Ferrari F430 Spider
Discussion
Rear Marker Lights - Complete
There are a few different types of the same light unit; all have the built in lens/diffuser for a bulb, even if they are intended solely as a reflector, but some types have a blanked off stanchion on the back that would otherwise take a bulb holder, and others - like mine - don't have anything at all. I had a spare set of Ford side repeaters from an older model that would be sacrificed for the W5W stanchion.
Dremel used to liberate the stanchion.
Dremel again used to open out the back of the Ferrari reflectors to accept a bulb. Photo also shows the stanchions removed from the Ford side repeaters.
I made the small loom using trunking, boots, and waterproof AMP housings. Colour coding is yellow/black (positive) and black (earth) for the LH light, and yellow (positive) and black (earth) for the RH light.
Stanchions epoxied in to place and sprayed in grey plastic paint. W5W holders twisted in - these seal with an O ring.
Photo to show an installed light viewed from behind the bumper.
I noticed some witness marks around the rear lights so I've applied black felt to prevent this. I've isolated the rear lights on rubber pads to stop the usual cracks from chassis-borne vibrations.
Lights on.
If anyone is interested I may start to produce the above as a kit with an interface loom between the rear lights and car loom to make it completely plug and play.
There are a few different types of the same light unit; all have the built in lens/diffuser for a bulb, even if they are intended solely as a reflector, but some types have a blanked off stanchion on the back that would otherwise take a bulb holder, and others - like mine - don't have anything at all. I had a spare set of Ford side repeaters from an older model that would be sacrificed for the W5W stanchion.
Dremel used to liberate the stanchion.
Dremel again used to open out the back of the Ferrari reflectors to accept a bulb. Photo also shows the stanchions removed from the Ford side repeaters.
I made the small loom using trunking, boots, and waterproof AMP housings. Colour coding is yellow/black (positive) and black (earth) for the LH light, and yellow (positive) and black (earth) for the RH light.
Stanchions epoxied in to place and sprayed in grey plastic paint. W5W holders twisted in - these seal with an O ring.
Photo to show an installed light viewed from behind the bumper.
I noticed some witness marks around the rear lights so I've applied black felt to prevent this. I've isolated the rear lights on rubber pads to stop the usual cracks from chassis-borne vibrations.
Lights on.
If anyone is interested I may start to produce the above as a kit with an interface loom between the rear lights and car loom to make it completely plug and play.
Edited by mwstewart on Wednesday 13th February 16:08
Edited by mwstewart on Thursday 21st February 11:42
gobuddygo said:
I worked as a time served auto electrician many moons ago and your electrical work is spot even better than OEM, in IT now but can still appreciate top electrical work, always love your updates Mark.
lordf said:
Still the best build on this site, keep up the good work.
Thanks both.gcpeters said:
Im surprised you went for the Capristio controller, I looked at this and found that the Forza Componenti one seemed to be a higher quality solution (the cabling, connectors, heat shielding, etc etc)
The Forza cabling is definitely better than Capristo in unmodified form, though the Capristo module is lighter and better made. Just a minor detail really as both will reliably perform. I wasn't actually looking for a controller but an FChat user offered it to me for less than a tank of fuel, so I thought 'why not'. It may come in useful sometimes.
Thanks all.
I've finished all but two brackets.
I've gone for a factory look but neatened by using epoxy with masking tape removed once semi-set in order to leave neat lines (factory - top, mine - bottom)
Weight saving
Sprung weight saved: 95.16 kg
Unsprung weight saved: 24.97 kg
Total weight saved: 120.63 kg
I've finished all but two brackets.
