My 308 and It's Mods

A couple people sent me personal messages and posts relative to the modifications that I have done/am doing to my car at the moment. This post stemmed for another post, but I didn't want to misdirect the other posters thread, so I am starting my own. Flame me if you wish for not keeping it original, but I had to weigh total loss or restoration with mods I could afford. I elected the latter, since no Ferrari belongs in a junk yard unless the frame is totalled. Anyways:

I said "I'm an introvert and I would modify my Ferrari (or already have) "

I say this, because since I had an engine compartment fire and I can no longer call my car can "all original". So, I decided to customize my 308 how I thought it should have been made. This is how I have customized it:

The interior is black with yellow tubing, with a single yellow stripe in the center of the seats with the wing portions being black. The head rests are black with yellow tubing and yellow embroidered Ferrari horse logos on them. All the inserts on the doors, window posts, and soon to be targa are also in black with yellow inserts. I had custom floor mats made to match, black with yellow embroidered horse with Ferrari under them. Black and yellow Momo steering wheel and shifter knob to match. They are not installed yet, so I will hold out on pictures. I will definately put a custom stereo in it later when the car is running again.

I have a Borla exhaust system with test pipes. The cat system has been totally removed, since there are no regulations in my area. Or should I say, the regulations are not enforced in my area.

My doors showed signs of rust, so I purchased a set of fiberglass ones from a 76 GTB, I sure hope they fit and lighten my car a bit. =] I had the orginal doors rust cut out of it and new metal welded into place. They have been primered and I will sell them later if the fiberglass ones fit without problems. I was told by several reliable sources they will fit with minor mods for 1/4 glass and winodw frame issues.

I have a DIS ignition system with crank trigger. The distributer system was a total loss in the fire and is history.

I am sourcing out air filter system to replace the old system. I am leaning toward the ram-flo system, but haven't commited yet.

I am planning on modifying to a Xenon HID headlight system, and after reading the post about the LED taillights, I might do those when they become availible. Any information on the HID modification would be nice.

I am also having my factory rims chrome dipped.

Wehn removing my rims for dipping, we decide to rebuild the brake system. Well, the calipers are rusted in place since the vehicle sat for so long. The factory service manuel says the pistons cannot be honed, so I have to replace. I am considereing with going with the Brembo break system. I was looking at the different lines. Has anyone else done this with the stock rims? Anyluck? Please let me know all you can on this mod. I am still collecting information and all comments welcome. I know the system is better than factory, but is it worth $2500?

Limo tint all around to include a full-faced front window.

The car will be yellow with black louvers when it is completed.

It will look stock at first glance, but to another Ferrari owner, it will be obvious modifications. Ok, now I will don my flame suit and post some pics.

Sorry the ones of the fire are not scanned in and I don't wanna look at them at the moment. These are the pics posted:

1. My car before the fire, actually the day of purchase back in 1997.
2. After we cut out the rust.
3. Interior shot after removing the damaged interior. Plus sneak peep at my dash.
4. The current body front.
5. Current body rear.
6. Sneak peek at my black and yellow interior.
7. What my car should look like upon completion minus the tint job.
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The last 2 pics:
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Thanks for the compliments. I think it will be nice when its done.

Yes, I plan on painting it. We are rebuilding the motor now and I don't want to scratch it reinstalling the motor, so we will send it to the paint shop when its done. The last picture is the color scheme I plan on going with, its just not my car. It was of a car that was on ebay recently and the picture is my motivation on finishing my car.

 

I agree, the Ferrari Fly Yellow just didn't catch my eye either. The original yellow from 1978 is too much of a pastel too. I think the Corvette or Lamorghini yellow are the two I am having a hard time choosing from, but its ok. I have some time before she goes to the paint booth.

Yes, I agre and would like to see that. Hopefully it would drive the cost of performance parts down a bit.

In all truthfullness, I would have parted it out if I knew how much it was going to cost me over the years. Once I paid the car off, I just been buying parts as they have been coming availible at a good price. I have been pretty lucky so far. I definately wouldn't want to do it again, at least all the fire damaged stuff. I wouldn't mind if it was just the customizing though. I am nearing the cost of a second car by the time it hits the road. Not sure why, but it seemed much easier on my pocketbook the second time around, I guess because of no pending loan. But, don't tell my wife what I spent on it, she already refers to the Ferrari as "the mistress".

Thanks for the compliments. As for the seats, the head rest embroidery was done by Chuck Sukola at Pacific Orient. The yellow leather was a special import, thanks Mom!!! I have no idea where she got it. I wonder if she could get more. The seats were crafted by my friend Tim at Thiem's Upholstery. All here in Guam, with the exception of Mom in Texas.

Thanks for the info. Hmmm, I guess I will have to scratch that idea. I don't track the car, but I was figuring if I had to replace, I would prefer to do it right. I just don't want to have to get another set of rims though. I guess its factory unless anyone else says Brembo has another model.

Well, if the car was given to me and I didn't have to pay the original purchase price, I would say that its been fun hunting down the best bargains and piecing the car together. I am no mechanic, but I know where every single part goes down to the last bolt. Its been educational and tiresome. If I have to sum it up in one word, the first word that comes to mind is "stressful".

 

That is what I am hoping. It will be worth my time. At least when the car is finally completed it will be exactly how I like it and without the stress of a loan that goes with it. I am sure there are some, but I will be amoung a fortunate few that will be able to say they own a Ferari and it is paid for.
Thanks for the vote of confidence.

You are correct my friend, I do things for me and my family, not for the people surrounding me. I just figured I would lighten the car a bit and get some better performace out of it too. Thanks for the compliment on the seats and color scheme. I too think this will be a looker when I bring it to the car shows in the future.

Last and not least, I am shocked another Japanese speaker is amung us. You are correct about the meaning of my handle, "Invincible308". Japanese is my 2nd language, I am a white boy from Texas originally, but my wife is Japanese. Almost all of the tourist here in Guam are Japanese or Korean decent. Now, I guess you can see how I learned it. I was actually considering putting a vanity plate on my car later that says "MUTEKI". Not many people would get it, with the exception of the tourists. I figured I would try to get this car into a few more magazines in Japan. Its already been featured a few times in "Car Sensor' a popular magazine in the Tokyo area.

As for doing the work myself, hmm thats a tough question to answer. I seem to know more about the car than most mechanics here in my area. I don't really know how to build this car, but I definately have supervised the work on it. Not to mention, I had a mechanic walk out fo the project after disassybling my entire car. Its been hard to get someone to take over the project, but since I know where everything goes, i have been fortunate enough to get a mechanic that can finish the project.

 

After I picked out the leather I wanted to use for the black, I took a 2'x2' square to an embroidery shop. The guy had one of those computerized embroiders. He scanned in the artwork and thats what came out. It looks good to me, but I still feel it could have been a bit better. If you can't find someone to do it for you where you live, I will have it done for you if you cover the costs. You will have to send me the leather you want to use, because texture and color are very hard to match. Just let me know.

After the embroidery was done, I took it to the guy that was in the process of doing my seats. He then made the headrests.

 

FarmerDave is correct about the stich counts and stuff. I just didn't go into enough detail. Good catch Dave.

Brent, just PM me if you can't find anyone to do it. Good luck.