.
There can't be enough hours in the day for you to do the research on each little project plus the actual modifying/work plus real job plus house renos plus relationship. It's unbelievable!
Thanks. You can add 'plan a wedding' to the list! I tend to manage it by working on stuff in phases - I'm no good at multitasking.There can't be enough hours in the day for you to do the research on each little project plus the actual modifying/work plus real job plus house renos plus relationship. It's unbelievable!
Great work as ever.
Reference the air filters. It's one thing for the garage not to bother inspecting the filters and therefore not replace them but you just know some unsuspecting punter has been charged a fortune for the privilege of them not being replaced.
I assume it happens more often than we thunk.
Reference the air filters. It's one thing for the garage not to bother inspecting the filters and therefore not replace them but you just know some unsuspecting punter has been charged a fortune for the privilege of them not being replaced.
I assume it happens more often than we thunk.
LanceRS said:
I beg to differ.
Ferosferio said:
One of the most interesting threads on the go here, wondersful stuff. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers.berksboy26 said:
Hi Mark,
Provided its roadworthy (I won't say finished as I am sure you will continue to refine it) will you be taking the car to the FOC Concours on 9/10 July at Stapleford Park?
ATB
Alan
Hi Alan,Provided its roadworthy (I won't say finished as I am sure you will continue to refine it) will you be taking the car to the FOC Concours on 9/10 July at Stapleford Park?
ATB
Alan
I’m afraid I can’t make that, but the car will be on the FOC stand at the Silverstone Classic. Hopefully see you there if you are going.
Cheers,
Mark
HughG said:
Congratulations!
More great updates this weekend, thank you for taking the time to share it with us.
More great updates this weekend, thank you for taking the time to share it with us.
ChocolateFrog said:
Great work as ever.
Reference the air filters. It's one thing for the garage not to bother inspecting the filters and therefore not replace them but you just know some unsuspecting punter has been charged a fortune for the privilege of them not being replaced.
I assume it happens more often than we thunk.
Yes it’s a shame, and I think it does happen quite a lot.Reference the air filters. It's one thing for the garage not to bother inspecting the filters and therefore not replace them but you just know some unsuspecting punter has been charged a fortune for the privilege of them not being replaced.
I assume it happens more often than we thunk.
I've been replacing a few more fastenings around the car, for example I never liked the three chemical black mild steel machine screws holding on the nice stainless steel filler neck flange so they are now flanged stainless button heads. Yes, the car needs a good clean
I of course weighed the coil/plug water shields!
Here they are fitted.
I have removed my instrument cluster to send off to http://ferrarioc.com/ -I'm glad I did because one of the column stalk terminal pins was sticking out of the top of the central black connector - its locking pin hadn't engaged within the plug.
In a prior update I mentioned the Scuderia cluster yellow was different to the F430, but now are both next to each other out of the car I can see they are identical.
I of course weighed the coil/plug water shields!
Here they are fitted.
I have removed my instrument cluster to send off to http://ferrarioc.com/ -I'm glad I did because one of the column stalk terminal pins was sticking out of the top of the central black connector - its locking pin hadn't engaged within the plug.
In a prior update I mentioned the Scuderia cluster yellow was different to the F430, but now are both next to each other out of the car I can see they are identical.
From first reading about your Fiesta on Retrorides through to this, your projects have always been great reading, so thanks for providing me with more than a few hours light relief from work.
There's a lot of positive comments about your upgrades to the F430 on here, but has it been as well received on Ferrari specific forums?
There's a lot of positive comments about your upgrades to the F430 on here, but has it been as well received on Ferrari specific forums?
Bosshogg76 said:
From first reading about your Fiesta on Retrorides through to this, your projects have always been great reading, so thanks for providing me with more than a few hours light relief from work.
There's a lot of positive comments about your upgrades to the F430 on here, but has it been as well received on Ferrari specific forums?
No problem! It doesn't get as much interest in Ferrari circles because I think the majority of owners aren't interested in modifications, or even frown on them, but nobody has been rude about it.There's a lot of positive comments about your upgrades to the F430 on here, but has it been as well received on Ferrari specific forums?
