[Sir Paul]

Hi Taz,

Can you please confirm for me if this attached picture is the front page of the Superamerica WSM when you refer to as the WSM?

I am not sure, as it seems to include the owners manual and only the parts list and disgrams for the variations from the 575 itself.

Thanks
PAUL

[tazandjan]

Paul- That is the Superamerica WSM. All the changes from the 575M are highlighted in yellow in the parts catalog and there are sections on the top mechanism, interior and on engine changes, of which there were quite a few. One reason why the pre-Sessanta/OTO 612 engine was the Type F133F and the Superamerica is the F133G. Everything else is common with the 575M.

[Boxer]

Paul, Do you have a SuperAmerica ?

[Sir Paul]

Originally Posted by Boxer

Paul, Do you have a SuperAmerica ?

Hi Boxer, nice to "meet"

Yes I do.

March 2006 mfr, VIN S/N 145108 - C (UK-RHD) Assy No. 62572
Rosso Corsa/Nero F1 HGTC with 19" Mods.

(Photo attached of me "speeding past" a Kowloon Motor Bus in Hong Kong - with thanks to my friend "RWP" for the photo and the PS'd Stig disguise!)

I think there were 8 SA's originally allocated to HK and they are built to UK spec and have UK VIN numbers. I have done about 9,500Km in 5 years!

I see you are in UK. Where abouts?

I am a Brit, but lived in Hong Kong for over 30 years. From the North (Durham), but most of my family (Parents, siblings) now live in Kent, Bournemouth and Salisbury, so dont get North any more when I visit UK.

Nice to join FerrariLife. Am a regular on FChat but missed Taz a lot !

Regards
PAUL

[Sir Paul]

Originally Posted by tazandjan

Paul- That is the Superamerica WSM. All the changes from the 575M are highlighted in yellow in the parts catalog and there are sections on the top mechanism, interior and on engine changes, of which there were quite a few. One reason why the pre-Sessanta/OTO 612 engine was the Type F133F and the Superamerica is the F133G. Everything else is common with the 575M.

Thanks Taz.
I thought it was the SA WSM and thanks again for helping me obtain it way back when!!
Regards
PAUL

[Boxer]

Originally Posted by Sir Paul

Hi Boxer, nice to "meet"



I see you are in UK. Where abouts?

I am a Brit, but lived in Hong Kong for over 30 years. From the North (Durham), but most of my family (Parents, siblings) now live in Kent, Bournemouth and Salisbury, so dont get North any more when I visit UK.

Nice to join FerrariLife. Am a regular on FChat but missed Taz a lot !

Regards
PAUL

Good to have you here.

I am down in Surrey, about 10 minutes from Windsor near Ascot.

I also have spent some time in Asia but all a bit further south.

Sounds like you are able to use the SA regularily.

Have you had any issues with the roof?

[champagne612]

Originally Posted by Sir Paul

Hi Boxer, nice to "meet"

Yes I do.

March 2006 mfr, VIN S/N 145108 - C (UK-RHD) Assy No. 62572
Rosso Corsa/Nero F1 HGTC with 19" Mods.

(Photo attached of me "speeding past" a Kowloon Motor Bus in Hong Kong - with thanks to my friend "RWP" for the photo and the PS'd Stig disguise!)

I think there were 8 SA's originally allocated to HK and they are built to UK spec and have UK VIN numbers. I have done about 9,500Km in 5 years!

I see you are in UK. Where abouts?

I am a Brit, but lived in Hong Kong for over 30 years. From the North (Durham), but most of my family (Parents, siblings) now live in Kent, Bournemouth and Salisbury, so dont get North any more when I visit UK.

Nice to join FerrariLife. Am a regular on FChat but missed Taz a lot !

Regards
PAUL

Sir Paul

Welcome to FLife ... Beautiful SA

I missed Terry also - we are fortunate to have Taz here among owners and enthusiasts.

Hope you stick around and contribute it's a very friendly group

[Sir Paul]

Originally Posted by champagne612

Sir Paul

Welcome to FLife ... Beautiful SA

I missed Terry also - we are fortunate to have Taz here among owners and enthusiasts.

Hope you stick around and contribute it's a very friendly group

Thanks and will do. Getting to like it already
PAUL

[Sir Paul]

Originally Posted by Boxer

Good to have you here.

I am down in Surrey, about 10 minutes from Windsor near Ascot.

I also have spent some time in Asia but all a bit further south.

Sounds like you are able to use the SA regularily.

Have you had any issues with the roof?

Thanks Boxer. I know the area quite well. Used to have a house in Farnham Common which was on a corporate let for about 14 years! Sold it though. My daughter has also just moved out of Egham across London to Essex. She lived in Egham for a couple of years and used to take me for some very nice traditional pub carvery lunches at a Toby Restaurant in Runnymede.(dont laugh...you would be surprised how much you miss some of the things you had as a youngster!)

I use the SA at least once a week, although we are entering the most fantastic weather period now (not a cloud, 25 degrees (C) and 55-65%)and have used it 3 days this week. Fabulous. I just wish there were more places to go than the limited (traffic and speedcam) highways and roads of HK.

Here is my take on the roof (and has been echoed by Taz).

