Motorweek; 809

This. This time on motor week 89 we search for the meaning of art. We visit Maranello Italy home of the Ferrari Bacary and appear on our test track. We try the fabulous 40 and be around them and show why we say fabulous. What's that got Lisa barrowing gracing Haast explore the Ferrari experience in America. So come drive with us now. Bulgur. Week 89. TV's automotive magazine with your host John Davis. Hello and welcome again to motor week 89. We're glad to have you with us.

Enzo Ferrari father of Italy's most celebrated sports cars died on August 14th 1988. He was 90 but his legacy lives on. Just mentioning the name Ferrari makes the palms sweat and the pulse race. Our entire show this time is dedicated to the feeling that is Ferrari and to the man responsible for it. And the next half hour we're going to search for the source of that feeling and the only natural place to begin our quest is in. Italy. It is now the sights the sounds the cars the. Red. Cross. Italy is the land of passion and nowhere is that passion more evident than in the pars of Ferrari. The north of Italy is where many a sports car band will tell you lies. Heaven. Maranello is the home of ill Peverley you know the prancing horse. This quiet town of 20000 far from the urban madness of Rome or Milan is

the breeding ground for Italy's most famous thoroughbreds. At first glance it is a factory like any other except for that special name emblazoned on the walls. Contrary to Legin not everything here is done by hand. American computers drive sophisticated Italian machine tools for engine milling from grinding to drilling engine components move on a state of the art conveyance system and microprocessors control rust protection chemicals that are too dangerous to be applied by man. But automation makes Ferrari's better cars not better. Ferrari's anti-federal Audi car. I think that they can find that the this over the fact that these are sporting speed. What is this spirit. How does it set this car factory apart from others. Look behind the modern trappings and you'll begin to see nowhere in all the high volume mega profit factories of Japan where you find men doing this

Ferrari cast engine blocks in the same way that it did 40 years ago. Even the alloys are mixed in small batches on the foundry floor. The composition of a Ferrari engine block is too important to be left to outsiders or computers. Hand-work is everywhere and it's part of what makes a Ferrari a Ferrari. If you want every part every piece every element of the interior of the car can be handfeeding. All in the finest Connely leather and virtually any color. And the auto industry. This level of hand work indicates either poverty or pride poverty has not been a problem since corporate giant Fiat bought half a Ferrari in 1969. While money has only been plentiful for about half the company's life pride has always been in abundance. After all. Would a machine care that there is the tiniest in perfection in a door panel and have the

skill to tap it out without disturbing nine coats of carefully applied paint. We think. Pride is the key to the Ferrari magic. Pride born out of one of the most illustrious histories and the automotive world that history as well illustrated by the lobby of the Maranello factory here reside the cars that Ferrari considers major steppingstones and the marks ledger. There is the 12 cylinder 125. See the first true Ferrari the first to wear the prancing horse. It was also the first true Ferrari to race making its competition debut on May 11th 1947. From then on the name Ferrari became synonymous with motor sports. Few who saw the 125 C's debut realized the greatness that was to follow. Next to the 125 c sets one of the first Ferrari Formula to race cars

designated the 166 2. This is the type of car that most exemplifies the spirit of Ferrari. Throughout his life Enzo Ferrari made no secret of the fact that his road cars were of course a low racing drive. He built them solely to pay for the Ferrari racing program. Racing was Ferrari's all consuming passion and it is a tribute to Ferrari the man that he could recognize his own limitations. Others drove the precious cars that he could well have driven himself. While road cars may not have been Ferrari's number one priority. They did not lack for his inspiration. This is driven home by the final car in the mirror and al-Halabi the f. 14. The final car to receive Mr. Ferrari's approval built by his engineers as a tribute to mark his 90th birthday and the company's 40th anniversary. The 40 is pure Ferrari as modern as the space shuttle.

Yet rigidly traditional much like Enzo Ferrari himself. It is the end of an era but hardly the last of its life as the workers of Ferrari assemble the ultra modern 40. They continue their tradition. Older teachers younger as it was done 40 years ago or 400. Only now the materials are Kevlar and carbon fiber. Where once there was only steel. It the meticulous handwork and attention to detail remain. When the workday ends for the workers may leave the factory but they do not leave Ferrari at the factory gate. Across the street from the Maranello plant stands the Ristorante il cavalier. This four star establishment was a favorite dining spot for Enzo Ferrari. He even had his own dining room. The trophies of Ferrari wins in the famed A.M.A. rally. Kim il caviling know. The restaurant has become a place of pilgrimage for the automotive community. Each group contributing its logo to a special door as a memento of its visit. This devotion is not restricted to Maranello a short drive away and Modin