TonyHetherington said:
Just been sent a link to this thread... fine, fine, fine work!! Kudos to you for the attention to detail. Well impressed
I've nothing of note to say, but just wanted to give this virtual high five
Cheers!I've nothing of note to say, but just wanted to give this virtual high five
Petrolhead Tom said:
This thread is sublime! Stunning work and a great read.
Thanks.leglessAlex said:
Apologies if I may have missed it, but did you get the Scuderia instruments from an American car? I'm just wondering why it has different, imperial units for the temperature and pressure.
Yes, I did. The electronics will be taken care of by FAI, and I will produce a metric foil for the auxiliary gauges.Supersonic Welly said:
Awesome thread.
Can I just ask, you're so hands on with this, why are you having someone else fit the scud gearbox for you?
Cheers. Two reasons:Can I just ask, you're so hands on with this, why are you having someone else fit the scud gearbox for you?
1) It's not the type of job I find enjoyable anymore; I've done my fair share of engine swaps etc. over the years so anything more routine that involves lifting, grovelling around, or mess, I just farm out elsewhere.
2) It needs setting up before being driven and there's only one person I'd take it to, so I'd need to have it transported if I did it.
Scuderia luggage compartment trim
Sometimes things don't work out how I expect them to. I stripped my luggage compartment to fit the Scuderia trim.
I bought the Scuderia trim because I knew it was a lightweight version of the earlier trim that is made from a moulded/compressed fibreboard material and thus, heavy. When I stripped my trim I quickly realised two things: 1)MY08 F430's are already fitted with the later moulded plastic backed trim, and 2) The MY08 trim is lighter than the Scuderia trim to the tune of 1.2kg!
Because of the way the Scuderia and 16M trim is constructed, it actually adds weight over the F430 version; Scuderia & 16M have a layer of thin foam glued to the trim backing, then a further covering of material glued to the foam. In contrast, the majority of F430 trim pieces have the carpet moulded into the plastic backing.
I'm not going to blindly copy Ferrari at the expense of weight, so long live the carpet!
F430 tailpipe heat shields
The F430 has a heat shield behind each rear wheel well that protects various components from heat radiated by the tailpipes. The heat shield is superfluous on the Scuderia because the exhausts pass straight through the rear cross member, but the shields do also serve a secondary purpose as a splash shield hence they are still retained.
The shields weigh nearly 1kg which seemed a waste, so I have remade them from pre-preg carbon, then added some rubber edging trim - glued on.
Here they are fitted. I saved 0.5kg with them.
X Pipe silencer construction
In the end the only parts I've used from the Challenge silencer are the entry and exit pipes! Here's everything with the Magaflow X Pipe.
Work has started with templates and mock up construction.
Sometimes things don't work out how I expect them to. I stripped my luggage compartment to fit the Scuderia trim.
I bought the Scuderia trim because I knew it was a lightweight version of the earlier trim that is made from a moulded/compressed fibreboard material and thus, heavy. When I stripped my trim I quickly realised two things: 1)MY08 F430's are already fitted with the later moulded plastic backed trim, and 2) The MY08 trim is lighter than the Scuderia trim to the tune of 1.2kg!
Because of the way the Scuderia and 16M trim is constructed, it actually adds weight over the F430 version; Scuderia & 16M have a layer of thin foam glued to the trim backing, then a further covering of material glued to the foam. In contrast, the majority of F430 trim pieces have the carpet moulded into the plastic backing.
I'm not going to blindly copy Ferrari at the expense of weight, so long live the carpet!
F430 tailpipe heat shields
The F430 has a heat shield behind each rear wheel well that protects various components from heat radiated by the tailpipes. The heat shield is superfluous on the Scuderia because the exhausts pass straight through the rear cross member, but the shields do also serve a secondary purpose as a splash shield hence they are still retained.
The shields weigh nearly 1kg which seemed a waste, so I have remade them from pre-preg carbon, then added some rubber edging trim - glued on.
Here they are fitted. I saved 0.5kg with them.
X Pipe silencer construction
In the end the only parts I've used from the Challenge silencer are the entry and exit pipes! Here's everything with the Magaflow X Pipe.
Work has started with templates and mock up construction.
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