FRONT HOOD BONNET AND HEADLIGHT

Turn to the hood and headlights, the former had to tweak several small buns and it was also necessary to adjust the headlamps. The plater wants to put the wheels and lower to the ground to adjust as necessary because the twisting of the body above the wheels are different from those it has on some blocks, this is especially noticeable in the doors.

Jack is also eager to put it on the floor and get some pictures with all the work sheet done.

Jack should start thinking about painting: now catch all the information you have and start compass, the original car paint is Glasurit monolayer therefore attempt to find information about it, we'll see how the track runs.

Below left a photo of the hood.

NICE DISPROPORTIONATELY

Long ago that Jack told me he had recorded in their DNA as power image of a car width, but it really suggests power is a relationship between width and height large, namely, the F355 measures 1.90 m wide and 1.17 m high, is R = 1.62.

Objectively speaking R = 1.50 is the boundary above which the designers say that a car has sporty proportions. Fulfilling this can be said that half the job of designing a sports car is done, now just have to give way, but here we get into the field of subjectivity.

The shapes that Pininfarina has given the back of the F355 seem outright. The way in which the defense embraces the four releases, the four round tail lamps, spoiler duck, everything fits like a puzzle. Then the horizontal over the engine hood and all ended with a roof supported by Roman pillars that descend hierarchically combining strength with lightness posterior lateral.

A Jack and me even today modern Ferrari not seem so beautiful on its back. From here I demand a return to the horizontal hood to the roof pillars and leaving the engine hood downward ramp.

I invite you to look at the pictures below and think again as I commented above.

LIKE A GLOVE

What a joy! When a part sets perfectly after a reparation. This was the case with the side left bottom spoiler. The good result was due to Jack’s buying the original part, it wouldn’t be the same with the repaired one. It looks much more elegant although the area is not visible. "Good things better well done."

This is taking shape! In the pictures of today you can see the lower spoilers put in place.

EXTERNAL COVERING AND LOWER ARM

Jack is back!, now he’s looking for the outside left hand external covering and the left hand lower wishbone. The plater was ready to try to straighten the bar and even told Jack that if it was necessary he would straighten the board best.

But in the end Jack decided to buy both pieces in origin safety and because the external covering was surprisingly cheap (83 €). About 360 € is the price of a new lower arm, that's what Jack invests in personal and family safety also will avoid problems with the alignment of suspension, although it is true that this car can regulate toe-in, camber, caster and kingpin angles.

LEFT DOOR

This week was for the left door that is what’s taking longer to be straightened. Tentative arrangements are being assembled with fiber parts to be able to catch references. Looking at the car with these parts is hard to remember how it was before, I had to review first photos.

Here are more photos.

BATTERY AREA

The battery area was perhaps the most damaged as well as the left door area, the battery and its support to the chassis were torn in the accident, when the car arrived these parts were no longer there. Therefore, the plater had to rebuild the area, with the help of the new bracket Jack had bought. The hardest thing was align the front car because there was a reference from which could take the position of the other parts.

GLANCE EXCHANGE

The plater has already started for the front, particularly with the left front flipper. In the pictures you can see the status of the part before and now, just got it flat, that is, without filing or sanding (no material has been drawn to the sheet) as I first said all part will be straighten and then file and sand and spend the minimum cement.

In order to adjust the lines headlights were moved, then it happened! first exchange of glances! the car seemed to tell Jack something with its eyes, Jack fancied a thank you for resuscitation and prevent it scrapped for organ donation (one of those unique to the continent junkyards). Some time ago Jack was in love with this car but now Jack thinks the car has fallen in love with him.

The previous paragraph is perhaps a little cheesy and the less literary, but it was what Jack told me he felt when the car headlights lifted.

PROGRESSION

The plater is working on the car, Jack has removed the radiators on the right side to repair the bottom of that area that was slightly dented. So, plater’s work makes appearance progresses steadily.

When Jack went to the Classic Car Show in Oporto bought two of the few pieces still missing, it is the Prancing Horse of the front car and the four plugs that fit in the middle of the tires also took the opportunity to purchase two cloth Scudetti. See the related photos.

TAKING SHAPE

You remember that awesome movie, Christine by Stefen King, A guy bought a Cadillac in junk status, after fixing it, his personality changed as his car’s, which had soul, what struck me most was that the car after crashing into other cars repaired itself instantaniously. Well, now Jack's Ferrari is undergoing this metamorphosis. It is amazing to see how a plater can recover the sheet metal, It’s a pity how nowadays this professionals are less and less, because of dismantling-thow-buy-assembly.
The plater began with the left side and started with the door on that side, and because a picture is worth a thousand words here your are 8 photos (one of them is the butt of the left bank of the engine in "Testarossa"). Two of the pictures are a comparison between before and after.

THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS.

It’s now a year since Jack bought the car and now at last began the countdown, the plater has hit the car the first blows. He began his work in the right rear wing, his intention is to straighten the whole car without much hesitance and afterwards soften all areas so that the lines are perfect. Attached corresponding photos.

GOOD SMOKE

In former photos you could check that the exhaust was a little wrinkled, so Jack would need to repair it. After consulting several companies Jack found that budgets varied widely. He finally made it by a local company because he would save transport fees, it was the cheapest and especially because it allowed him to do some tweaks when fitted to the car in case it got wrong, the repairing cost 150 € which, to my point of view, it is what it should cost because after all it only had to change a tube and fit it. There was another company in Coruña, much more popular, that would do the job for the over-budgeted amount of 450 €, the problem was that Jack should go with the car to ensure precise positioning, and that was impossible for him.           
Before assembling it, the result seems satisfactory and the difference with the original will be invaluable with the rear bumper assemblied.

RACECAR PARTS

Some time ago Jack asked for some F355 Challenge parts, the racing version of the F355, he received them last week, they are the backets anchors to the body and harness-style safety belts.

Jack was looking for these parts long ago, but not in the official Ferrari dealer but in its official supplier of racing that is OMP, in OMP they cost half the original price of Ferrari. OMP harnesses are four points and 3 inches, identical to the original with the exception of embroidered shield and the text "F355 Challenge," also much cheaper than the originals.

90% OFF

In photos of some weeks ago should you see that the rear glass that separates the engine compartment is broken, It’s not a very large glass, 300x1700 mm approximately, its main characteristic is formed at 90 ° in each corner making it a too warped glass, so I guess it’s a complex and expensive construction.

It took Jack 3 months looking for it, the first shock was its price as new part, Hang on!, 2500 € without VAT, of course it had to be found 2nd hand, it was found 2 months ago for 1300 € but, but, but, for transport it had to be packed in wooden box (300 € more) and then pay for transport (250 € approx.) total € 1850. Jack needed to find a cheaper solution.

Consulting in environments related to race competition he was told cars used a Plexiglas one or Lexan on cause three main reasons, the lower weight of plastic, much lower price than the original and security (doesn’t break into pieces in case of impact).

After consulting shops specialized in plastics and acrylics products, Jack came at a price of 550 € more reasonable for his pocket, packaging and transport apart. But Jack kept looking and found a local supplier that could build it. He could fabricate a copy in Lexan for a cheap price or 360 €, no packaging either transport fees, just take the original glass to copy.

Then taped the glass on the chipped area and pulled it out in one piece to take to their studios where they would make a mold for the replica.

It is true the car lost originality but Jack saved 90% and the Lexan fits perfectly in the transformation into a race car approved that is intentioned.