I've gone for a factory look but neatened by using epoxy with masking tape removed once semi-set in order to leave neat lines (factory - top, mine - bottom)
Weight saving
| Original Part | Fitted Quantity | Original Part (kg) | Replacement Part (kg) | Sprung Saving (kg) | Unsprung Saving (kg) | Replacement Part |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pedals - brake | 1 | 0.987 | 0.627 | 0.36 | - | 16M/Scuderia |
| Pedals - brake and clutch height adjuster bracket | 1 | 0.086 | 0 | 0.086 | - | Removed - unused |
| Brakes - ABS/ESP - acceleration sensor | 1 | 0.091 | 0 | 0.091 | - | Removed - function provided by CAN yaw |
| Pedals - Pedals - accelerator assembly | 1 | 0.883 | 0.869 | 0.014 | - | 16M/Scuderia |
| Door hinges | 4 | 0.705 | 0.5005 | 0.818 | - | Machined to reduce weight |
| Dashboard plaque 'F430 Spider' - carbon version | 1 | 0.025 | 0.086 | -0.061 | - | '16M Scuderia Spider - Limited 499' |
| Interior - centre console, complete (carbon driving zone) | 1 | 2.253 | 1.341 | 0.912 | - | 16M (carbon) |
| Windscreen washer tank, pumps, and minimum fluid | 1 | 5.257 | 2.899 | 2.358 | - | 360 non-headlamp wash version adapted |
| Headlamps - standard | 2 | 0.3505 | 0.137 | 0.427 | - | 16M (carbon) |
| Wing mirrors | 1 | 2.11 | 1.431 | 0.679 | - | 16M/Scuderia (carbon) |
| Spider hood tray | 1 | 8.45 | 1.555 | 6.895 | - | Bespoke carbon version |
| F1 paddles | 1 | 0.154 | 0.103 | 0.051 | - | Steering wheel mounted |
| Steering wheel - leather with aluminium trim | 1 | 1.78 | 1.85 | -0.07 | - | 16M/Scuderia (carbon) - leather & alcantara |
| Interior - rear bulkhead (carpet) | 1 | 2.86 | 2.703 | 0.157 | - | Retrimmed in Alcantara |
| Interior - rear bulkhead document nets (untrimmed) | 2 | 0.119 | 0.257 | -0.276 | - | Retrimmed in Alcantara |
| Interior - rear shelf, centre (carpet) | 1 | 0.402 | 0.465 | -0.063 | - | Retrimmed in Alcantara |
| Pedals - drivers footrest 'dead pedal' | 1 | 0.181 | 0.162 | 0.019 | - | Hill Engineering (drilled aluminium) |
| Interior - tunnel trim (carpet) | 1 | 1.177 | 1.041 | 0.136 | - | Retrimmed in Alcantara |
| Interior - drivers footwell trim (carpet) | 1 | 0.305 | 0.316 | -0.011 | - | Retrimmed in Alcantara |
| Interior - rear shelf, LH (carpet) | 1 | 0.822 | 1.039 | -0.217 | - | Retrimmed in Alcantara |
| Interior - rear shelf, RH (carpet) | 1 | 0.98 | 0.91 | 0.07 | - | Retrimmed in Alcantara |
| Interior - passenger footwell trim (carpet) | 1 | 0.229 | 0.371 | -0.142 | - | Retrimmed in Alcantara |
| Bumper - front mounting washers (steel) | 4 | 0.019 | 0.012 | 0.028 | - | Bespoke aluminium spacers |
| Battery change #2 - Optima 'Red Top' 34R | 1 | 18.75 | 16.72 | 2.03 | - | Bosch S5 007 |
| Pedals - passenger footrest | 1 | 0.347 | 0.136 | 0.211 | - | 16M/Scuderia (machined flat and drilled) |
| Doors - door card mounting brackets and rivets | 2 | 0.1645 | 0.14 | 0.049 | - | 16M specific brackets |
| Doors - wiring loom | 2 | 0.526 | 0.532 | -0.012 | - | 16M door loom |
| Doors - inner handle with microswitches | 2 | 0.188 | 0.256 | -0.136 | - | 16M/Scuderia inner handle mechanism |
| Doors - door card, scraper, and fastenings - driver | 1 | 4.992 | 3.376 | 1.616 | - | 16M door card, scraper, and fastenings |
| Doors - door card, scraper, and fastenings - passenger | 1 | 5.461 | 3.376 | 2.085 | - | 16M door card, scraper, and fastenings |
| Hi Fi - woofer, grille, and fastenings | 2 | 0.945 | 0.54 | 0.81 | - | 16M midbass with fastenings |
| Hi Fi - tweeter and trim piece | 2 | 0.075 | 0.06 | 0.03 | - | 16M tweeter & midrange with fastenings |
| Hi Fi - midrange and fastenings | 2 | 0 | 0.163 | -0.326 | - | 16M midrange with fastenings |
| Hi Fi - amplifier | 1 | 0 | 1.671 | -1.671 | - | 16M amplifier |
| Hi Fi - wiring for amplifier and additional speakers | 1 | 0 | 0.5 | -0.5 | - | 16M Hi Fi wiring |