Yes I have had a small problem. Mainly through roof gas struts (which I must add, all three sets of gas struts (bonnet, boot and roof) have failed over the last 4.5 years and have had to be replaced. All OK now and easily cured...once you and the local F-agent know how.

The gas struts within the roof mechanism and the boot struts both have to function fully to hold the boot open when the roof is open (although a golf umbrella does a pretty good job!). Both sets failed so the boot would not stay open even if the roof was shut.

As Taz says though, with the struts fixed (not expensive job - just over 600 UK pounds including boot and roof struts - fitted - and that is HK local F-Agent prices - 158 pounds !! for a boot strut -v- 26 pounds (+VAT) at Eurospares UK). All fine now. I susepct you pay more for parts in HK but less for labour in HK versus UK.

There have been concerns around other owners that some roofs have been de-laminating. Mine is fine, but my take on that is that I never drive it with the roof shut unless I get caught in the rain (almost never). Why have a roof if you dont use it and in HK can use all year round!.
There is definitely a bit of body torsion on the SA. I presume the chassis strengthening can only do so much over a full body 575M. My suspicion is that when the roof is shut and clamped to the windshied frame, it gets twisted as the car twists on uneven surfaces and that causes delamination. Roof open, no problem. After 4.5years and 9,500 Km on HK crappy streets, the roof is in perfect condition.
Dont get me wrong, the torsion is probably no different to that of a 911 Cabrio versus Coupe or SL500 (my previous) over an uneven surface...but enough to twist glass if clamped down solid.

On the up side, I am also guessing that not only the 599 Superamerica one-off uses the same mechanism, but would not be surprised if it is copied in the new 458 Spider, so (mechanical) parts may even become more common. The concept is simple and effective. A good one I think. Just needs a few wrinkles or "failure modes" designing out.

Hope that gives you a good picture of my views and experience of the roof.

Thanks and regards
PAUL

[JazzyO]

Nice review of your experiences Paul. And welcome over here.

I love the 550/575 so your SA really ticks the right boxes for me. Nice to hear you use it often.


Onno

[Boxer]

Originally Posted by Sir Paul

Thanks Boxer. I know the area quite well. Used to have a house in Farnham Common which was on a corporate let for about 14 years! Sold it though. My daughter has also just moved out of Egham across London to Essex. She lived in Egham for a couple of years and used to take me for some very nice traditional pub carvery lunches at a Toby Restaurant in Runnymede.(dont laugh...you would be surprised how much you miss some of the things you had as a youngster!)

I use the SA at least once a week, although we are entering the most fantastic weather period now (not a cloud, 25 degrees (C) and 55-65%)and have used it 3 days this week. Fabulous. I just wish there were more places to go than the limited (traffic and speedcam) highways and roads of HK.

Here is my take on the roof (and has been echoed by Taz).

Yes I have had a small problem. Mainly through roof gas struts (which I must add, all three sets of gas struts (bonnet, boot and roof) have failed over the last 4.5 years and have had to be replaced. All OK now and easily cured...once you and the local F-agent know how.

The gas struts within the roof mechanism and the boot struts both have to function fully to hold the boot open when the roof is open (although a golf umbrella does a pretty good job!). Both sets failed so the boot would not stay open even if the roof was shut.

As Taz says though, with the struts fixed (not expensive job - just over 600 UK pounds including boot and roof struts - fitted - and that is HK local F-Agent prices - 158 pounds !! for a boot strut -v- 26 pounds (+VAT) at Eurospares UK). All fine now. I susepct you pay more for parts in HK but less for labour in HK versus UK.

There have been concerns around other owners that some roofs have been de-laminating. Mine is fine, but my take on that is that I never drive it with the roof shut unless I get caught in the rain (almost never). Why have a roof if you dont use it and in HK can use all year round!.
There is definitely a bit of body torsion on the SA. I presume the chassis strengthening can only do so much over a full body 575M. My suspicion is that when the roof is shut and clamped to the windshied frame, it gets twisted as the car twists on uneven surfaces and that causes delamination. Roof open, no problem. After 4.5years and 9,500 Km on HK crappy streets, the roof is in perfect condition.
Dont get me wrong, the torsion is probably no different to that of a 911 Cabrio versus Coupe or SL500 (my previous) over an uneven surface...but enough to twist glass if clamped down solid.

On the up side, I am also guessing that not only the 599 Superamerica one-off uses the same mechanism, but would not be surprised if it is copied in the new 458 Spider, so (mechanical) parts may even become more common. The concept is simple and effective. A good one I think. Just needs a few wrinkles or "failure modes" designing out.

Hope that gives you a good picture of my views and experience of the roof.

Thanks and regards
PAUL

Paul, thanks for the insights on the SA. I had heard of quite a few issues with the roof cracking on the early cars. Per your write up, might be caused by the car flexing under load with the roof up. Keep it down and no issue.

I am about a 5 minute drive from Egham. Lovely part of the country.

[Sir Paul]

Originally Posted by Boxer

Paul, thanks for the insights on the SA. I had heard of quite a few issues with the roof cracking on the early cars. Per your write up, might be caused by the car flexing under load with the roof up. Keep it down and no issue.

I am about a 5 minute drive from Egham. Lovely part of the country.

Thanks and regards
PAUL