Any opinions welcomed - Good or bad. Thanks! http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110132030944&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:us
I was checking this one out earlier today and noticed the following: 1. Repainted 2. Front Spoiler Bottom Should be all Red 3. Fuel Evaporator Canister is Missing 4. Belt Line Molding? 5. Distributor Covers Missing 6. Chassis number ?
- Hate the Gotti wheels, but there seems to be an alternative "upgrade" if you so desire. If the wheels are indeed OEM/NOS, $1600 for the set seems like a fair price, IIRC. - Seats and door panels look *brand* new. Underside of targa top leather is Crema - seats/doors are tan. I'm not a GTS owner, so this may be the way they all were, but if not, it's a dead-giveaway for new leather and not just "pristine" originals. That then raises question of the mileage - really 36k? Why new seats? - MOMO Prototipo steering wheel is incorrect, as far as I know, but not hideous. OEM shiftknob is there. - Engine bay looks to be original - coils, wires, airbox, etc. Aftermarket Stant coolant expansion tank cap in place - that's a good thing, IMO. - paint sure looks glossy on the hood shot - repaint? - Why anyone in their right mind would elect to keep a car titled in CA (in light of all its smog laws) when the car is kept in TX is beyond me. Differn't strokes for differn't folks, I guess. - If the owner truly is selling one of his toys to appease the wife, and those in the background are the rest of his collection, he's selling the wrong one, IMO. That's just me, though. - Lots of FChatters in DFW area - see if somebody can go take a look for ya'!
Not sure if that targa top shot really shows crema, or just bad lighting/exposure. I could definitely see new seat leather by 36K miles. They're almost 30 years old, and Ferrari leather isn't that durable to start with. I've seen plenty of 20K-mile TRs/3x8s with very obvious bolster rub. If it's not new leather, it's miraculously good or well-photographed. The side mouldings are awful but probably adhesive, and could be removed. I would guess the front was resprayed for rock chips (hopefully). The front spoiler is black and not original color, as posted, but my car has a lot fewer miles than this one and I can tell you it's had the front end resprayed at least three times over the last 20 years. The paint on the rear deck looks badly in need of a proper buffing - clearly some old paint back there. It does make the front look fresher. Old alarm system drilled into the dash between the vents - I avoid cars that have this, but a lot of them do. Basically, this is another anonymous car on eBay, and you can't tell much about it without someone going to Texas to look at it.
I don't think it's lighting - check just to the right of the targa panel in that pic, above the top of the door. You'll see the driver's side headrest, and it's indeed another color while in the same light. Your other points all duly noted, however - I'm definitely a GTS n00b...
my 78 308gts and my red GTB had the belt line moldings. i liked them as it protected the body from minor dings.
In the Q&A section at the bottom of the auction the seller states: "The 30k mile service has been done and all scheduled maintenance is up to date." - This is a very political way of saying that the car is in dire need of service. These people use mileage alone as a benchmark; not age. He is essentially saying that the car received its scheduled 30k mile service somewhere in the early eighties... I would factor this assumption into your purchasing decision. The seller also says: "Normally, when I list a car on eBay, I write much more. However, this car’s nearly mint condition leaves little to say." - Yeah right!!! The car is almost 30 years old and its condition leaves little to say???
rear wing is not stock for a 78. The "period correct Factory wheels" pictured are not 14", which would be stock for a '78. On the other hand, assuming they are 16's (look like it) they are more desirable for use, if not for originality.
I think it looks pretty good for a 29 year old car. What do you guys think it will go for? Or should I ask, what do you think it`s worth?
Well, here's my 2 cents worth, for what it's worth. I have a 78 gts all original. My door pockets are different, and the other guys were right, it is missing some stuff under the hood. IMHO the seats can't be original or that's one hell of a photo. It all sounds a little fishy to me.
- Power window switches do not look stock. (Mine were rocker switches, not "ridged" switches). - Scratching on silver instrument cluster "fascia" in upper right (prying to get fan indicator light housing out) - Something funky about airbox cover nuts, rubber washers, or lack thereof - Appears to be missing engine hood "strut" that slides towards the middle and holds it up. Similarly, this car appears to have gas struts holding the hood up which were not part of the carb cars as far as I know (my 308 did not have gas struts). Looks added on. - Large silver prancing horse logo on the fusepanel cover is not stock. - I don't think BOTH the ashtray cover and the area below the shift gate had the silver prancing horse. I don't think the one on the ash tray is correct. My 308 did not have this. - Appears to be some loosening of the dash material around and to the left of the three dash vents - My 78 308's mirrors were different - they were the round ones ("California" brand/style), not the rounded rectangular ones. - I see a jack kit pictured, but no tool roll - Spare is on (original?) Michelin rubber and on a 14" rim. The "period correct" rims in the picture are NOT 14" and not correct for the car (They appear to be 16" rims). If those are brand new 16" rims from a 308 QV, that itself is a special find. - Does the black lower body trim moulding appear "pushed up" towards the back, just behind the door, when looking at the right side profile? This may be a sign of jacking up the car improperly Lots of little issues...
I concur. I noticed that as well. Bottom line is a lot of stuff has happened/been done to the car. You really need to inspect it in person. Also it's not blu chiaro and it's not a cream puff. Not Mr. Slag's kind of ride.
And, in addition to the charcoal evaporative canister, which is missing, that car is also supposed to have a three-way emissions control valve (something about maintaining vacuum pressure? reaching way back in memory here) just behind the canister, which is also missing. Also note, the car does not have the air pump fitted. This would be a large bulky thing just to the left of the engine mount and behind the rear bank distributor. Car feels a bit weird. Leather has definitely been redone. Seats appear far more plush, and the bottom of the seats have far more padding/cushion/"rounded" feel, than original.
Lot of nit-picking here over non-stock details. Unless you are towing this car to the concours circuit, don't worry about those things. If the leather is new, great. If you don't like the QV wing, remove it. If you like the looks, worry about the mechanical condition only. No one and I mean NO one is going to give you **** at a little Ferrari get-together because the inside of the targa is different than the factory intended it to be. Won't happen. SO many of our 308's are different (as in better) from how they were when they left Italy that it doesn't matter anymore, that is unless you are into that sort of thing. Get a PPI and good luck
Also, the prancing horse logo on the back is larger than what I've seen and what was on my 308. What's with this guy and the horsies? We get it. Ferrari. Michael (thecarreaper), "our" 308 did not have beltline moldings / plastic filler! Also, winshield washer reservoir appears empty... Is there a leak here?
I disagree, and I've never disagreed with you! The engine issues are an issue. I've rattled off a list of some 10 minor nits, but all together, they form a red flag. Some of the things that have been noted are more than nits (where'd the emissions stuff go??). All in all it's probably fine, sure, but I'd really want to see the service records. I've never seen a carb 308 modified with gas struts... these seem to be "outliers" in the normal things done to a car. On the other hand, they could be considered improvements by a detail-oriented owner without such strict regard to originality.
The engine cover can't be original. Too many louvered vents on top. I'm 90% certain the '78's (any 308 pre injection actually) had a row of vents on each side of the bulge, but not behind the bulge. If this is the case, along with the repaint and the possible interior changes, the car may have been in a serious accident. My $.02, Phil
Here in Alabama there is no emission testing. I have been guilty of overlooking the importance of this to others several time in the past. Few older cars around here still have any of that equipment so it was of no concern to me upon first glance. I was just pointing out not to worry too much over a little bit of black trim paint, you know, that sort of thing.