| Undertray, rear | 1 | 9.1 | 5.249 | 3.851 | - | 16M/Scuderia (carbon composite) |
| Capristo exhaust valve controller | 1 | 0 | 0.245 | -0.245 | - | Capristo |
Sprung weight saved: 95.16 kg
Unsprung weight saved: 24.97 kg
Total weight saved: 120.63 kg
Edited by mwstewart on Thursday 21st February 11:43
It's a privilege in the first instance to own such a car, but in addition being able to undertake this project myself has been one of the best car experiences I've had to date, so much so it's something I'll look back on fondly for the rest of my life. The enjoyment and sense of pride in what I've done are not insignificant; I have a car tailored exactly to personal taste with all faults ironed out and many improvements, all of which all equate to a next-level driving and ownership experience.
There's still more to come including an engine build.
There's still more to come including an engine build.
The door card brackets are complete. The factory doors are painted in body colour then the lower and leading edges are painted in stain black, so I've matched the brackets to whatever paint was underneath them.
My Dad made templates for the moisture barrier and cut them from closed cell Polyethylene foam. This worked out at around £10 for both sides.
My Dad made templates for the moisture barrier and cut them from closed cell Polyethylene foam. This worked out at around £10 for both sides.
Edited by mwstewart on Wednesday 13th February 16:09
16M Door Cards - Complete
Inside each door a plastic sheet is used to keep water away from the window motor and mechanism, and on my car the adhesive had failed and the sheets were flapping around inside, which isn't good given some of the window mechanism is exposed. To remedy this I removed the sheets from both sides, de-greased them, and then refitted with better adhesive.
The Scuderia uses the 360 CS inner door mechanisms which are mounted to the door itself rather than the door card. They re-use the cable mounting bracket from the back of the F430 door cards so I had to swap those across and rivet them to the door. I have also fitted Neoprene washers to the door card mounting points to cut down on vibrations.
Home-made moisture barriers fitted.
I've fitted the 16M reflectors (left) in place of the original marker lights (right). The reason for this was explained in a previous post.
The inner window scraper trims on my car were finished with some kind of trim paint over the base rubber which over time had started to lift (top). My Dad sanded these for me and painted them with black vinyl and rubber paint. The result was much better than I imagined possible - they are as-new (bottom).
I sprayed an additional layer of black paint on the 16M speaker grilles to freshen them up; the original black paint doesn't have a primer coat underneath so isn't particularly resilient.
All Scuderia door cars had dark grey Alcantara pads lining the bottom of the storage areas which don't tie-in with anything in my interior, so I commissioned a set in the same red Nappa leather as my steering wheel etc. Also, the stitching on the storage nets was always just black so at the same time I had those re-done in red stitching to match that in my interior.
I used spray carpet adhesive to fit the new leather pads.
Door cards complete!
16M Amplifier
The 16M uses a JBL amplifier which is used in quite a few cars including the Toyota Prius and Ferrari California, but having read reviews of its performance I decided I didn't want to fit it. What likely doesn't help is that, for whatever reason, the line-out (connector 'C' on the ISO connections) wasn't used and instead the JBL is fed speaker-level inputs - this is never the way to go to make the most of a head unit and amplifier pairing.
