[monza]

I am about to purchase a 97 F355.

Is it normal for the 97 to have a Scuderia Shield on both sides of the front fender. I always thought that the 99 serie fiorano's were the only ones offered.

Was this an option the offered for the earlier models. I am attaching pics. This particular 97 had the carbon fiber inserts as well.





Does anyone know if this was an upgrade. Or is there any reasons why this particular model has the shield when other 97 models I see online don't have the shield on the fenders.
:drive:

 

[archiegibbs]

Monza, great looking car.
I'm not 100% sure about the shields, but I thought the ceramic shields were an option and could be fitted on both sides. Are they the ceramic ones with a recess on the panel? If so they would probably have been a factory fitted option.
If there is no recess and/or the shields are vinyl they have probably been added later.
Having never owned a 355 I'm not the greatest authority.

 

[Louis355]

Hi Monza,

I'm pretty sure both are not factory options.
For example see this picture.

 

[weenie]

shields....

I was told when I bought mine that the factory fitted shields were a very late option on the 355's, mine shown here is November 1998 model and its got them and its not the serie fiorano although mine had the Fiorano handeling pack added too I was told it was a £1500 addition! As you can see the shield on mine is much higher on the pannel with the small turn light below, I am not sure on the US models if they were put lower? The shields are embossed and the car pannel has a moulded dent to take the shield, it finishes nearly flush. Hope this is of help??

 

[Andrew]

I was told when I bought mine that the factory fitted shields were a very late option on the 355's, mine shown here is November 1998 model and its got them and its not the serie fiorano although mine had the Fiorano handeling pack added too I was told it was a £1500 addition! As you can see the shield on mine is much higher on the pannel with the small turn light below, I am not sure on the US models if they were put lower? The shields are embossed and the car pannel has a moulded dent to take the shield, it finishes nearly flush. Hope this is of help??

I had never heard this before, was it a dealer that told you it was a late model option?

I do know this for a fact, starting with the 360 it was an option.

 

[Dmitri]

I had not heard of this either, hm.

 

[monza]

very nice car. thanks for the info. i ended up getting a different car than this one. this one had too many loose ends.

 

[Boxer]

I was told when I bought mine that the factory fitted shields were a very late option on the 355's, mine shown here is November 1998 model and its got them and its not the serie fiorano although mine had the Fiorano handeling pack added too I was told it was a £1500 addition! As you can see the shield on mine is much higher on the pannel with the small turn light below, I am not sure on the US models if they were put lower? The shields are embossed and the car pannel has a moulded dent to take the shield, it finishes nearly flush. Hope this is of help??

Per the picture, did you buy your car at the Ferrari Centre in Kent ?

If the shields are molded into the panels, then it was done as a factory option.

 

[weenie]

yes i bought it from the ferrari center in Kent, well done!

 

[d1ablo]

Even if the shields are in a dent like they're supposed to be you can't be sure they are a factory option !
I'm in the process of purchasing a 550 w/o shields and my independent told me they've alreayd "knocked in" the dent + shield on various cars. Fenders will require a paint job however. But hey, car looks so much better with proper shields....

 

[Jéré13]

Hi Monza,

As Weenie said, shields on a front fender were option on the F355. I have a
F355 GTS ( december 1996 model )and the shields are much higher and bigger than it seem's to be on the picture of your 355, but i have bought my car in France and idon't know if there is a difference between Europeen models and US models.

Cordialement.

 

[monza]

Hi Monza,

As Weenie said, shields on a front fender were option on the F355. I have a
F355 GTS ( december 1996 model )and the shields are much higher and bigger than it seem's to be on the picture of your 355, but i have bought my car in France and idon't know if there is a difference between Europeen models and US models.

Cordialement.

Thanks for the info. I ended up buying a diff car than this one posted in this thread. The I ended up getting did not have a shield. I may add that as an option in the future, in the meantime I am going to invest in those 2M clear coat shields for the front and wheel wells, and instal lower fairing scratch guards in case I hit high bumps or parking corners.

 

[Boxer]

Here is a picture of the Scuderia Shield from the front right wing on the F50.

 

[Dmitri]

Its not just an F50, it is the F50

 

[Boxer]

And the one from the F40

 

[monza]

wow those shields are really sunken in. can't mistake those as those fake shields that are not flushed with the fender.

 

[stile - alpine]

I'm too gelous, I think I'm just going to sleep now hehehehehe

 

[Boxer]

wow those shields are really sunken in. can't mistake those as those fake shields that are not flushed with the fender.

They are quite recessed into the wing. Originally Ferrari only fitted shields to the racing cars. I believe the 288 GTO was the 1st "road car" to come with them.