Thoughts needed on this 308... | FerrariChat

Thoughts needed on this 308...

Discussion in '308/328' started by TCT, Dec 2, 2005.

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  1. TCT

    TCT Formula Junior

    Mar 9, 2004
    873
    USA
    I have a dealer friend who I know though other exotic cars I own and he told me about a 1979 308 GTS he just took in trade and I would like to get a few toughts on the car. He is pulling the services history so I don't have details on that aspect yet. He did tell me the car was repainted in the late 80's. I am thinking of picking it up to add to the "toy" collection. I know a few things about these cars but I am always humble enough to get advice.

    THANK YOU!!!!

    He has listed the car on eBay so check it out and see if you can see anything that is suspect...


    http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ferrari-308-GTS-1979-FERRARI-308GTS-SHOW-CONDITION-LOW-RESERVE-CLEAN_W0QQitemZ4594398177QQcategoryZ6212QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
     
  2. BigAl

    BigAl F1 Veteran

    Mar 17, 2002
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    GSgt Hartman
    a euro and it looks in GREAT shape, seems a deal, of course do a PPI....
     
  3. enjoythemusic

    enjoythemusic F1 World Champ

    Apr 20, 2002
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    #3 enjoythemusic, Dec 2, 2005
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  4. BigAl

    BigAl F1 Veteran

    Mar 17, 2002
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    GSgt Hartman
    you mean the three? the interior sure looks nice, especially the carpet, course, all that could have been replaced. Engine bay is clean too....
     
  5. mark328

    mark328 Guest

    Jul 30, 2005
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    Looks like a nice car, but I don't think I would go much higher on the price
     
  6. TCT

    TCT Formula Junior

    Mar 9, 2004
    873
    USA

    Is upper 20's about max for a 79 308 in this condition?

    Sorry, I left my copy of Cavallino at home today. haha

    From what I gather these cars are not doing much in the market...not really going up yet not really going down in value either. Thoughts?

    Are euro cars harder to get parts for or are they about par for the course with other older US models?

    Are the tires easily replaced or are they some funky size where you have to sell one of your children to get a set?

    Thanks.
     
  7. BigAl

    BigAl F1 Veteran

    Mar 17, 2002
    6,146
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    GSgt Hartman
    haven't found euro parts particualry harder to come by, just harder to come by 308 parts in general.

    wheels look like 14"
     
  8. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Dec 6, 2002
    79,143
    Houston, Texas
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    Bubba
    Where do you guys see Euro????

    That is a VERY clean car judging by a couple of things...original wheels/Michelin XWX tires, mostly original engine bay, check the air box "wheel nuts" if those are still there after this long a good indicator not too many "hands" have been on it...the spare is a road wheel 5 spoke with matching rubber...

    But there are some things about this one I'm struggling with..

    US turn lenses and bumpers as well as a US DOT NON CAT sticker, I thought first year for CATS was '78?????

    I agree that the single distributor set up is Euro STYLE but could have been done to a US version, this car has all the VIN plates of a US car.

    You are correct the 308 market is a pretty flat line, you won't get hurt getting in and out of this deal. Well bought at $30K I'd say, but there's folks here holding out for the $18K cream puff!

    Jump in and go!

    Still confused about the catalytic convertor deal...maybe someone savvy enough to do a single distrib conversion pirated some early NON CAT stickers to get the Inspection Shop off his azz....nice fraud, if so! ;)
     
  9. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Cavallino doesn't split 308's by individual year, so it's hard to say exactly..

    GTS was introduced in 1978......

    Speedo numbers don't line up for cr@p anyway! If the records reconcile with it it's probably legit...a Dealer like this has too much exposure to monkey with it, but it probably has a AS IS disclaimer form sonomewhere.....
     
  10. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    That is a Euro bumper on a US car, I say....note it's tucked in but you can see the front grill bars cut out for the original US bumper!

    Also a Euro would have had amber/white front turn lenses!

    I say US car with tasteful Euro style upgrades based upon the VIN plates and stickers....but still real confused about that NON CAT sticker..

    '79s will have a little lower performance than the early '76 -'77 cam profiles, but this is the last of the four carb cars before early injection systems and further cam mods sent the horsepower ratings into the basement......someone has been into the engine, albiet subtly, to do the distrib conversion so "who knows" what cams are in there!!!


    "The SHadow KNOWS!!!!!!"

