We obtained Grandma, 3835, from Jon Pollack in Reseda around November 96. That's my son, Chris, deciding that Dad needed help with the stripping back of leather from the rear seats. After that, he helped with stress testing of the steering column stalks and removal of the inside rear view mirror, but all was forgiven several years later when he uttered the words "I love your red car, Dad". If I don't mention my daughter Alex, I'll be in trouble. Yes Alex - I know you love Daddy's stinky, noisy, always in Mommy's way, red car too.
And yes, the car did leave Maranello for Luigi Chinetti's as "Rosso Corsa", confirmed from records at FNA. After getting her home I easily resisted the temptation to pull it all apart and spend thousands on a ground up, but still, she sat unmoving and looking unloved for about two years while I figured out things like leaking water pumps, unexplainable oil puddles, brake fluid leaks, valve adjustments, mechanical fuel pumps and ignition timing. I photocopied every document I could lay my hands on. Amazingly, there is about three 'recommended' ways to do most anything to these cars. Then there were the various electrical mysteries that had to solved that come standard with old European cars as well. I also found time to use the golden screwdriver on the webers. There was a concentrated effort in 99, and for most of the first part of 2000 where I sorted her out enough to drive to Monterey that year. For a while I was probably the only person in Southern California who had a 60's Ferrari as a daily driver. Sometimes things would happen which impeded forward motion and I would have to stop and fix it, bang it, or tape it back to the body. But mostly, she ran like a top, back and forth to Hollywood each day, about an hour each way. I collected allot of "Hey if you want to sell your car, give me a call" flyers as well. Unfortunately, when I called these opportunists, it seems that they valued the car less than I did.
