Test Drive

[Shuffler]

LOL when they are Swedish boxes hand built by Italians in small numbers they are

What shocked me was the original window sticker for the car from '88. Nearly 70K! 

Italians... hmm guess that means the gearbox is hanging all the time.

Seriously hand built means nothing except expense. It still looks like a box. 

[MaSonZ]

Italians... hmm guess that means the gearbox is hanging all the time.

Seriously hand built means nothing except expense. It still looks like a box. 

i would ratherspend a few extra dollars for hand built quality over computers and machines, helps the economy as a whole.

[Dichotomy]

VIVA Italian craftsmanship 

[Shuffler]

(Image removed from quote.)

VIVA Italian craftsmanship 

...and hand built to boot. 

[RTHolmes]

this was hand built in italy btw ...

[Skuzzy]

this was hand built in italy btw ...

(Image removed from quote.)

Just a nit,....

The bodies were manufactured (hand built) in Italy, from the dies made in California (designed by Pete Brock).  However, the Italians thought they would modify the first one, to raise the cowl, as they thought it would look better.  After Carol chewed them up one side and down the other, they reverted back to the original design.

The reason they had to go to Italy was due to the local shop not having enough resources to build the bodies, and the Italians had more experience with forming aluminum.

Interestingly enough, the raised cowl car was Dan Gurney's favorite as it had more leg and foot room than any other Daytona Coupe made.

[RTHolmes]

interesting, was the raised cowl one the venice-built 1st car or the 1st modena car?

[CAP1]

ford dealer just called me back......nothing, according to them from va all the way up to mass. they said if i want those exact things, i'd have to order it new.....with the 6-8 week wait.
 i told them i'd like the weekend to think about it. what they think, is that i'm gonna call and order it easy. what i meant, was that i need time to see what else i can squeeze outta them. 

[RTHolmes]

6-8 weeks is pretty quick for a factory order

[CAP1]

6-8 weeks is pretty quick for a factory order

 yea, i know.....but i was lookin at bein in something nice in a week or so............still gonna try to beat em over the head....maybe for the rear wing, or hood scoop........

[Skuzzy]

interesting, was the raised cowl one the venice-built 1st car or the 1st modena car?

modena (CSX2299)

Crap, I did it again.  Not Ken Brock, but Pete Brock.

Actually, the Daytona's bodies were all built at "Carrozzeria Gransport", then shipped to Modena.

CSX2287 was also built with the taller cowl, but corrected after Carol raised heck with them.  It became the pattern for the remaining 4 coupe bodies built in Italy.

The taller cowled car was the slowest of the Daytona Coupes, but it was the winniest as well.  Dan Gurney drove it and had better support (Ford backed) than Ken Miles did (Shelby backed) in his.

[RTHolmes]

I was wondering if the raised cowl would help with driver comfort in endurance racing, then I realised it was an italian mod, so presumably it just made the daytona look even sexier (if thats possible)


edit: CAP sorry for the hijack

[Skuzzy]

I was wondering if the raised cowl would help with driver comfort in endurance racing, then I realised it was an italian mod, so presumably it just made the daytona look even sexier (if thats possible)


edit: CAP sorry for the hijack

It hurt the aerodynamics of the car and decreased the top speed by 11 MPH.  It was Dan Gurney's skill that made that car the winner it was.

Yes, let's move this to another thread, if need be.

[CAP1]

I was wondering if the raised cowl would help with driver comfort in endurance racing, then I realised it was an italian mod, so presumably it just made the daytona look even sexier (if thats possible)


edit: CAP sorry for the hijack

 no apology necessary. good stuff. 

[Dichotomy]

It hurt the aerodynamics of the car and decreased the top speed by 11 MPH.  It was Dan Gurney's skill that made that car the winner it was.

Yes, let's move this to another thread, if need be.

I don't know why we should..  I'm loving the car talk and the educational tid bits from people who know more than 'it looks good'.