Given the above I decided to make two changes: 1) find an amplifier tested with a better level of performance that is no heavier than the original, and 2) to improve SQ use line level outputs from the Becker head unit to amplifier. I settled on the Apline MRV-F300 amp which is a Class D therefore lighter and cooler running than an equivalent (heavier) Class A or A/B.
For (relative!) comfort I've opted to retain the sound deadening and vibration material in my car, so in order to mount the amplifier in the factory location I cut a neat square under the passenger seat to allow the amplifier to sit low enough to provide clearance for the left seat. The vibration damping material is bitumen based and stuck to the floor pan; it can be removed with a heat gun and plastic scraper. I removed the adhesive residue with petrol. The sound deadening material lays loosely over the top and was simply cut as required then lifted out.
The 175mm x 210mm area of vibration damping & sound attenuation material came in at 0.665kg, which must put the full complement at around 8kg. The removed part offset the amplifier to mean the total weight added was only just over 1kg - for me that is an acceptable compromise given the benefit. Out of interest at some point in the future I may conduct some tests with a sound level meter with the removable sound deadening material fitted then removed.
In terms of wiring the neat thing about adding an amplifier is that all cars are pre-wired with a junction point connector to support an one; it's a GT series connector that has speaker wires, power wires, and remote turn-on, so all I had to do was add the additional speaker wires to the door loom multi-plug and add make use of the junction point connector using OEM pins. I've used factory colours throughout and made twisted pairs for reduced interference. The only change I made was to step up the woofer speaker wires by 0.5mm for better SQ.
F430, Scuderia, and 16M Door Panel and HiFi Weight Analysis
Door card and stero system weight anlayis
Misc
The electric window switches in my car had suffered the usual sticky problem, so given at the same time I had the HVAC control unit in pieces to paint the knobs black (Scuderia has matt black knobs - F430 has satin metallic grey) it made sense to de-sticky everything at the same time. I found that the HVAC temperature display was very resiliant but I had to use extreme care with the window switches because the paint was very fragile.
I used Tamiya paint for the black knobs and their 'Flatt Matt' lacquer to seal the de-stickied parts. It turned out looking OEM but without the risk of further sticky issues.
Another titivation job: a strip of aluminium lines either side of the Spider hood tray and on my car the original satin black paint had weathered due to a lack of primer underneath. To restore them the trims were rubbed down, etch primed, and then re-finished in satin black.
I'm going to refresh the suspension flamblocs and bearings at some point soon so rather than work on my arms I'm piecing together a spare set that can be sent for vapour blasting and build-up off the the car. Fitting them becomes a simple swap-over
My X-Pipe exhaust has gone because I'm ready for a change.
I also picked up the OEM paint template/jig for the 16M stripe. The stripe on my car is currently a decal which does let down the car, so I'm going to have it painted on.
Weight saving
Unsprung weight saved: 24.97 kg
Sprung weight saved: 96.19 kg
Total weight saved: 121.17 kg
Inside each door a plastic sheet is used to keep water away from the window motor and mechanism, and on my car the adhesive had failed and the sheets were flapping around inside, which isn't good given some of the window mechanism is exposed. To remedy this I removed the sheets from both sides, de-greased them, and then refitted with better adhesive.
The Scuderia uses the 360 CS inner door mechanisms which are mounted to the door itself rather than the door card. They re-use the cable mounting bracket from the back of the F430 door cards so I had to swap those across and rivet them to the door. I have also fitted Neoprene washers to the door card mounting points to cut down on vibrations.
Home-made moisture barriers fitted.
I've fitted the 16M reflectors (left) in place of the original marker lights (right). The reason for this was explained in a previous post.
