Alright, all puns aside, the number of different variations of wheel nuts at RPM is astounding. Here are some examples and some more interesting facts about them. Firstly, Ferrari wheels employ singular nuts to fasten each wheel to each axle or hub. So, in your road car, you have generally 4 or 5 lug bolts or lug nuts that hold each wheel on – trucks have more. Ferraris more than any other make, use large racing style wheel nuts, quite similar to those in use on racetracks all over the world, even here in the US in Nascar. Many other Italian cars and some English cars used this method of fastening as well.

The big difference between the wheel nuts on current race cars and on vintage Ferraris? The method of removal. The current race cars use a large diameter socket, while the vintage cars have 2 or 3 ears extending off the nut. The method of removal is repeated smashing of these tabs by the standard equipment lead hammer found in every Ferrari – it isn’t just for fending off would-be attackers. The lead hammer packs a punch, and the softness of the lead won’t mar the finish of the nuts, just watch out for your fenders on the back swing. At RPM wheels are removed frequenly enough to destroy these hammers, so we have a mold to recast the hammer head.

On to the nuts themselves. The word “smontare” seems to be on nearly every nut. » Continue reading “KNOCK IT OFF – WHEEL GOING NUTS”

It strikes me as odd that the most popular video on the FerrariCraft and RPMVT YouTube channel has over 70,000 views, but doesn’t actually own a blog post here on FerrariCraft. We’ve remedied this by adding the video below. Also, take a moment and head to our YouTube channel and subscribe.

Before we delivered this Austin Healey 3000 to its new home, the purchaser wanted to make the car his by having us paint the “coves” ivory. I thought it was a great idea and Syl did an amazing job with the paint. The car was very nicely detailed to start with and with this color contrast, the car looks great.

Syl has been using a new clear coat that needs next to no wet sanding and polishing. The clear is so crystal perfect and it lays down with no orange peel. He just shot some Ferrari Boxer wheels and they are perfect! Loving that RM paint!

Healey Blue 3000

Healey Blue with Ivory Coves

Here’s a video from the summer of 2009. A test run of a Colombo V12 from a 330 GTC on an engine stand after we performed a full overhaul, and a ferraricraft.com post to describe its previous condition here.

A few weeks ago a man called me to see if I was interested in buying a pair of 1967 Porsche 911’s that he has had for a long time. The owner had been driving the red car in the photograph for many years and decided that the car was deserving of a major restoration as the paint and rubber trim was looking nasty.

He methodically took the car apart, tagged and organized every part and safely stored the boxes on shelves in his garage. Upon removing the components he uncovered the dreaded “R” word…. RUST. He was not up for dealing with the rusty body shell so he located another 1967 911S coupe to turn two cars into one but after getting the second body shell, he found that is was better but still needed lots of repair.

Now he wants to sell the cars and I think that they have a great upside but I am not the one who is going to suffer the brain damage of restoring them on my coin. So, is anyone out there who may want to buy these cars? All of the parts are perfectly categorized to make a complete car with matching numbers. In my opinion, it is worth doing a high end repair on both cars simultaneously so the second body can be sold at a later date.

I have many more photos of the engine, trans and important pieces and would like to make these cars whole again.

So, what are they worth?

1967 Porsche 911S Coupes

I wonder if the farmer who was trimming the grass with this scythe is stuck in that this tree as well? I thought I heard a strange moaning sound when I approached the tree to snap this photo.

Tree that grew around a Scythe blade

The Oliver 2050 with the forklift makes getting cars off jack stands or a rotisserie quite easy. Now this Ferrari 250 GT Lusso is outside and positioned high in the air for sand blasting and painting the engine bay.

The Lusso is being restored in a way that many would think is backward, but it is actually quite prudent. Most people would chose to restore a car from the outside-in making it look the part and then worrying about mechanicals later – but risking a basket case under thousands of dollars in paint.

Our client has chosen restoration from the inside-out, focusing on meticulous restoration of the running gear of the car. The engine was rebuilt with period performance modifications, cams, and porting. The suspension was nickel plated and all fasteners were black oxide treated. This is a very detail oriented work, but the car completed in the condition it was in when leaving the factory – save for the paint. Read about the suspension here and here.  And the drivetrain here. Watch the engine run here. To see all related Lusso posts click the “Lusso” link under the categories heading on the right.

The exterior of the car should have paint, but it’s an option left to the current owner, or an option for a future owner down the road.

This photograph was taken just a few weeks ago, as Peter, Casey, Nate, Eben, and myself all made it in and out of the shop on a Saturday to lend a hand. We’ll be rolling out more pics and video of the 212 starting with the engine installed.

To see all posts relating to the 212 check here.

The 212 enjoys many hands.

As with many motorcycle companies, Jawa Motorcycles got its start in 1929 as arms manufacturer Frantisek Janecek of Prague decided to expand into motorcycle production.  Jawa entered the market with a shaft drive in a pressed-steel frame. Ultimately, English designer G.W. Patchett joined the Jawa factory in 1930 and created racing machines with a 498 cc unit-design ohv engines and chain drive.

The motorbike pictured here at the shop is a 350cc version that went through Daytona Antique & Classic Motorcycle Auction in 2008. It is a pristine example of a pre-war European motorcycle and it starts, runs and rides reliably – perhaps even better than in 1937. It’s also easier to move around than a Ferrari.