is another restaurant that doubles as a shrine on the street where Enzo Ferrari lived. The truck Dorion loud. Though not his fancy is Avellino. It's deathcore shows just as much pride in Italy's most famous automobiles. The walls are covered with pictures of all the gray Ferrari drivers and the machines that carry them to victory. Much space is also devoted to the great road cars that are the envy of drivers the world over. No matter where you look Ferrari is on everything. Everything. It's not surprising that Mr. Ferrari ranks close to the pope in the hearts of the Italian people. To the people on the factory floor at Maranello. However he is even more. For they are all part of a greater whole of which Enzo Ferrari is still the most important aspect. They are the hands that shape the mandatories during. The process of creating a Ferrari as the first flash of inspiration and a great man's

mind. From those who own and love these rare cars even for the steam. The cars demand special qualities. More than any other being set. You must be for one day you must have being lied about with the speed the week the day. Successful with the competition with the disporting feel that the Ferrari. So well as today nad this and that and the last 40. So this thing at the moment and as we have found out it takes a rarer and even more special person to build a Ferrari. And search so far we found that part of what makes a Ferrari is the way it's built and the people who built it. This craftsmanship and pride can be traced back to the spirit of the Italian Renaissance. You could say the Renaissance lives on and Ferarri cars Mr. Ferrari's passion for racing also lives on as well as the Italian

national passion for speed. These things are foreign. And what better way to experience them than by driving the newest Ferrari the last Ferrari today boo under Mr. Ferrari's direction. The f 40. Forget the Testarossa. Forget the Gigio leave the 3:28 to the streets of Southern California. This is the Ferrari of the hour. This is the F 14. Because Ferrari's fastest production model is an injustice. This car makes Ferrari read that much better. This cars pin up poster will decorate boys bedrooms for years to come. This car produces sensations that are videotaped can't begin to reproduce. This f 40 is a race car for the street. A true core sale of. The chassis is made of steel tubing and plastic. The body is Calphalon and carbon fiber hardly what we'd call production car construction.

And the forties interior is not the sort of place where you'd want to be during a traffic jam. There's not a radio to be found let alone a trip computer or the soft frilly trappings we've come to expect in Gran Turismo Jiechi cars. The 40 is for one thing only hard driving beat on the street or on the track and everything including these carbon fiber seats is up to that task. The typical Ferrari gated shifter is the only interior brightwork on the prototype we saw there wasn't even a trim panel for the door just a cable handle and enough carbon fiber for structural integrity. The dash has the simple job of holding the instruments where the driver can see them. Immediately ahead the driver is burdened by as few instruments as possible secondary gauges or out of direct view. As are the vents for the less than state of the art ventilation system yet nothing is here that shouldn't be. Even the clutch brake and accelerator pedals are finally machine works of a weight savings and in that spirit. This lightweight

plastic racing window is optional. This f 40 is a European version. The 180 or so examples that make it to the states will be slightly different in detail. There may be a few more comforts but not many that would spoil the car. For those who drive the minimalist 40 for a long distance on the highway. Are special ed 40 luggage that's designed to fit in the few spots where there's unused space. The 40 is most at home on the race track or at least an open very open road. And what better place to try it than Ferrari's own Fearon own test track. This is where the new super Ferrari surprised us most. As in most race cars. The controls are heavy to the touch. We need a good strong left leg for pushing the clutch pedal. Aside from that the 40 has few other vices it can be driven close to the edge of its capabilities. Without superhuman capabilities from its driver. But going fast around corners isn't the only thing before he does well.

Power comes from a three leader V8. It's a further development of the engine used in Ferrari's Gigio. It has all the things you'd expect in today's high performance engines for vowels per cylinder for cams and twin turbos with coolers output is hundred 471 horsepower. Enough said zero to 100 kilometers per hour. That's about 62 mph. Takes a short. Four point one seconds. Getting to the end of one kilometer. That's just over six tenths of a mile. Takes twenty point nine seconds. And by then the F-14 is running at 166 miles per hour top speed according to the factory is two hundred one miles per hour. As for stopping we didn't have the opportunity for our usual brake test but rest assured the 40s is pretty adept at using friction to turn speed into harmless heat. For that there are brake rotors as large as some cars wheels 13 inchers one behind each of the four he's 17 inch wheels

and there's no power assist the 40 doesn't need it. Getting the brakes to work doesn't take nearly as much leg muscle as the clutch pedal. Good thing the brakes and this car works so well stops at high speed can be delayed for much longer than we thought. After the Toronto drive Ferrari Let us take the 40 out to see how it looked among the mountains above Maranello it looked well at home. The f 40 is just hospitable enough to be a road going car. Much to the surprise of some Maranello cyclists. The 40 on the street is an experience not many will forget. If you want him at 40 for your own country motoring the privilege will cost you about $260000. And unlike the super exotics from some other makers this one will be sold in the US. Problem is every

