Ferrari F430 Spider
Discussion
helix402 said:
Good work. I always enjoy spotting the Fiat parts on your Ferraris!
My last Fiat was a Coupe which seems to have donated quite a few parts to the Ferrari parts bin.
Please post when you spot something as I may not be aware - there are also Alfa bits dotted around the cabin.My last Fiat was a Coupe which seems to have donated quite a few parts to the Ferrari parts bin.
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.mwstewart said:
Capristo Exhaust Valve Controller
This controller will enable me to switch between an override mode with the valves to permanently open, or the standard ECU controlled setting. The kit is very well made and the mode setting switches are operated by using a small supplied magnet over the top of the case rather than with micro switches which could be a weak point for moisture ingress. Neat touch.
My only criticism is that part of the wiring loom isn't taped.
I chose to mount the unit at the rear of the right hand wheel-arch, away from heat of the exhaust but within reach from inside the engine bay if the rearmost trim panel is removed.
I ran the earth cable across to one of two existing earth points underneath the F1 pump assembly.
I had to file out the ring terminal on the loom from M6 size to M8 which easy to do as the fitting is zinc plated brass.
I taped up any exposed wires and made sure the connectors were secured with cable ties to prevent undue stress on the terminals.
The loom was an absolutely perfect fit for the F430; I ran it behind the rear bumper underneath the cross member.
Scuderia Rear Undertray
The Scuderia version is made of a lightweight composite material and has two NACA ducts towards the rear that direct air over the exhaust. The ribs along the underside also match up with the Scuderia diffuser, which is different to the F430 part.
Steering Wheel Paddles - Module v2
I've been driving around for a year with OEM and steering wheel paddles in place - the former being left in whilst I tested the v1 module. I found that sometimes the modulated resistance output was not close enough to the factory values and hence the TCU threw an error. I have redesigned the module to use Panasonic TQ high speed signalling relays which is a much simpler, elegant solution that removes the need for a micro controller and regulated power supply, and enabled me to match the factory resistor values to within 0.05%.
I've used butyl on the connections to prevent 'creep'.
Rear Marker Lights
The reflectors on the rear of the car are the same type of unit that is used as a rear or side marker (lens is amber) light on other Ferraris. For the small amount of effort involved I decided to convert mine to illuminate with the side lights.
I'm using 0.5mm thinwall cable to match the OEM colours, W4W sidelight bulb holders, AMP Junior Timer Housings, red incandescent bulbs, and an LED I'll try to see if it looks OK - it may be too bright.
More on this another time.
16M Sound System
I've been analysing the sound system which per side features a tweeter with an inline filter fed from a 100mm Midrange, and a 165mm midbass driver. JBL have been pretty clever in their design to keep weight to a minimum as the midbass features a DVC type driver which enables a smaller magnet to be used whilst maintaining power output. Also, the amplifier is a class D which means smaller power wires, reduced footprint, and less weight at the slight expense of ultimate sound quality, which isn't really a concern in this particular car - anything is going to be better than the standard head unit.
The amp has six channels: two powering the midbass coils, and one for the midrange & tweeter.
This is all a bit of a concession to luxury rather than weight saving but given the summer roads trips we go on where often we'll spending several hours in the car per day, it's a worthwhile compromise.
16M Door Cards
The inner door handles and handle mechanisms weigh nearly as much as one door card! I'm having the handles remade in carbon, and I've picked up some aluminium stock to remake parts of the handle mechanism. I can save enough weight to offset the midbass speakers.
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) This controller will enable me to switch between an override mode with the valves to permanently open, or the standard ECU controlled setting. The kit is very well made and the mode setting switches are operated by using a small supplied magnet over the top of the case rather than with micro switches which could be a weak point for moisture ingress. Neat touch.
My only criticism is that part of the wiring loom isn't taped.
I chose to mount the unit at the rear of the right hand wheel-arch, away from heat of the exhaust but within reach from inside the engine bay if the rearmost trim panel is removed.
I ran the earth cable across to one of two existing earth points underneath the F1 pump assembly.
I had to file out the ring terminal on the loom from M6 size to M8 which easy to do as the fitting is zinc plated brass.
I taped up any exposed wires and made sure the connectors were secured with cable ties to prevent undue stress on the terminals.
The loom was an absolutely perfect fit for the F430; I ran it behind the rear bumper underneath the cross member.
Scuderia Rear Undertray
The Scuderia version is made of a lightweight composite material and has two NACA ducts towards the rear that direct air over the exhaust. The ribs along the underside also match up with the Scuderia diffuser, which is different to the F430 part.
Steering Wheel Paddles - Module v2
I've been driving around for a year with OEM and steering wheel paddles in place - the former being left in whilst I tested the v1 module. I found that sometimes the modulated resistance output was not close enough to the factory values and hence the TCU threw an error. I have redesigned the module to use Panasonic TQ high speed signalling relays which is a much simpler, elegant solution that removes the need for a micro controller and regulated power supply, and enabled me to match the factory resistor values to within 0.05%.
I've used butyl on the connections to prevent 'creep'.
Rear Marker Lights
The reflectors on the rear of the car are the same type of unit that is used as a rear or side marker (lens is amber) light on other Ferraris. For the small amount of effort involved I decided to convert mine to illuminate with the side lights.
I'm using 0.5mm thinwall cable to match the OEM colours, W4W sidelight bulb holders, AMP Junior Timer Housings, red incandescent bulbs, and an LED I'll try to see if it looks OK - it may be too bright.
More on this another time.
16M Sound System
I've been analysing the sound system which per side features a tweeter with an inline filter fed from a 100mm Midrange, and a 165mm midbass driver. JBL have been pretty clever in their design to keep weight to a minimum as the midbass features a DVC type driver which enables a smaller magnet to be used whilst maintaining power output. Also, the amplifier is a class D which means smaller power wires, reduced footprint, and less weight at the slight expense of ultimate sound quality, which isn't really a concern in this particular car - anything is going to be better than the standard head unit.
The amp has six channels: two powering the midbass coils, and one for the midrange & tweeter.
This is all a bit of a concession to luxury rather than weight saving but given the summer roads trips we go on where often we'll spending several hours in the car per day, it's a worthwhile compromise.
16M Door Cards
The inner door handles and handle mechanisms weigh nearly as much as one door card! I'm having the handles remade in carbon, and I've picked up some aluminium stock to remake parts of the handle mechanism. I can save enough weight to offset the midbass speakers.
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.
mwstewart said:
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.
still love what your doing here by the way
GP
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
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff