Volume 1, Issue 2 - July 1994

Upcoming Events

these events are long past now.

palos verdes picnic

pack a picnic basket and drive your ferrari through the rolling hills of the palos verdes peninsula. we have arranged for an exclusive parking area for the steeds on the lawn amidst the lush vegetation of the gardens where they will be on display for everyone to enjoy. this is a frequent meeting spot for other car clubs such as juaguar and it is very nice.

please arrive around 10:00 am to allow for a leisurely lunch in the shade garden which has 4 or 5 round tables and lots of grass for picnic blankets. tom brockmiller has generously agreed to provide drinks for everyone.

there will be a $10 per car entry fee which the club will donate to the south coast botanic garden foundation. passengers in ferraris get in free. entry for others to the gardens is $5 for adults and $3 for seniors and students.

what a wonderful opportunity to help the community, meet your fellow members of the southwest region and enjoy all those beautiful ferraris. help make our first social event a raging success - we look forward to seeing you all there!

please rsvp to tom brockmiller so that we can estimate how many cars will be attending.

the palos verdes botanical gardens is located at 26300 crenshaw blvd. in palos verdes.

in addition, membership in the ferrari club of america has several unique advantages:

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• the quarterly magazine, prancing horse, is a high quality, four color publication which provides information about our cars that is not available anywhere else. it is comparable to cavallino.
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• event insurance provides limited medical coverage in addition to the usual general liability protection at all club events.
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• the ferrari club of america is the only club which is recognized by and has the support of the ferrari factory (through ferrari north america). there are national and regional events, such as the 348 challenge and monterey, which are open only to fca members.
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• the fca is the national club with active regions throughout the country so no matter where you live or visit there will always be events open to you.
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i hope you will join us by participating in events, coming to meetings and communicating with the organizing committee to let us know what you want. everyone who receives this should be a member of the fca. the organizing committee has set dues at $35.00 annually. please complete the enclosed southwest region membership application so we will know who you are. several events are described in this newsletter so join, come to the events and let's get to know each other.

the next meeting of the organizing committee is scheduled for june 6th at 6:00 pm at steve tillack's shop (630 mary ann drive, redondo beach 310-318-8760). please come and help us plan the next events, elections, etc.

ride and drive!

steve tillack has graciously agreed to open his shop for us on sunday so that we can view vintage touring and racing machines in various stages of completion - some being prepared for the upcoming fca national concours and pebble beach this august.

don't miss this unique opportunity to drive your ferrari with other members along the south bay peninsula to redondo beach to view even more ferraris!

willow springs track event

we're excited to have these race cars and drivers in our own backyard. the first three races (moroso, texas speedway, and blackhawk) have been won by southwest region drivers. john marconi (newport import

Letter From the Editor

as many of you know, this is only the second edition of our new southwest region newsletter. we've received many positive comments on the layout and we thank you for the kind words.

this month's issue was a rush-job to get it out in time for you to plan for the picnic and willow events. we've included many 348 challenge series articles since our region's race is coming up at the end of the month at willow springs. don't miss this event - it is a real bargain at only $125.00 for a two-day track event, great dinner, and the 348 challenge races. register by 7/15 to avoid the late fee. see the registration form on page 8 for details.

we had a great first event - rodeo drive ii, see page 12 for a review. our other events are shaping up nicely and we hope to see you there. also, we need more pictures, more classifieds, and more ideas. call or write to us.

the suggested names for our new newsletter have been trickling in. below are some samples received to date:

• sempre rosso or sempre ferrari
• tutto rosso, ferrari, or maranello
• il commentator
• rosso ramparte
• forza rosse or forza ferrari
• spirito rosso, ramparte, or ferrari
• or, for the italian challenged...
• hi speed news
• swerrari
• cool ponies
• southwest ponies
• hi ferrocity

let us know your thoughts and ideas.

