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Posts: 51
Since: 6/5/2009
Status: offline
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My first month and 2800 miles in a Khamsin!
The amount of miles isn’t the point of this but rather my experiences of the car and comparing it to my other ones. I have a Series III Espada Auto, Countach QV, 328GTS. Fiat X1/9 and Barchetta; and VW passat W8 auto. I really like Gandini cars! 56 cylinders and about 560 liters of fuel!
I bought my Khamsin privately from someone near Bournemouth in southern England. As I live 450 miles away and had to detour on purchase on business my return journey was about 500 miles. After bringing it back I used it for a Ferrari club road rally,( at the insistence of some of the members) ; then for a trip back down to London to see my sister, McGraths and Colin Clarke Engineering; and recently to get an exhaust fitted near Nottingham followed by the International Rally at Goodwood on Sunday 4th and Italian car Breakfast with my car parked on the grid! That was 985 miles over 4 days!
Since I bought the car I have fixed the following:
Loose fuel lines at pump
Fractured high pressure pipe near block
Checked and toped up all levels
Replaced fuel filter which was causing loss of power and cutting out
Replaced air filter and plugs
Fitted Pirelli P4000 tyres
Fitted a complete stainless Exhaust system form Stainless Exhaust specialists in Sutton-in Ashfield
Re-undersealed the whole underneath of the car and cleaned all inner wings and lips
Powder coated the spare and fitted a tube due to bad fit
Fitted a modern radio CD player
Initially on the old XWX’s (1988 on back and 1998 on front) the car pulled slightly to one side and also felt very skittish at high speed at the back. The new tyres have transformed the cars ride and handling and stability
Current problems:
Exhaust fumes inside car
Possible wheel alignment/camber/castor issue
Fix air vent has vacuum pipes disconnected and vent closing
Possible continuing loss of compression on no.2 ( to be checked again now car run properly)
Possible dirt in fuel tank
Accumualtor to be overhauled
Minor paint
Carb tune
I managed to either acquire or dig out of my magazine collection all of the old tests on the Khamsin and avidly read them all to compare them to my own views on the car. I drive not only my own various cars but also a lot of others on a regular basis, so comparisons are fun!
Firstly, my own views on the car:
It is a true Grand Tourer. Very comfortable over long distances for it’s vintage. Does about 17-18mpg . It is a very fast car with great mid range pull. I have no doubt that it could reach 160mph without too much coaxing.
We ran three up ( one sitting diagonally) for 150 miles with a full boot to Goodwood and the car hardly felt different. Always a sign of a good engine/power ratio.
The ride is quite firm but good suspension travel and control. The handling is very good but I still need to know here a bit more before I would be happy to swing her tail out or get too close to that, hence the alignment checks
Easy to see out of and easy to use in town and park etc. Makes a glorious noise all the time!
Secondly how does it compare:
It’s natural rival is with the Espada. The espada rides better, has more suspension control and I think seems to have better roadholding and handling. Fuel consumption is worse than Khamsin and performance less mid range as torque is higher and less in real terms.
Whilst the Espanda has lots more space inside it is slightly bigger,. Fit and finish is massively better on the Khamsin as is the quality of materials
The 328 is more of a true sports car, finish is about the same and performance less all across the range as one would expect form a 3.2 275bhp engine. Roadholding better, ride much worse. It has more in common compared to my old 308GT4 in build terms although less of a sports car than it but generally better overall.
Compared to a modern car and engine eg the 4.0 285bhp passat? Well 30 years separate the designs of the cars. It is very obvious. The passat is much slower although massively smoother. Due to the weight of the passat it looses it’s handling gain on 4wd and modern low profile tyres to the Khamsin. It wouldn’t keep up on any road. It is however still a hooligans car when you want it to be and a very very comfortable long distance cruiser, but performance ruined by poor induction and engine breathing
Compared to the QV!!! Well few do, in performance terms but the build quality is light years ahead! Even by modern standards the QV can still not be embarrassed! Drove it back to back against a Diablo SV 360CS; 430 and Diablo VT recently and it still can cut it!
In summary:
It is a stunningly beautiful car and been declared the favorite by many people who know my cars. I like different things in different cars so I have no favorite. My mood determines my choice of drive. The compromises inherent in each car is part of the joy of enjoying different things! Thank god we all don’t drive a Lexus!
Paul
Glasgow
120381
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