The inner window scraper trims on my car were finished with some kind of trim paint over the base rubber which over time had started to lift (top). My Dad sanded these for me and painted them with black vinyl and rubber paint. The result was much better than I imagined possible - they are as-new (bottom).
I sprayed an additional layer of black paint on the 16M speaker grilles to freshen them up; the original black paint doesn't have a primer coat underneath so isn't particularly resilient.
All Scuderia door cars had dark grey Alcantara pads lining the bottom of the storage areas which don't tie-in with anything in my interior, so I commissioned a set in the same red Nappa leather as my steering wheel etc. Also, the stitching on the storage nets was always just black so at the same time I had those re-done in red stitching to match that in my interior.
I used spray carpet adhesive to fit the new leather pads.
Door cards complete!
16M Amplifier
The 16M uses a JBL amplifier which is used in quite a few cars including the Toyota Prius and Ferrari California, but having read reviews of its performance I decided I didn't want to fit it. What likely doesn't help is that, for whatever reason, the line-out (connector 'C' on the ISO connections) wasn't used and instead the JBL is fed speaker-level inputs - this is never the way to go to make the most of a head unit and amplifier pairing.
Given the above I decided to make two changes: 1) find an amplifier tested with a better level of performance that is no heavier than the original, and 2) to improve SQ use line level outputs from the Becker head unit to amplifier. I settled on the Apline MRV-F300 amp which is a Class D therefore lighter and cooler running than an equivalent (heavier) Class A or A/B.
For (relative!) comfort I've opted to retain the sound deadening and vibration material in my car, so in order to mount the amplifier in the factory location I cut a neat square under the passenger seat to allow the amplifier to sit low enough to provide clearance for the left seat. The vibration damping material is bitumen based and stuck to the floor pan; it can be removed with a heat gun and plastic scraper. I removed the adhesive residue with petrol. The sound deadening material lays loosely over the top and was simply cut as required then lifted out.
The 175mm x 210mm area of vibration damping & sound attenuation material came in at 0.665kg, which must put the full complement at around 8kg. The removed part offset the amplifier to mean the total weight added was only just over 1kg - for me that is an acceptable compromise given the benefit. Out of interest at some point in the future I may conduct some tests with a sound level meter with the removable sound deadening material fitted then removed.
In terms of wiring the neat thing about adding an amplifier is that all cars are pre-wired with a junction point connector to support an one; it's a GT series connector that has speaker wires, power wires, and remote turn-on, so all I had to do was add the additional speaker wires to the door loom multi-plug and add make use of the junction point connector using OEM pins. I've used factory colours throughout and made twisted pairs for reduced interference. The only change I made was to step up the woofer speaker wires by 0.5mm for better SQ.
F430, Scuderia, and 16M Door Panel and HiFi Weight Analysis
Door card and stero system weight anlayis
Misc
The electric window switches in my car had suffered the usual sticky problem, so given at the same time I had the HVAC control unit in pieces to paint the knobs black (Scuderia has matt black knobs - F430 has satin metallic grey) it made sense to de-sticky everything at the same time. I found that the HVAC temperature display was very resiliant but I had to use extreme care with the window switches because the paint was very fragile.
I used Tamiya paint for the black knobs and their 'Flatt Matt' lacquer to seal the de-stickied parts. It turned out looking OEM but without the risk of further sticky issues.
Another titivation job: a strip of aluminium lines either side of the Spider hood tray and on my car the original satin black paint had weathered due to a lack of primer underneath. To restore them the trims were rubbed down, etch primed, and then re-finished in satin black.
I'm going to refresh the suspension flamblocs and bearings at some point soon so rather than work on my arms I'm piecing together a spare set that can be sent for vapour blasting and build-up off the the car. Fitting them becomes a simple swap-over
My X-Pipe exhaust has gone because I'm ready for a change.
I also picked up the OEM paint template/jig for the 16M stripe. The stripe on my car is currently a decal which does let down the car, so I'm going to have it painted on.
