365 gtb/4 daytona
Author
Discussion

bmwcsl

Original Poster:

259 posts

257 months

Sunday 25th May 2008
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Has anyone here got one and if so are they as awesome as I imagine?


Murph7355

42,004 posts

286 months

Sunday 25th May 2008
quotequote all
bmwcsl said:
Has anyone here got one and if so are they as awesome as I imagine?
Yes they are smile

bmwcsl

Original Poster:

259 posts

257 months

Sunday 25th May 2008
quotequote all
Hey Murph,

Have you got one then? Is it a non-spyder? I looked at a few a couple of years back and now wish I had taken the plunge as prices have risen and the money was squandered elsewhere!

I remember seeing a beautiful balck one around bushey a few years back with the plate 7 ENO if i remember correctly.

Murph7355

42,004 posts

286 months

Monday 26th May 2008
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A few old photographs here:

http://www.c7photography.com/Resources/Galleries/T...

Have never managed to get any better shots sorted for some reason.

Bought it 3yrs ago. Realised I could afford one (despite prices already having risen) and that I was unlikely ever to lose much money on one, so thought why the hell not. They've more or less doubled in value since, which is a nice bonus (thus far it's not cost any more than any other sports car to run too, touch wood. Though some parts can be tricky to get hold of).

It's a great car. Much more visceral than modern cars and you really have to drive it (rather than it driving you). Steering is pretty heavy at parking speeds, but the upside of this is when you're under way - nicely weighted. It sounds great at full chat (like a WWII fighter plane) and will easily keep up with more modern cars, being predictable when hustled and able to keep up a solid turn of speed, even if you're lazy with the gears.

The brakes are "interesting". Mine has uprated pads and brake fluid, which helps. But you have to plan ahead a bit to avoid soiling your pants! They work OK but aren't too confidence inspiring.

When I started looking I wasn't really aware of the plexi version, but as soon as I saw one I knew that had to be the model for me. Car looks so much more purposeful. Unsurprising as it was always meant to look that way before US laws forced a change. I'm pretty sure there were about 21 or 22 RHD plexi cars made (around 158 RHD cars in total of both types), and don't believe all survive today. So they're also not that common (though I know the owners of 2 others funnily enough).



bmwcsl

Original Poster:

259 posts

257 months

Monday 26th May 2008
quotequote all
It looks stunning. Did it take much of a search to settle on her? Mileage - restor/ rebuild? Its one of the cars I have said to myself I must own one day.

I love the extra wise rear wheels and I agree with you on the plexi front end - it's also one less thing to go wrong I guess!

Didn't realise there were so few right hand drive cars about.

Where abouts are you based?

Regards,

A fellow Murphy!



Murph7355

42,004 posts

286 months

Monday 26th May 2008
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I started "looking" from Tokyo (I was based there). There weren't too many available and I originally settled on a different car. Compression results didn't come up too great on that one, but eventually I plucked up courage to pull the trigger after talking to a few specialists (when stood for a while it's not unusual for compression results to show anomalies). Then the owner bumped the price by 30%+.

I looked at a number of others (I had details of 7 cars at the time) but most were quite tatty tbh. Cheaper than this one, but wouldn't have been once brought up to scratch (one was a complete basket case). So I did a deal on this car and haven't looked back since.

I'm the 5th owner and it's now done 43k miles. It was owned by the chairman of the FOC for a fair while. 9in rears were an option on them, as was aircon which this also has (the original car I looked at had neither). It had a bare metal respray in the mid-80s when its colour was changed from Rosso Rubino (burgundy) to rosso corsa. Other than that, it's an original car with very nice patina. Also has that classic car smell smile

I'm based in SW London. Car has been seen around Sheffield where I originate from though.

dinkel

27,818 posts

288 months

Tuesday 27th May 2008
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Wasn't the car called Daytona - by the public? - because of Ferrari's '67 1-2-3 Daytona (track!) 24 hrs win?

Speaking of racers: the Competizione version is gorgeous:


Models for us mortals . . .

Murph7355

42,004 posts

286 months

Tuesday 27th May 2008
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dinkel said:
Wasn't the car called Daytona - by the public? - because of Ferrari's '67 1-2-3 Daytona (track!) 24 hrs win?

Speaking of racers: the Competizione version is gorgeous:
IIRC the story goes that Enzo was going to name it Daytona. The name got leaked, he sulked and stuck to the usual number nomenclature. Didn't matter though as everyone called it Daytona.

Competition cars are beasts. The people who drive them deserve medals as it can get very hot even in an air-con'd road car. And even though it's certainly not truck like, you know when you've been for a drive even in a std car.

I love the gold wheels on them smile Might even be worth a Scuderia stripe.

bmwcsl

Original Poster:

259 posts

257 months

Wednesday 28th May 2008
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Well Murph, I hope to be among the daytona owning circle in the next few years - have one before 30 would be nice! Requires a few AIM oil and gas explorers to pull their finger out though!

COngrats on what is a savage car.

Murph7355

42,004 posts

286 months

Wednesday 28th May 2008
quotequote all
bmwcsl said:
Well Murph, I hope to be among the daytona owning circle in the next few years - have one before 30 would be nice! Requires a few AIM oil and gas explorers to pull their finger out though!

COngrats on what is a savage car.
Thanks.

I was 34 when I bought mine.