Tech Tip - Better Braking in Testarossas

by: gary bobileff

ferrari has, as virtually every other manufacturer, installed a proportioning valve on the rear braking circuit. the purpose of this is to provide a specific balance between the front and rear brakes. a 50/50 balance is not provided or wanted. according to the factory shop manual it states "braking regulator ratio...front - ...rear 0.46". the stock regulator consists of a plunger, seal, and a calibrated spring assembly. the higher the brake pedal force exerted, the greater the amount of rear braking action. notice illustration as out of the shop manual below.

caption .

this is a fine system for going to the grocery store or opera. but for those of us that really like to drive, this proportioning valve does it's job too well. it is too forgiving. the design anticipates the worst possible drivers behind the wheel. you know, johnny racer, who never went to driver's school and never had any track time.

to the rest of us who drive aggressively, (never above 55 mph on public roads of course), we need to stop as fast as we go. installing an adjustable rear proportioning valve is the answer. tilton engineering makes a great one for $89.00. it's part number is 90-103. it's available at racer's supply stores or call me and i'll ship you one. the valve mounts instead of the stock one in the lower front right of the motor compartment. a steel support bracket welded to the frame is necessary to keep the unit and lines free of vibration. after bolting in, it's hook up line in, line out, and bleed the brake system, removing the air. because the unit is adjustable, you can increase front to rear ratio or decrease, based upon your driving habits. typically, less in the back and more in the front is used for track and aggressive driving. keep in mind, the more front (less rear) also means less predictability in the right situations. in the wet, where the front tires need more adhesion during hard braking, more rear is acceptable.

after a simple installation, try the various positions on the valve starting with maximum pressure on the rear. accelerate in a safe area, and stand on the brakes without locking them up. does it stop in a straight line? if so, go to the next setting and repeat the braking. continue on in the same procedure. when the car's control and predictability begin to fade, back up the setting one notch. at this point, the rears should lock up just before the fronts. you will be amazed at the responsiveness and additional braking achieved. the following is data on the tilton unit. compare it to the stock illustration below.

caption .

as a final note, proper installation and responsible driving can not be overstressed. drive fast, drive safe!

about the author: located in san diego, gary bobileff has been a ferrari addict since 1970, servicing and restoring them exclusively. if you have any technical questions, feel free to call him at 619 622-1600.

Market Report -"To Hype and Back"

by: cris vandagriff

ferrari released the 288 gto in 1984 and the testarossa in 1985. both models were in such demand none of the loyal ferrarista knew how to act. the market made no sense to most long timers. there were two ways in which to act, the first was denial and the other was "pro-active." there was not a right or a wrong, we all were in uncharted waters, some thought it was deadly cold others thought it was perfect conditions.

anyone who is remotely interested in ferraris has stories about missing the boat by minutes, taking the wrong boat or the pleasure cruise of a lifetime. we have all heard the stories but real question is, have we learned anything? why did the market go up and why did it go down?

in my opinion, the "hype" started with the 288 gto. for the first time in modern ferrari history there was a model introduced that was not available for everyone to purchase. essentially there was one car produced for each dealer worldwide. the united states was left out totally. adam smith's idea about supply and demand came into play. next was the introduction of the testarossa, without question the most sought after car of all time. again, supply and demand dictated an immediate escalation in the price.

with the introduction of these cars a few astute people realized that there was an argument to be made that there were more significant ferraris which were produced in much smaller numbers available for a fraction of the cost of a new 288 gto or testarossa. and off we went.

fortunes were made during this time, it seemed as though everyone was on the bandwagon. the hype took on epidemic proportions, there was not a ferrari model that was unaffected by the "hype". at the time i took an unpopular stand on the market. customers would come into the dealership and ask my opinion what i thought a particular model would be worth in any given time period. my standard answer was that the customer was buying the car for the wrong reason, make a purchase based on the fact that a particular model was a favorite body style, or it was a technical milestone, the performance was of interest, not because it was first a good investment. ferraris have always been good investments. once they were out of production, they would perform slightly better than a conventional investment over the long haul, short term gains were few and far between. this opinion often fell on deaf ears as it was too easy to make a significant return on the investment in a very short period of time.

the first sign of a "slow down" we noticed at the dealership was in march of 1989. we went from selling 15 used cars a month to 5 in a period of one month, the tap was shut off! new car sales were as strong as ever, just the used car market was affected. we had several "big" cars in inventory at this time and we decided to let these cars go at a reasonable price. by august of 1989 all the "big" cars we wanted to sell were gone and we became spectators on the side lines. by december 1st, 1989 the "hype" was in check. there were a few big deals happening but for the most part the party was over. but why?

