First picture post - recreational drive with next of kin

[Henrynh]

Hi all. My sister and father and I took two cars to the coast for breakfast. I just got new tires on my Spider, and we were hungry: two great reasons to drive 70 miles for breakfast. And it is a gorgeous day. My father and sister drove a 1979 308gts and I drove my 1994 Spider. Our small Italian convoy got a lot of looks. We switched cars for a few miles as well, to get outsider views of our own as we weaved through the countryside. I let my sister get behind the wheel of the Alfa for her first driving experience in an Italian sportscar. She will have to be a bit older to pilot the Ferrari.... The Spider has been lowered, and the Ferrari has been lowered as well. I think both look quite nice in these pictures. Enjoy!

Happy motoring!

-H

[bianchi1]

my alfa spider is lower than yours...

[Henrynh]

Wow, I wish I could be as cool as you Ha ha ha. Sometimes I think it should be lower, and then I scrape stuff.

Sidenote: do you ride a bianchi? These days I'm commuting on the Bianchi Pista. My first track style bike. It's fun.

Happy motoring!

-H

[Greg Gordon]

That's a nice story and some great pictures. I like black Spiders. I like the 308 as well, I think it's one of the coolest cars ever.

Greg

[Grant]

How do you like how the 308 drives? Is there anything that feels similar to your Spider?

[nizam]

Nice pics! Where were those pics taken?

[Henrynh]

The 308 drives quite nicely. Even though it has been lowered a bit, it is still great as a daily driver. It soaks up bumps pretty nicely. The wheels are 14in diameters so the tires are like balloons compared to today's sportscars. The pedals are way towards the center and it takes relatively narrow shoes to hit only one pedal at a time. It has a dogleg first but getting through the gaited gears is bliss and second nature after a few drives! It is pretty easy to match revs on the downshift and the sound that it makes is amazing. The intake is actually on the passenger side vent but the driver can still hear it suck in air like crazy. I think the induction more noticeable than the exhaust. And that is awesome. It does not have power steering so at slow speeds the wheel can feel a bit heavy but at driving speeds I'd say the car is pretty nimble. It shares this with the Alfa. The only other non power steering, engine in the other place, independant suspension, low car I have driven is a Delorean. The Ferrari is MUCH more balanced in comparision. At highway speeds there is no shake in the steering wheel at all, it feels solid, planted, and calm. I have actually kicked the rear end of the 308 out a bit on a couple of turns in 2nd gear and it felt much more, I dunno, much more even I guess than other rear engined cars (Porsche, Delorean). But I guess the engine is more in the middle...

The power comes in pretty early in the rpm and there's plenty left to downshift and accelerate to pass cars on a road.

It's a fun car. It really feels like driving something completely different. The driving position, the height, the sound, the shifter, pedal placement: all make for a unique driving experience. The only con in my book is the 'status' that goes along with it.

I'm happy to attempt to answer any other questions in more detail!

happy motoring!

-H

[bianchi1]

i ride my bianchi ev2 or my orbea starship carbon....but both ride on campagnolo parts and wheels( record)i also have a colnago dream.. but never put it togeather..afraid to scratch it..

[italcarguy]

How did you go about lowering your 308? I want to lower ours a little because it sits too high up front and i'd like the back to be a little lower.

[Henrynh]

nizam: the pictures were taken on the Oregon coast by a beach a bit north of Florence (mama mia! two italian cars in an Italian (named) city!)

Bianchi1: I want your bicycle collection.

italcarguy: The Ferrari now has shorter, stiffer springs, but the real magic is in the adjustment. The ride height is adjustible at all four corners. I was out of town when transformation occured but I'll ask exactly what all went into it later today and get back to you.


-H

[Hooligan]

Pretty cars, both of them.

Are you sure that's a 94? If so, someone has removed the Commemorative Edition goodies.

[Henrynh]

italcarguy, I'll send you a pm about the suspension to keep the thread in the picture forum about the pictures.


If anyone else is curious, reply to the thread or send me a pm.

Hooligan: nice catch. My registration suggests otherwise, but it was built in may 1993. Thanks!

-H

[bianchi1]

all 3 bikes for the ferrari.. plus, just to wet you appt. i also run campagnolo neutrons( 3 sets) necluons(2 sets)1 set of protons 1 zonda, 1 eurus, and the bora's...when do you want to meet?

[Henrynh]

Ooooooooooooooooooo.

-H

[bianchi1]

you know you want it..