Diffuser Mounting Brackets

"Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever" (superchan7)
11/18/2016 at 05:04 • Filed to: Ferrari, F355, 355

For 2 years I’ve noticed and wondered why one side of my rear diffusers was hanging lower than the other. Tonight I finally discovered that the mounting L-brackets on the bumper were fastened upside down.

Small job, but I can finally say that I’ve wrenched on my Ferrari. 2 hours with no lift and cramped against the shut garage door—too cold outside.

UPDATE:

After looking at pics on the Internet, it looks like I got everything upside down. So the other diffuser exit panel needs its two mounting brackets flipped over too.

Except one of the two brackets was missing its screws. So what was holding it on? I pried it off and discovered that somebody got lazy and had glued it onto the bumper...

... upside down.

DISCUSSION (17)

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever
11/18/2016 at 06:34

Headline: Ferrari owner wrenches on car, doesn’t catch fire.

Sorry I couldn’t resist, I’m sure you saved quite a lot doing it yourself though.

shop-teacher > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever
11/18/2016 at 07:04

Well done!

CAR_IS_MI > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever
11/18/2016 at 07:58

How are you still liking the 355. I will need a new toy once I get to FL, and while there are a lot on the list of possibilities, another F car keeps coming to mind.

diplodicus > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever
11/18/2016 at 08:20

What is too cold to a californian? Like 50F?

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever
11/18/2016 at 10:07

So does that mean they put one bracket on before lunch, and the other side after coming back from a lunch that included a couple of glasses of wine?

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > diplodicus
11/18/2016 at 10:22

I saw this coming! It was low 40s last night.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > CAR_IS_MI
11/18/2016 at 10:27

It’s a status symbol. It isn’t that fast or even particularly nimble by modern sports car standards, but it’s one of the most iconic Ferraris and one of my childhood dream cars. Looks and sound are the highlights of the F355.

That said, 400hp is still powerful by any standard and more than enough to get anyone in trouble. I’ve never owned such an old car before so the “old car problems” can be a major annoyance.

What Ferrari(s) have you had before?

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
11/18/2016 at 10:28

Assembly tech dropped his cigs, so he picked it up with his right hand while finishing the bumper assembly with his left hand.

I love me an Italian car joke, but this error probably occurred at a dealer or mechanic during service.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer
11/18/2016 at 10:34

This actually didn’t even go smoothly.

[begin humblebrag]

One of the screw holes was stripped (or missing its thread sleeve—I couldn’t tell with no visual access), so I thought for a bit and remembered that I had these little serrated thread-locker sheets from fixing the same problem on my bedroom door.

CAR_IS_MI > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever
11/18/2016 at 11:34

I had the silver 360.

I used to be known as Mr. The Engineer BTW

diplodicus > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever
11/18/2016 at 13:47

That is chillier than I expected.

tromoly > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever
11/18/2016 at 14:04

I might be missing something, but what’s the point of the diffuser on that thing? It seems really small/short to do anything, especially with so much uncontrolled surfaces around it.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > diplodicus
11/18/2016 at 14:18

Last week I was in LA and daily temperatures were still hanging in the 90s, dipping into the 60s at night. #jelly

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > tromoly
11/18/2016 at 14:22

This was Ferrari’s first road car with an actual working aero diffuser. It’s hilariously shallow and lacking in channels compared to the serious setups of today’s supercars, but I don’t ever intend to find out how effective it is.

Let’s start with the fact that the exit is mounted to the fibreglass rear fascia and not anything structural...

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > CAR_IS_MI
11/18/2016 at 14:24

Ah, I remember you! What do you drive for fun right now?

diplodicus > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever
11/18/2016 at 14:25

That sounds terrible. I start melting at 70.

CAR_IS_MI > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever
11/18/2016 at 17:58

Mostly my 12 CL63.

Not as exotic but faster, more comfortable, and just as likely to break and cost $20,000 in repairs...