as time passed the "hype" began looking like a pyramid, at first there was a very broad base and in the end there were only a few involved. it became harder to find "retail" buyers for the cars, eventually the market took on a wholesale base with only a few retail sales. the significant players had realized there was a diminishing customer base and got out. the same time the ferrari market got "hyped" so did the money market. lenders gave the impression that if a person was breathing then money would be lent. the "easy money" allowed the customer base to broaden even further and at the same time allowed "investors" to get over extended (unfortunately this was not unique to

From the Driver's Seat - An Interview with 348 Challenge Driver Cort Wagner

cort wagner is a mortgage banker and 348 challenge owner/driver. he has driven his #25 1991 348 to two second places, a first, and a sixth. you can see an in-depth article on cort's car in the june issue of european car magazine (it's on the cover). the southwest region asked cort a few questions about what it was like to be a driver in the series:

fca:

how did you get started in the challenge series?

cort:

a couple of years ago cris vandagriff from ferrari of beverly hills presented me with his thoughts on putting together a car for the upcoming series. i was interested but the total costs of participating were too rich for me. cris said that if i tested well and bought a car, they could help me get sponsored. he arranged a try out of a few drivers at willow and i turned the fastest laps (1:36.7). i bought a car, got sponsorship from westinghouse, mercury holdings group, and ferrari of beverly hills and i was in.

fca:

how do you rate the competition?

cort:

fierce. john marconi is a very aggressive driver and peter sachs has been a threat the whole time too. the races tend to run in three packs: three to six fast cars up front, a tight bunch in the middle, and then some of the less experienced drivers at the back.

fca:

how do the cars feel on the track?

cort:

they're great cars. basically, they are well prepared street cars, weighing in at about 3,000 lbs. they are very controllable at the limit and very demanding but they pay big rewards if you're smooth and fast. they tend toward a slight oversteer condition that is easily modulated with steering and throttle input.

fca:

do you have to have a newer 348 to be competitive?

cort:

no, it isn't that hard to get an older car up to speed. in fact, if you can get a used car cheap enough you could take the money saved and really bring the motor up to the tightest specs. the coupes (tbs) are a little lighter and stiffer than the ts cars.

fca:

what do you like the most about the series?

cort:

driving! it is a driver's series. it allows all the participants to get to know their cars better and find that the cars aren't allergic to mileage and abuse. ferraris were meant to be driven, not garaged.

fca:

what is your least favorite aspect of the series?

cort:

the level of seriousness. this is an amateur series, there are no purses or prizes to be won. yet many people are very concerned about what other drivers are doing. there are protests and cheating that don't need to be in a fun series like this.

fca:

how are the races run?

cort:

there is qualifying on saturday where the whole grid can practice at once, or just portions. passing is allowed during qualifying. you get four to five qualifying laps and on the first race you grid according to your qualifying times. the races are rolling start and last about 20 minutes. for the second race, you grid according to your finish in the first race.

fca:

how have the fca member track events been during these challenge weekends?

cort:

they have been fun. it provides an opportunity for less involved ferrari owners to get their cars on the track and see what they were meant to do. there have been some really interesting cars out there. i saw an f40/lm in florida, a 275 gtb nart spyder, and all sorts of exotic metal out on the tracks.

fca:

will you make it to mugello?

cort:

i certainly hope to. it is going to be difficult for the us cars to be competitive over there, though. the european cars have 38 more horsepower and they're 200 lbs lighter. they have lighter doors and bumpers as well as the "h" motor kits that include heads, intake, pistons, muffler, etc. it is going to be really expensive for us us drivers to win in italy.

fca:

what are you overall thoughts on the series

From the Crew - An Interview with Alan Woodard of Newport Imports

alan woodard is the service manager at newport imports and acts as the dealership support team manager for the three 348 challenge cars they sponsor. these include the #23 car of john marconi, the #35 car of priscilla (bo) moore, and the #13 car of randy mills. as of this writing, john marconi is the points leader with two first and two second place finishes. the southwest region asked alan a few questions about what it was like to travel to all the races in support of a 348 challenge car:

fca:

what does the dealership do for the cars you support?

