I wonder if today’s auto enthusiasts are missing out on a very important part of the whole car experience. As much as I love my McLaren P1, all I can do is drive it. The fact that I can’t access the engine and do basic maintenance on it sometimes makes me feel like a bit of a poser. I don’t in any way consider myself a race-car driver, but I do take pride in the fact that I’m really pretty well-versed in how my machines work.
I had something happen the other day that drove this point home to me. My friend David Lee, who is an avid Ferrari collector, brought over his yellow 1971 Ferrari Daytona Spyder for me to drive. David is an extremely generous owner who loves nothing more than driving his cars and sharing that experience with others. To those of us of a certain age this was the holy grail of Ferrari. This was Ferrari’s front-engined answer to the new mid-engined Lamborghini Miura.
It was officially known as the 365 GTB/4 and never officially called a Daytona. It was given that nickname back in 1967 because of Ferrari’s 1-2-3 finish at the 1967 Daytona 24 Hours. Being a Miura owner and as much as I prefer it, I was anxious to drive this car to see how they compare. And I was very impressed. Opening the bonnet revealed one of the most impressive engine compartments I’ve ever seen. From the crackle finish on the valve covers to the dual red oil filters up front and the complete absence of plastic everywhere, it’s just pure sex.
It’s funny. Back in the day with that 4.4-litre V12 and the six Weber carburettors, it seemed like the most complex engine compartment ever. Now it looks so simple. The plugs are easily accessible. The oil filters are a breeze to change. The distributor is right there. This is not some little cramped Italian sports car. This is a full-size machine, even by American standards. Unlike today’s butt-numbing sports seats, these are extremely comfortable, and perfect for all-day driving.
When we got on the open road, I started to realise something was wrong. The engine began missing above about 4000rpm. I think it might be bad gas or just infrequent use. I asked David how long the car had been sitting. He said not long at all. And the gasoline was fresh. The first thing I tried was the Italian tune-up. American drivers are used to lazy V8s and not high-revving V12s. They tend to drive in a way
