Ferrari 348 ts

Starting point

The Ferrari 348 ts, built in 1992, showed clear signs of use and was to be returned to its best years. The paint had suffered badly over 19 years and was dull and full of surface scratches. The model lettering, Ferrari badges and ventilation grilles were weathered and covered in limescale and had to be sourced anew. The biggest problem was the sticky plastics in the interior. Sun and UV radiation had turned the coating of the centre console into a sticky mass to which dust and fibres clung; the door handles, the Targa roof catches and the mirror caps had softened as well. The leather showed marks, particularly on the side bolsters of the bucket seats. Replacement parts were not available, and used parts had the same damage, since according to our research many Ferraris are affected.

Work

The paint was not smoothed with abrasive particles but fused within the top coat in a time-consuming process, the gentlest option for an old paint with a presumably reduced coating thickness. Only where scratches were too deep was the method adapted in places. This was followed by the LZ 730 brilliance sealant, a five-layer sealant that closes the pores of the paint like glass. Limescale and water spots on the engine cover with its ventilation louvres were removed. The interior was thoroughly cleaned, then scratches and scuffs on the leather were pigmented. The centre console was removed, dismantled and treated step by step so that a new pigmentation could adhere; the other sticky parts were treated in the same way and re-pigmented.

Result

The paint shines once more in a rich red with depth of gloss. The plastics are smooth, deep black and no longer sticky. Visually they are indistinguishable from the other parts, and dust can be removed easily again. By reworking the original parts, the 348 ts has gained in value.

Workshop archive, original report. Product details reflect the state at the time.