one has been spoken for. In fact Ferrari of North America has had more orders than the factory can begin to fill. In the end. The 40 is something we will only drive in our dream. But. What sweet dreams they will be. Origins of the Ferrari Legend is a history of the early years of Ferrari. It is probably told by Joe Aquino Colombo the designer of the first Ferrari V12 engine. Mr. Colombo provides a surprisingly unbiased history of the postwar origins of Ferrari. Much credit is given to the early now almost forgotten Ferrari drivers as well as El commendatory himself Globo illustrates his history with many never before seen photos of those early years. An eye opening look at one of the world's truly great marks. Ferrari ownership makes you a member of a fairly exclusive club. After all

not everyone can afford one. Still the price of entry doesn't have to be $260000. You may find a used Ferrari for much less. As with buying any used car there are pitfalls. Lisa Bero is here with some advice on how to avoid them. So you think you might like to buy a used Ferrari but you're not sure how to go about it. A good place to start is a Ferrari dealership. Take a walk around the car and look at its condition. Watch for chips in paint or tears in the upholstery and keep in mind that aftermarket wheels and steering wheels could destroy the value of the car. So once you've decided you like the car take it for a test drive. You want to make sure that the steering is nice and tight the car's not moving from side to side. Want to make sure that the gears are shifting cleanly and crisply a grinding noise

could indicate a problem with the gearbox and gearboxes are very expensive to fix. The whole engine has to come out and repairs could cost up to $5000. Then you might want to take a look at the service record on the Ferrari you're interested in. Ferrari's are maintenance sensitive automobiles. And for the protection you'd want to know that the cars had the regular services provided in the Ferrari maintenance book to give you a better idea of how the previous owner treated the car. Put it up on a lift and check underneath. So we want to check mainly for the engine oil drain and transmission oil so if any leaks in this area. Any links in the clutch housing or the input shaft area and any leaks in the oil. Cooler area here will see that the PAN is not damaged any damage in this area could cause gear transfer linkage problems. Also when you're looking to buy used Ferarri check to see if it's a gray market car. A placard on the driver's post will indicate if the car was made to comply with U.S. standards at

the Ferrari factory. If the car was converted ask for its Department of Transportation papers the EPA can verify its authenticity. Used Ferrari's can range anywhere from the low 20s on up. So if you are one of the lucky ones who can afford to buy a Ferrari. Make sure you live with your head and not just with your heart. Suppose you become a member of that exclusive club of Ferrari owners and already know firsthand what makes a Ferrari special. And now you have to care for the car. Well Pat Goss is here to talk about a problem that many Ferrari owners face. Most Ferrari owners end up storing their cars for long periods. John trouble with that is a few months in a warm garage can do more damage to a Ferrari than 24 hours of endurance racing. Well what can you do if you own a Ferrari and you have to store it for a period of time. Well it's really pretty simple. The first thing that you want to do is

have the coolant in the cooling system changed. But this is definitely not a do it yourself operation. You want to take it to a qualified Ferrari technician and have it done. The reason for that is there's about a mile of plumbing underneath the Ferrari and there are several points where the cooling system has to be bled to get all of the air out of it. So you want somebody to do it that knows what they're doing. OK first thing. Now. Get the car into the garage where you're going to store it. The thing that you want to do there is you want to change the engine oil and the oil filter. You want clean fresh oil in it. The reason for that is very simple even relatively new oil will have some acid in it. If the car has been run this is a natural byproduct of combustion. Well if you store the car in a state of this use this acid can attack some of the metal parts inside the engine like bearings and so on and it can do long term damage. So you want fresh oil and a fresh filter on it.

Next thing you want to change the gear oil in the transmission in the gearbox. You want to have fresh oil in there before you store it and next. This one is pretty simple. I want to make sure that the fuel system is full. You want the tank full and then you want to. Add a fuel stabilizer to it. Now what this does is it keeps the fuel from deteriorating it keeps it from building gum and varnish in the system. You know this can help prevent problems in the fuel injection or in the carburetor whichever system you happen to have. Now why this is really important. Suppose you have a carburated car and the float valve in the carburetor sticks as a result of varnish buildup or something from not stabilizing the fuel. OK you go to start the car. Raw fuel runs into the engine into one of the cylinders. Well this can cause what is known as a hydrostatic lock and this hydrostatic lock can do serious damage to the inside of the engine. When you try to start it. So use a

fuel stabilizer. Now I have to tell you one thing though both Ferrari and Bosh. Bosh makes the fuel injection systems for these cars. Neither one of them have tested these fuel stabilizers so they have reservations about using them. So you have to be the judge on that. But I would recommend that you do. All right. Next. Back to the engine itself. What are we going to do. Well we're going to pull all of the spark plugs out of the engine and then we're going to put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each one of the cylinders. Now what we're doing here is we're getting these cylinders lubricated in the upper portions after we've put the oil and we want to crank the engine over several times to get any excess oil out of the cylinders and to spread this oil around inside the cylinders. Now again we don't want any excess in there because of the hydrostatic lock we get too much in there and we put the spark plug back in and we try to crank it again. Serious engine damage. Next one real simple. Take

