[st@ven]

Hi to all,


For quite some time i'm active on some other forums but I just recently found FL. (As a matter of fact I was looking for the wherabouts of Mk e and his V12 project)

Anyway FL seems pretty nice too so I thought registering was pretty obvious.

I'm from the Netherlands (excuses me for me non native use of your language)and been busy with cars since I've leared to drive. Only for a couple of years I switched to Ferrari. Basiccally as before that time I simply thought i couldn't affort them. However as a DIY mecanic for my whole car-life I took the plunge in 2008 buying a nice low mileage '87 red 328 gts.
A like new car without any work so just for learning (and fun) I pulled the engine in the wintertime and cleaned it up a little.

After that first car the lightning really struck and only 5 months later I simply couldn't resist the looks of another gorgious lady. This time a '83 yellow QV GTS. Upside, this one I was cheap. Downside, it was located in Japan.
Ended up buying it unseen but never regretted that "fools-action" for one minute. The car is a beauty and after I got rid of the old and heavy TRX set it surely find it's way through our counties twisty roads

As DIY for me is a big part of the fun and with two pretty perfect cars I went for the lookout for a real project.
In September 2009 I found it in the US. A nasty and very poor and neglected '78 GTB. One tire in the grave already but I was the knight on the white horse and saved her.
It came with a seized engine, a very poor suspension and frozen brakes. Interior was also shot.

Now I had my projectcar!

Since than I did an complete engine job, did the brakes, shocks, electrics and bushes and had it registred.
Currently I'm in the process of making a track car of it.
Already sourced new brakes (F 360), installed a new set of coilovers and replaced the pretty oldfashioned and hard to maintain ignition for a Nick forza's XDI set. After that I give the car some extra power by adding a turbo.

Currently i'm pretty busy (but unfortunately time simply isn't available that much currently) with making the car less heavy.
Plan is to have it technically ready next year. Including rollcage and pretty nice wheels/tires. I do plan to keep it street legal too as I don't like the hussle of car transporters.

[Jimmy Chen Shiba DDS]

Welcome to FL, Steven. Wonderful story and self intro. I admire owners who can DIY. Looking forward to more stories and pics. w/ smiles Jimmy

[ECSofVirginia]

Congrats on the 328! Sounds like you're going to do a fine job of bringing that car to life!

[Andrew]

Steven,

Welcome to Ferrari Life. Looking forward to hearing updates about your 308 project car. I guess this is the first time I've said congrats on finding a neglected Ferrari.

[Boxer]

Welcome to FL.

[st@ven]

Some pictures

My first, the 328 during a 3500 km road trip to italy last year


The QV on one of the many trip with the local gang. The seducive curves combined with the color attracted me beyond resistance. But tell me, did i do wrong??


The old black lady as she arrived last year, 2nd after engine overhaul and 3rd with the recently fitted turbo.

[Boxer]

How much work was it to have the turbo fitted?

[wetpet]

very nice stuff. welcome to the real ferrari owners forum!

[il Capolino]

Welcome!

Please write about the driving impressions of the turbocharging project when it is ready!

Take care,
Capo

[st@ven]

Thank you ll for the warm welcome, very nice!


About the turbo charger, It turned out not to be that hard to install.
I came across an old and used Ameritec set end of 2009 and had it shipped over. Although it was used it came in very good shape including the complete installation manual.
Quite a large part of that contained instructions for altering and adjusting of the standart ingnition. Mainly to change the curve a bit.
This part i could skip due to the fact that I, as a kind of "being ready for the turbo project" I installed an XDI set.

The installation of the hardware only took two evenings and a Saterday.

At the first runs the turbo appeared leaking oil but this turned out to be normal for a overhauled one. The latter runs already were much better in this regard, almost no blue smoke anymore.

In a couple of weeks i will dyno it again to compare with the run I've done before installation but the first impressions are very promissing: the car run like h*l and compared to the 328 it's definately faster.