Weight saving
| Original Part | Fitted Quantity | Original Part (kg) | Replacement Part (kg) | Sprung Saving (kg) | Unsprung Saving (kg) | Replacement Part |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pedals - brake | 1 | 0.987 | 0.627 | 0.36 | - | 16M/Scuderia |
| Pedals - brake and clutch height adjuster bracket | 1 | 0.086 | 0 | 0.086 | - | Removed - unused |
| Brakes - ABS/ESP - acceleration sensor | 1 | 0.091 | 0 | 0.091 | - | Removed - function provided by CAN yaw |
| Pedals - Pedals - accelerator assembly | 1 | 0.883 | 0.869 | 0.014 | - | 16M/Scuderia |
| Door hinges | 4 | 0.705 | 0.5005 | 0.818 | - | Machined to reduce weight |
| Dashboard plaque 'F430 Spider' - carbon version | 1 | 0.025 | 0.086 | -0.061 | - | '16M Scuderia Spider - Limited 499' |
| Interior - centre console, complete (carbon driving zone) | 1 | 2.253 | 1.341 | 0.912 | - | 16M (carbon) |
| Windscreen washer tank, pumps, and minimum fluid | 1 | 5.257 | 2.899 | 2.358 | - | 360 non-headlamp wash version adapted |
| Headlamps - standard | 2 | 0.3505 | 0.137 | 0.427 | - | 16M (carbon) |
| Wing mirrors | 1 | 2.11 | 1.431 | 0.679 | - | 16M/Scuderia (carbon) |
| Spider hood tray | 1 | 8.45 | 1.555 | 6.895 | - | Bespoke carbon version |
| F1 paddles | 1 | 0.154 | 0.103 | 0.051 | - | Steering wheel mounted |
| Steering wheel - leather with aluminium trim | 1 | 1.78 | 1.85 | -0.07 | - | 16M/Scuderia (carbon) - leather & alcantara |
| Interior - rear bulkhead (carpet) | 1 | 2.86 | 2.703 | 0.157 | - | Retrimmed in Alcantara |
| Interior - rear bulkhead document nets (untrimmed) | 2 | 0.119 | 0.257 | -0.276 | - | Retrimmed in Alcantara |
| Interior - rear shelf, centre (carpet) | 1 | 0.402 | 0.465 | -0.063 | - | Retrimmed in Alcantara |
| Pedals - drivers footrest 'dead pedal' | 1 | 0.181 | 0.162 | 0.019 | - | Hill Engineering (drilled aluminium) |
| Interior - tunnel trim (carpet) | 1 | 1.177 | 1.041 | 0.136 | - | Retrimmed in Alcantara |
| Interior - drivers footwell trim (carpet) | 1 | 0.305 | 0.316 | -0.011 | - | Retrimmed in Alcantara |
| Interior - rear shelf, LH (carpet) | 1 | 0.822 | 1.039 | -0.217 | - | Retrimmed in Alcantara |
| Interior - rear shelf, RH (carpet) | 1 | 0.98 | 0.91 | 0.07 | - | Retrimmed in Alcantara |
| Interior - passenger footwell trim (carpet) | 1 | 0.229 | 0.371 | -0.142 | - | Retrimmed in Alcantara |
| Bumper - front mounting washers (steel) | 4 | 0.019 | 0.012 | 0.028 | - | Bespoke aluminium spacers |
| Battery change #2 - Optima 'Red Top' 34R | 1 | 18.75 | 16.72 | 2.03 | - | Bosch S5 007 |
| Pedals - passenger footrest | 1 | 0.347 | 0.136 | 0.211 | - | 16M/Scuderia (machined flat and drilled) |
| Doors - door card mounting brackets and rivets | 2 | 0.1645 | 0.14 | 0.049 | - | 16M specific brackets |
| Doors - wiring loom | 2 | 0.526 | 0.532 | -0.012 | - | 16M door loom |
| Doors - inner handle with microswitches | 2 | 0.188 | 0.256 | -0.136 | - | 16M/Scuderia inner handle mechanism |
| Doors - door card, scraper, and fastenings - driver | 1 | 4.992 | 3.376 | 1.616 | - | 16M door card, scraper, and fastenings |
| Doors - door card, scraper, and fastenings - passenger | 1 | 5.461 | 3.376 | 2.085 | - | 16M door card, scraper, and fastenings |
| Hi Fi - woofer, grille, and fastenings | 2 | 0.945 | 0.54 | 0.81 | - | 16M midbass with fastenings |
| Hi Fi - tweeter and trim piece | 2 | 0.075 | 0.06 | 0.03 | - | 16M tweeter & midrange with fastenings |
| Hi Fi - midrange and fastenings | 2 | 0 | 0.163 | -0.326 | - | 16M midrange with fastenings |