alan:

we do everything from installation of the challenge kits to mechanical support of the cars before, after, and between races. every challenge car has to have a supporting dealer so there is a strong tie between the competitors, the dealers, and ferrari.

fca:

what are the challenge kits like?

alan:

the kits consist of a roll cage, racing harness, lightweight seats, shut off switches, brake ducts, fire bottle, emblems, and decals. it takes about 50 hours to install a kit and that involves removing carpeting, welding in brackets for the belts and cage, etc. overall, it is a well designed kit but ferrari is continually refining it. for example, we are working on installing some new cooling ducts on our cars right now because ferrari realizes that willow springs at the end of july is going to be very hot on brakes and motor so they've updated the kit.

fca:

what is your opinion of the cars?

alan:

i think they're great. i've ridden around the track with john and others and the handling on the cars is astounding. the cars are pushed to the limits and beyond, entering drifts and breaking the rear end loose but they remain very predictable. if i were to buy a ferrari, it would be a 348.

fca:

what is your favorite aspect of the series?

alan:

for me personally, it is getting together with the other dealers and ferrari north america. the series has really brought the whole network closer together.

fca:

what do you like least?

alan:

well, the series has a big impact on trying to run our service business. we send a lot of mechanics to the races so that we provide the best support we can for the cars but many of the races are back east so by the time you add travel time, we're gone for as many as four days. that puts a lot of pressure on the guys back home to keep up with our day-to-day business.

fca:

how have the cars held up?

alan: quite well. there have been a few instances of electrical problems, especially one which causes one bank of cylinders to stop firing, but other than that the cars run real well.

fca:

what about tires?

alan:

pirelli has made a special tire just for the 348 challenge cars. it is a great tire and part of the deal is that they provide each car with two sets per race weekend. additional sets can be purchased for $1,600 per set. many people don't realize that the compound on the front is a d4 while the rear tires run a softer d1. also of interest is that pirelli brings all the tires into the us under a "temporary use permit" so we have to return them after we've chewed them up and then pirelli sends them back to italy. this helps avoid some import tariffs.

fca:

how does pirelli assist at the track?

alan:

they have a whole crew of guys at every race. they pre-mount all the tires for all the cars and mark them with the car number, all we have to do is put them on. they also take tire temperatures for each car and recommend tire pressures. they work really hard all weekend and are really a big help (even though they only speak italian).

fca:

is the 348 challenge is a success?

alan:

i think so. fna and the fca will learn from this year and next year should be even bigger and better - many people who wanted to get in this

Ferraris on Rodeo Drive II - The Ultimate Father's Day

by: matthew ettinger

these stallions were some of enzo's most magnificent machines. this is its second year in a row for ferrari to appear exclusively on rodeo drive. this event was co- "championed by the city of beverly hills and the ferrari club of america's newly formed southwest region. "everything that is ferrari" was quite well imaged by the rows of diverse models and was quite well received by a very full crowd of beautiful people escorted by picture perfect southern california weather. many of you on the west coast were fortunate to experience last year's ferrari on rodeo drive with the introduction of the new 348 spyder. this year's event was as exciting on a somewhat smaller scale but surely not lacking in the passionate embrace of ferrari excitement.

the fca southwest region also manned a membership booth introducing the great line up of events planned for the rest of 94 plus great t-shirts marking this event, along with bottles of yuppie water given away free to the thirsty.

this event looks to be planned every year with the factory doing events in this slot according to a planned calendar. i personally would like to see this rodeo drive fca ferrari event next year and the years after just clouded with masses of people drooling waves of moisture and marvel with an almost deafening underlying beat of oooohs and ahs...slap! boy, i needed that.

i would love to describe all the wonderful ferraris in detail but space does not permit. suffice to say that there were over 50 cars, including a 365 gtb/4 comp, a 512 bb/lm, no fewer than 3 f40s and 4 348 challenge cars, daytonas, gtos, dinos, you name it. so come out next year as a member of the fca and the southwest region and experience first hand "everything that is ferrari."