Amertic at that time stated the set would raise the power from a '78/'79 modest 205 BHP to a quite impresse 320 bhp. This power, combined with my efforts to loose considderable weight will most likely turn the car into a 355/360 leage one.
It will be fun on the track, I'm sure of that!

[Barry]

Welcome St@ven. Great intro and history of your F cars.

[Boxer]

Originally Posted by st@ven

Thank you ll for the warm welcome, very nice!


About the turbo charger, It turned out not to be that hard to install.
I came across an old and used Ameritec set end of 2009 and had it shipped over. Although it was used it came in very good shape including the complete installation manual.
Quite a large part of that contained instructions for altering and adjusting of the standart ingnition. Mainly to change the curve a bit.
This part i could skip due to the fact that I, as a kind of "being ready for the turbo project" I installed an XDI set.

The installation of the hardware only took two evenings and a Saterday.

At the first runs the turbo appeared leaking oil but this turned out to be normal for a overhauled one. The latter runs already were much better in this regard, almost no blue smoke anymore.

In a couple of weeks i will dyno it again to compare with the run I've done before installation but the first impressions are very promissing: the car run like h*l and compared to the 328 it's definately faster.

Amertic at that time stated the set would raise the power from a '78/'79 modest 205 BHP to a quite impresse 320 bhp. This power, combined with my efforts to loose considderable weight will most likely turn the car into a 355/360 leage one.
It will be fun on the track, I'm sure of that!

Are you making any changes to the brakes or suspension to compensate for the extra power?

[st@ven]

Originally Posted by Boxer

Are you making any changes to the brakes or suspension to compensate for the extra power?

Yes sure.

I actually would be scared driving with that much power with the stck brakkes. Just recently I found a complete Ferrari 360 set. This will another winterproject.
Putting on 360 brakes on a 308 will mean quite some adapting but compared to the stock 308 brakes, (which are in best shape only just up for their normal task) the 360 brakes are, at least on paper, much better.

The only downside is the weight of the disks. Another consequence of the use of these is that I have to change to 18" rims.

The stock suspension is replaced already for a Nick Forza's sourced fully adjustable coilover set and havier springs. The car is on lowest position really low but for the occasional run with the local gang I can easily adjust the height to a bit more conventional road type surface.
All bushings are replaced by polygraphite types.

[JazzyO]

Hi St@ven, I already knew it was you of course. I hope you enjoy your time on FLife, I really do and I have made some great friends here. It's got a different vibe than the other sites. Looking forward to your contributions, your mechanical enthousiasm is very interesting and valuable to other users. Keep it coming!


Onno

[il Capolino]

Wow! I hope you turn it into a track ace.

I like Ferraris with performance upgrades and to learn about how the car has been modified and how it has improved.

About the heavier unsprung weight with your Modena rotors, wouldn't you be able to compensate for the extra weight by choosing ultra light racing wheels? I'm not sure of tyre weights but wouldn't modern 18" tyres weigh less than your standard tyres for additional weight compensation?

Will you install additional cooling- and flow capacity for water and lubricants? - Maybe also an intercooler for the charged air? If I'm not mistaken, with and intercooler you will of course get more power. But, you can subsequently decrease the charge pressure back to the same power rating as without the intercooler. This will increase reliability but with the same power as you have now and that might be useful since you intend to do track sessions? (You will have to correct me if I'm wrong and excuse me...)

Are you planning to increase the air intake and air evacuation for the engine bay? Forgive my question bombardment but I find it so interesting and can't wait to read about your impressions along the way. One of my dreams is to have a Novitec conversion done but I have never come around to actually doing it.

Oh, one more question: Do you have any plans on increasing down force?

Good luck and please keep us posted!

Capo

[st@ven]

Originally Posted by JazzyO

Hi St@ven, I already knew it was you of course. I hope you enjoy your time on FLife, I really do and I have made some great friends here. It's got a different vibe than the other sites. Looking forward to your contributions, your mechanical enthousiasm is very interesting and valuable to other users. Keep it coming!