the battery out of the car put it in a secure a spot by an automatic trickle charger an automatic one so it'll cut back as the battery becomes fully charged. OK you put it on the trickle charger. You can just let it sit there indefinitely. Now what this does is it keeps the battery from going dead keeps it from destroying itself while it's being stored. It also protects the electrical system of the car. OK. Next and this one is really simple you need for good quality jack stands you need to jack the car up and position it on the jack stand so the car is actually sitting on the stands. You want the tires off of the off of the floor. There are two reasons for this. Number one if the tires sit on the floor for an extended period of time they can actually develop flat spots that will destroy them. We certainly don't want that to happen. The second thing is no matter how secure your garages there are rodents that can get into it and they would dearly

love to make a nest in your gorgeous Ferrari leather seats. And we certainly don't want that to happen. Now these are the steps that you can take to well store your Ferrari or any other car for that matter and minimize the possibility of any damage during that storage. Now if you happen to have a question about your Ferrari or maybe even something that is a little less than a Ferrari I'd love to hear from you. And if I select your letter to be answered Well I'll send you a motor week T-shirt. Now the address is Motor Week. Owings Mills Maryland 2 1 1 1 7 that's Motor Week. Owings Mills Maryland 2 1 1 1 7 with the passing of Enzo Ferrari. Come questions about the future of the company and its products. So here is Lisa Berro with all the latest Ferrari motor news Lisa. Thanks John. Enzo Ferrari's death has left a great void in Ferrari but it looks as though his passing will

cause no great change in company direction. Via his purchase an additional 40 percent of Ferrari stock. So it now holds 90 percent. That Fiat already had day to day control of Ferrari passenger car production. All that change is the amount of stuff in Fiat owns. Even though the giant automaker runs a smaller company there is still a Ferrari in a key company position. Pierre LRAD Ferrari Enzo Ferrari son will continue his vice president in charge of passenger car production. He also holds the remaining 10 percent of companies Doug. As far as new products are concerned Ferrari is about to introduce this new model. It's the replacement for the current 3:28. Called the 3:48. It will have a foreign leader V8 engine with four valves per cylinder. While the 3:48 is loosely based on its predecessor. It will be much lighter and faster. Performance will be much closer to that of the current Ferrari Testarossa. The 3:48 is scheduled for a 1989 debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

John. Thanks Lisa. From a Ferrario the future we turn to for our of the past. For many Fedder see the older cars hold a greatest fascination and a high prices. Craig Haas has gone out in search of three of the most coveted Ferrari's to find out what makes them so special. Whenever you come to a gathering of Ferrari aficionados you're bound to see some of the most significant automobiles of all time. Automobiles of undeniable grace and beauty. But even among such lofty peers there are a few that stand apart even in this prestigious crown. Milestone designs such as Lee Ryan's Burlen that Aliso 250 G T L. A classic

V12 Ferrari. The current design by Ben Farina. The body was actually built by Scotty and late on a Ferrari chassis. The automobile has influenced many major manufacturers designs. For Kirk while owning his Ferrari is doubly significant. The automobile is a 1971 Ferrari 365 GGP before Daytona. V12 for cams 6 twinge of Webers 4.4 leaders. And 72 mile an hour top speed last to the great front and for. This particular car. Is significant in that it won the cannonball Baker. Across the country race the very first one with Dan guaraní and Brock Yates in a time of 35 hours in 54 minutes which is pretty phenomenal. The flagship of Ron Spangler's collection is no less phenomenal.

This is a 1967 275 JTB. There were some less than 500 cars made about 475 to be exact. There were a few of them made in solid alloy but most of the cars were steel with alloy hoods decks and doors. It is considered by many to be the pinnacle of the Ferrari construction during the time that Enzo Ferrari was directly involved in helping design and construct his cars in the pre-filled days in 1969. The cars have doubled and tripled in value in the past 12 months and a good example of this car now would sell somewhere in the range of 350 to 400 thousand dollars. But it isn't really the investment potential that attracts most owners to the market because the prancing worse. The faithful will admit that it's simply the sheer Rodek thrill that goes with owning a Ferrari. We all can't own Ferrari's but we can appreciate them. That's half the fun.

We hope you've enjoyed our excursion into the legend and reality of Ferrari. I am John Davis for Pat Goss Greg Singh Haas and Lee Sobero will see you next time. If you'd like a transcript of this program send for dollars to motor week transcripts. Owings Mills Maryland 2 1 1 1 7 residents of Maryland at 20 cents sales tax ask for show number eight Oana. Motor Week is a production of Maryland Public Television