| Hi Fi - amplifier | 1 | 0 | 1.671 | -1.671 | - | 16M amplifier |
| Hi Fi - wiring for amplifier and additional speakers | 1 | 0 | 0.628 | -0.628 | - | 16M Hi Fi wiring |
| Undertray, rear | 1 | 9.1 | 5.249 | 3.851 | - | 16M/Scuderia (carbon composite) |
| Capristo exhaust valve controller | 1 | 0 | 0.245 | -0.245 | - | Capristo |
| Door courtesy lights | 2 | 0.012 | 0.009 | 0.006 | - | 16M reflectors |
| Area of sound deadening removed to mount amplifier | 1 | 0.665 | 0 | 0.665 | - | Removed |
Unsprung weight saved: 24.97 kg
Sprung weight saved: 96.19 kg
Total weight saved: 121.17 kg
Thanks all. The car will be one of our wedding cars this year and we're also using it to drive to Italy.
For the exhaust change I'm thinking about the Capristo valved exhaust https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qu95SSMYbOw
It has specific cats with a straighter exit to the silencer, and the pipes are also 70mm vs the 65mm original.
The X-Pipe has been good in terms of experiencing a higher pitched sound, but I've found it ran hotter, sapped a bit of power, and I actually miss the fullter, and louder - if less musical - 'natural' exhaust note.
For the exhaust change I'm thinking about the Capristo valved exhaust https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qu95SSMYbOw
It has specific cats with a straighter exit to the silencer, and the pipes are also 70mm vs the 65mm original.
The X-Pipe has been good in terms of experiencing a higher pitched sound, but I've found it ran hotter, sapped a bit of power, and I actually miss the fullter, and louder - if less musical - 'natural' exhaust note.
The goal of this project is creation of a light weight, high performance, road-based Spider. One of the requirements I set to help meet that is a weight saving target of 150kg without detriment to on-road manners or civility, and this dictates that I continue to develop parts to compliment the off-the-shelf OEM offerings.
A new round of bespoke light weight carbon parts are in production and here's a first look at the next body panel to be made to my specification; I'm particularly pleased with the mix of carbon fabrics that blend strength with a cosmetic match to the OEM fabric in the areas that will remain visible.
A new round of bespoke light weight carbon parts are in production and here's a first look at the next body panel to be made to my specification; I'm particularly pleased with the mix of carbon fabrics that blend strength with a cosmetic match to the OEM fabric in the areas that will remain visible.
One of the bulbs in the HVAC unit of failed, so I replaced it. Some of the bulbs are standard twist-lock types, but two are soldered on to the PCB, and it was one of those that failed. They are incandescent bulbs with a green cap and I tracked down a match at RS.
16M HiFi wiring harness complete and installed.
I wasn't happy with the condition of my window switches after removing the coating, so I decided to fit two new switches.
New Bonnet
I commissioned a new bonnet that is a take on that fitted to the F50 GT. There are other versions of this bonnet available but I found they were either fibreglass, a mix of fibreglass and wet lay carbon, or wet lay carbon - none of which would suit this project - so I found a supplier who was willing to manufacture the bonnet to my spec in vacuum bag carbon with a mix of fabrics to match the OEM carbon parts.
