testarossa thread
Discussion
Robert W said:
Der. Interested to know the diff emcee between the two cars to drive etc, not just the wing mirror difference!
Harry reckons the older single-mirror has more power, but it could be down to individual examples.As for the 512M above - lovely photos, and the flush headlamps are such an improvement over the pop-ups!
A question for RHD Testarossa owners, if you don't mind ...
I don't own a Testarossa - my dream set-up would be a LHD one for continental jaunts and a RHD 328 for UK roads - but having recently sat in a RHD Testarossa I'm curious as to what you do with your left leg!
As I sat there I noticed that the foot rest for your left foot is inaccessible due to the gap between the clutch pedal and the central tunnel being so narrow. If you draw your leg back a little out of the way of the clutch pedal it's uncomfortable because you cant put your foot flat on the floor without it straining your shin. If you draw your leg back enough to put your foot comfortably flat on the floor your leg interferes with the steering wheel. Crossing your left leg under your right one just feels plain wrong! I'm only 5'7" and I have small feet but it didn't really feel like it could work for me. A friend who is quite a bit taller than me also sat in it and reported that the passenger side door mirror was obscured by the a-pillar for him - it was partly obscured for me too! The car felt very snug, even for a shortass like me, so quite how taller people cope I don't know!
The good thing for me is that a LHD Testarossa I sat in was perfectly comfortable as the foot rest on the wheel arch was accessible and felt like it was in the right place. Many years of driving a RHD BMW with its pedals offset to the right (due to the width of the transmission tunnel) means I'm well accustomed to that position already.
I don't own a Testarossa - my dream set-up would be a LHD one for continental jaunts and a RHD 328 for UK roads - but having recently sat in a RHD Testarossa I'm curious as to what you do with your left leg!
As I sat there I noticed that the foot rest for your left foot is inaccessible due to the gap between the clutch pedal and the central tunnel being so narrow. If you draw your leg back a little out of the way of the clutch pedal it's uncomfortable because you cant put your foot flat on the floor without it straining your shin. If you draw your leg back enough to put your foot comfortably flat on the floor your leg interferes with the steering wheel. Crossing your left leg under your right one just feels plain wrong! I'm only 5'7" and I have small feet but it didn't really feel like it could work for me. A friend who is quite a bit taller than me also sat in it and reported that the passenger side door mirror was obscured by the a-pillar for him - it was partly obscured for me too! The car felt very snug, even for a shortass like me, so quite how taller people cope I don't know!
The good thing for me is that a LHD Testarossa I sat in was perfectly comfortable as the foot rest on the wheel arch was accessible and felt like it was in the right place. Many years of driving a RHD BMW with its pedals offset to the right (due to the width of the transmission tunnel) means I'm well accustomed to that position already.
MitchT said:
A question for RHD Testarossa owners, if you don't mind ...
I don't own a Testarossa - my dream set-up would be a LHD one for continental jaunts and a RHD 328 for UK roads - but having recently sat in a RHD Testarossa I'm curious as to what you do with your left leg!
As I sat there I noticed that the foot rest for your left foot is inaccessible due to the gap between the clutch pedal and the central tunnel being so narrow. If you draw your leg back a little out of the way of the clutch pedal it's uncomfortable because you cant put your foot flat on the floor without it straining your shin. If you draw your leg back enough to put your foot comfortably flat on the floor your leg interferes with the steering wheel. Crossing your left leg under your right one just feels plain wrong! I'm only 5'7" and I have small feet but it didn't really feel like it could work for me. A friend who is quite a bit taller than me also sat in it and reported that the passenger side door mirror was obscured by the a-pillar for him - it was partly obscured for me too! The car felt very snug, even for a shortass like me, so quite how taller people cope I don't know!
The good thing for me is that a LHD Testarossa I sat in was perfectly comfortable as the foot rest on the wheel arch was accessible and felt like it was in the right place. Many years of driving a RHD BMW with its pedals offset to the right (due to the width of the transmission tunnel) means I'm well accustomed to that position already.
This also applies on 328's and 348's (as well as 964's and 993's) - in a LHD the wheelarch allows space for a proper footrest. I have size 12 feet and could easily drive a LHD Testarossa but a RHD would be extremely dangerous for me due to lack of space in the footwell.I don't own a Testarossa - my dream set-up would be a LHD one for continental jaunts and a RHD 328 for UK roads - but having recently sat in a RHD Testarossa I'm curious as to what you do with your left leg!
As I sat there I noticed that the foot rest for your left foot is inaccessible due to the gap between the clutch pedal and the central tunnel being so narrow. If you draw your leg back a little out of the way of the clutch pedal it's uncomfortable because you cant put your foot flat on the floor without it straining your shin. If you draw your leg back enough to put your foot comfortably flat on the floor your leg interferes with the steering wheel. Crossing your left leg under your right one just feels plain wrong! I'm only 5'7" and I have small feet but it didn't really feel like it could work for me. A friend who is quite a bit taller than me also sat in it and reported that the passenger side door mirror was obscured by the a-pillar for him - it was partly obscured for me too! The car felt very snug, even for a shortass like me, so quite how taller people cope I don't know!
The good thing for me is that a LHD Testarossa I sat in was perfectly comfortable as the foot rest on the wheel arch was accessible and felt like it was in the right place. Many years of driving a RHD BMW with its pedals offset to the right (due to the width of the transmission tunnel) means I'm well accustomed to that position already.
cgt2 said:
This also applies on 328's and 348's ...
I might be wrong but I don't see it being problem on a 328 as the foot rest is no deeper into the footwell than the pedals so you can reach it without having to get your foot past the clutch pedal. Also, there isn't a large central tunnel preventing you from angling your foot accordingly. 348-wise, I'm not sure how adequate it is but I believe there's a recess in the side of the central tunnel to accommodate your foot when it's on the foot rest. On the Testarossa I looked at the footrest was a good inch deeper into the footwell than the pedals with only a couple of inches gap between the clutch pedal and the central tunnel, so completely inaccessible unless you slipped your foot under the clutch pedal to reach it, which would then leave your left foot partly behind the pedal. Not good!Edited by MitchT on Thursday 17th November 13:09
MitchT said:
I might be wrong but I don't see it being problem on a 328 as the foot rest is no deeper into the footwell than the pedals so you can reach it without having to get your foot past the clutch pedal. Also, there isn't a large central tunnel preventing you from angling your foot accordingly. 348-wise, I'm not sure how adequate it is but I believe there's a recess in the side of the central tunnel to accommodate your foot when it's on the foot rest. On the Testarossa I looked at the footrest was a good inch deeper into the footwell than the pedals with only a couple of inches gap between the clutch pedal and the central tunnel, so completely inaccessible unless you slipped your foot under the clutch pedal to reach it, which would then leave your left foot partly behind the pedal. Not good!
It's not as extreme as on the Testa, but that was my experience on both the models mentioned. 355's were better as the tunnel allowed more room in a RHD but the first Ferrari I could comfortably drive in RHD was a 550.Edited by MitchT on Thursday 17th November 13:09
Silent1 said:
Does anyone know the current owner of H969 NEL?
I have a fairly serious wedge of it's history and communication between graypaul and my father over issues with the car and if anything i'd like the give them or a copy to the current owner if he wants them.
You might want to contact the Ferrari Owners' Club. It belongs to a member.I have a fairly serious wedge of it's history and communication between graypaul and my father over issues with the car and if anything i'd like the give them or a copy to the current owner if he wants them.
Jonathan
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