Ferrari Mailing List: Hi back on list terrible news for me

[Britt2Asa (Britt2Asa]

HI Guys,

I am back on list as well. Did the trip to France in the 400i and it went 
well. Won first in class in the 400i in July at the Ferrari Concours which was 
nice. Refinished the 328GTS engine to concours standard with a valve adjustment 
and belt job as well.

The horrible thing that has happened is my 1986 328GTS was wrecked on Sunday 
and I expect it is a total loss. Driving to the Welsh coast on the A5 on 
Sunday morning going in a dead straight line the rear wheels lost total grip. 
The 
car started to spin immediately and we slammed into the barrier in reverse, 
bounced off and rotated again onto the hard shoulder. Than the rear left light 
cluster caught fire. I suspect diesel on the road, it was like driving on black 
ice, I had no chance to save the car. The blonde and I weren't hurt, just 
banged up, but with the exterior body damage the insurance company may say it 
is 
uneconomical to repair. Wheels, engine, passenger comparment, frame are all 
undamaged but ever exterior panel aside from doors, rt ft and rear wings need 
to 
be replaced. I am heart broken as I have had the car for 6 years and driven it 
over 30,000 miles, all over Europe and the UK. It was my first Ferrari and 
one of the earliest made. Since than everything is a blur, in all my years of 
driving I have never, ever had a car just lose grip totally in a straight line 
at 50mph (no faster) and spin so suddenly. In fact I have tracked the car many 
times and never experienced anything close. Only diesel on the damp road could 
have caused this.....Still haven't had the insurance company look at it but 
my mechanic says its a goner.

BR in the UK
1986 328GTS (LHD 89,940km) Died August 19, 2006 Shrewsbury UK
1980 400i (RHD 72,000 miles)