The original aluminium bonnet painted but stripped bare weighs 6.9kg. The carbon bonnet in its bare form weighs 3.81kg. I will cut out the vent areas and fabricate mesh grilles, initially blanked off behind with a piece of thin carbon, but my plans for later will involve functional testing from the front of the car and some wind tunnel testing.
As with all aftermarket parts there is some tidying up to do and I spent a few hours getting the alignment perfect. Next steps are paint including the stripe using the OEM 16M paint mask kit. The centre of the stripe on my car is black, but on the new bonnet it will be (lacquered) exposed carbon.
Fitted (in this photo I haven't yet started work on alignment).
Engine Lid
The coupe/berlinetta F430 had available an OEM carbon fibre rear engine lid with Lexan window; sadly there wasn't a version offered for the Spider. I planned to commission a Spider version so have stuck on temperature measuring strips to determine if temperatures at the window area are within the usage range of polycarbonate, however given the news about changes to cars and upcoming regulation I'll most likely start to wind down car projects and focus on a new hobby.
16M HiFi wiring harness complete and installed.
I wasn't happy with the condition of my window switches after removing the coating, so I decided to fit two new switches.
New Bonnet
I commissioned a new bonnet that is a take on that fitted to the F50 GT. There are other versions of this bonnet available but I found they were either fibreglass, a mix of fibreglass and wet lay carbon, or wet lay carbon - none of which would suit this project - so I found a supplier who was willing to manufacture the bonnet to my spec in vacuum bag carbon with a mix of fabrics to match the OEM carbon parts.
The original aluminium bonnet painted but stripped bare weighs 6.9kg. The carbon bonnet in its bare form weighs 3.81kg. I will cut out the vent areas and fabricate mesh grilles, initially blanked off behind with a piece of thin carbon, but my plans for later will involve functional testing from the front of the car and some wind tunnel testing.
As with all aftermarket parts there is some tidying up to do and I spent a few hours getting the alignment perfect. Next steps are paint including the stripe using the OEM 16M paint mask kit. The centre of the stripe on my car is black, but on the new bonnet it will be (lacquered) exposed carbon.
Fitted (in this photo I haven't yet started work on alignment).
Engine Lid
The coupe/berlinetta F430 had available an OEM carbon fibre rear engine lid with Lexan window; sadly there wasn't a version offered for the Spider. I planned to commission a Spider version so have stuck on temperature measuring strips to determine if temperatures at the window area are within the usage range of polycarbonate, however given the news about changes to cars and upcoming regulation I'll most likely start to wind down car projects and focus on a new hobby.
leglessAlex said:
Jesus Titty Christ. Are you serious?
To what end? It seems you're aiming for a road car first and foremost, I'm curious what benefit you'd be expecting from improving the aero.
Yes. In addition to the bonnet there are blanked off air inlets along the side of the car that feed brake cooling ducts on the Challenge car and I have plans to use the Challenge cooling ducts to route air to the rear diffuser. It will be a fun learning exercise that hopefully realises a reduction in drag coefficient and increase in down-force, the benefits of which will be felt on the road.To what end? It seems you're aiming for a road car first and foremost, I'm curious what benefit you'd be expecting from improving the aero.
helix402 said:
What are these changes to cars and upcoming legislation?
Fitment of a mandatory speed limiter that although can be turned off, is a social engineering exercise that will result in less opportunity to properly use a car unhindered.Matt Cup said:
Having enjoyed reading all of your threads I’m interested into what’s your next hobby going to be if you are distancing yourself from cars?
You can tell me to mind my own business if you don’t want to divulge.
I grew up boating with family and have RYA qualifications etc. so I'm ready to jump back in to it. Having been so impressed with the engine in the CLK I'd quite like a project to marinise one and fit it into a typical cruisier - to get the best of both worlds. A nautical sleeper!You can tell me to mind my own business if you don’t want to divulge.
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