Onno

Thanx Onno, i'll try to contribute as soon as I have more nfo

Originally Posted by il Capolino

Wow! I hope you turn it into a track ace.

I like Ferraris with performance upgrades and to learn about how the car has been modified and how it has improved.

About the heavier unsprung weight with your Modena rotors, wouldn't you be able to compensate for the extra weight by choosing ultra light racing wheels? I'm not sure of tyre weights but wouldn't modern 18" tyres weigh less than your standard tyres for additional weight compensation?

Will you install additional cooling- and flow capacity for water and lubricants? - Maybe also an intercooler for the charged air? If I'm not mistaken, with and intercooler you will of course get more power. But, you can subsequently decrease the charge pressure back to the same power rating as without the intercooler. This will increase reliability but with the same power as you have now and that might be useful since you intend to do track sessions? (You will have to correct me if I'm wrong and excuse me...)

Are you planning to increase the air intake and air evacuation for the engine bay? Forgive my question bombardment but I find it so interesting and can't wait to read about your impressions along the way. One of my dreams is to have a Novitec conversion done but I have never come around to actually doing it.

Oh, one more question: Do you have any plans on increasing down force?

Good luck and please keep us posted!

Capo

Hi Capo,

lot of question but i'm more than happy to reply. It's always nice to "talk" to people with the same hang for non-stock

about the wheels. Yes indeed a good way to compensate for the weight of the disks will be choosing the new wheels wisely. I do fancy split rims so in that discipline i'm sure i can save quite some on the weight compared to monoblocks.
Alternatively I will considder wheels from the Ferrari stable. Maybe 360 or 355 wheels will be an option too.
As I have to modificate the setup quite drastically too have the 360 brakes fitted on the 308 I'm not able yet to determine any offset yet so I decided to only buy wheels after i'm sure what Í've need.


About cooling of both water and oil. I will perform any upgrade needed.
For water there are quite some possibilities to upgrade the radiator to an alu one. I know for a fact that a pretty cheap but smart upgrade is in the use of a specific Mercedes radiator. ( lots of people running in the UK based Pirelli Ferrari formula classic series use this one with success)

The same for a probably needed upgrade for the oil cooling system. I will determine any needs in this regard during my learnng curve and with the all available after market setups is on the market I'm sure I can manage any need.

(Next is based on what i've read, not my own experiences)
Intercooling is/seems not an option. The turbosystem i'm using is an old pull through system that pulls the fuel/air mixture through the turbo. An intercooler would only result in condensating of the petrol in this mixture before entering the engine.

Increasing the turbopressure however, could increase the power output considderable but for this the engine internals have to be modified quite substantial. Depending on pressure of coare.


The increase in heat in he engine bay is another effect that I might be faced with. Although Ameritech never mentionned any changes in this regard some extra cooling might be wise and with an additional airfan somewere in the bay, not that hard too cope with i guess.


About downforce. I do not have any experience with that. But surely, it might be a point of growing interest during my journey towards the ultimate trackcar.

[il Capolino]

Thanks for your dedicated reply, st@ven!

I have no experience from setting up a car including changing the offset. It will be exciting to follow your way to a satisfying solution.

I see on your photograph now that the turbo is a pull through, so intercooler is understandably out of the question. Hence it seems wise to limit charging pressure to spare pistons and rods. When technically applicable, intercooling and lowering the pressure provide lower stress on the internals whilst retaining power (so I have read).

With the carburation added before the turbo, is the engine response as snappy as it is with the original four double barrel carbs?

Thanks again!
Capo

[st@ven]

Maybe someone can help: I tried to reply in the 308 section but was not allowed as i'm not a certified owner. How do I become one? (I thought owning a ferrari would be enough

[Boxer]

Originally Posted by st@ven

Maybe someone can help: I tried to reply in the 308 section but was not allowed as i'm not a certified owner. How do I become one? (I thought owning a ferrari would be enough

You should be able to access the section now.

[st@ven]

Originally Posted by Boxer

You should be able to access the section now.

indeed! Thanx