    *maniacal laughter......HAHAHAHAHA!!!!*

    What is that decal on the rear? Anyone recognize it? Looks like a track layout of some sort....Any Dallas Chatters recognize this FCA member???

    Maybe post at Texas Section.....
     
  11. SlickMurphy

    SlickMurphy Formula Junior

    Aug 18, 2004
    271
    Essex
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    David
    Tex,

    Is that what "tucked bumbers" look like? I like it! Where those airbox wheel nuts specific to that year 308?

    David
     
  12. spang308

    spang308 Formula Junior

    Jul 17, 2004
    893
    York, PA
    I agree with BigTex. This is a US car with the bumpers sucked in to look euro. Someone did a single distributor conversion and some detailing in the engine bay.
    I think the car looks very nice, except for those UGLY floor mats. Check the services, get a PPI, and plan to pay $30K minus whatever the PPI turns up to bring the car up to snuff.
    The odo is of no concern. A lot of 308s have numbers that don't align well.

    Sticker looks to be an outline of the state of Texas. Come on BigTex, you should have spotted that. ;-)

    Pull the trigger,
    John
     
  13. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Yo! MURPHY!!!!!! My man!

    How ya been??

    No, those are the ORIGINAL round knurled machined brass air box nuts!!!

    Ricambi came up with a set for me on my second car....FREE! From the inventory when he started up. They are a pretty neat assembly with a rubber washer glued to the bottom. Problem is, they rattled loose!

    I left Portland OR with four, left Mario's winery with three, by the time I got to Lake Havasu I only had two left......the hotties at True Value had some nylock hex nuts in metric, thankfully!

    Anyway, metric acorn nuts are what is on the Art Car and I think Valeria's car still has the nylock hexes all 'round.....but to get the FCA 100 point rating you GOTTA have these!!!! LOL!

    The only ones that set my teeth on edge is when they use WINGNUTS!!!
    THAT is totally wrong!! ROTFLMAO!

    Yea, note that the front bumper on this car has no "blocks' integrated below it, but is straght across on the bottom. Note though you can see the horiziontal bars missing from the grill where they USED to project down.

    The bumpers on our cars stick out too far because of the shocks behind them.
    I think the original intent was for the 'reveal line' in the rubber to align with the front edge of the metal, see what I mean???

    The other major difference is our US ones are solid steel. I understand the Euro ones were made of fibreglass so folks in search of weight savings often make this change.

    Since I regularly mix it up with Houston SUV soccer moms, I'll keep my steel ones!!! :) :) :)

    Happy Holidays Slick Murphy!
     
  14. chris marsh

    chris marsh F1 Veteran
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    Aug 30, 2005
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    I thought on "euro's" ebay does not allow the vin number to be posted in the VIN slot. All other euros I've seen on ebay have had 000000000 in the vin box and the actaul vin number has been posted in the description.

    I'm relatively new to Ferrrari world as I bought my 308 in august. But in my effort to comfort myself I have watched dozens of 308's sell and I agree high 20's is about right.

    As far as fibreglass goes. I've read the first 200 308's produced were fibreglass and the rest are steel. (if I recall correctly they were not manufactured by Pininfarina)
     
  15. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    THAT is NOT an outline of TEXAS!

    Matagorda Bay, maybe along the coast! ROTFLMAO!!

    You get an "F" in geography today, go sit in the corner!

    You can drill the shocks Murphy and collapse them to reset the extension of US bumpers, but I'd go ahead and tap a large bolt into the resultant hole to maintain some kind of structural integrity to the whole assembly...or, maybe take the shocks off and have some Sch 80 pipe assemblys replicate the distance you want...
     
  16. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    This car has door jamb stickers for US car, end of story.

    I'd like to know why it NON CAT though.....anyone?

    712 1976 ONLY 308GTBs were glass, followed by 1977 transition to steel, ALL GTBs, NO GTS's, they were introduced in 1978, by which time everything was steel.

    Not discounting there MIGHT be some GTS prototype out there, earlier than 1978, but I don't think I've ever seen one.

    AM I WRONG ABOUT THE CATS, O KNOWLEDGABLE ONES???

    I thought cats were required on all US cars starting 1978....I may be wrong on this detail.
     
  17. snj5

    snj5 F1 World Champ

    Feb 22, 2003
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    Single distributor is a conversion, looks to be Norwood; The original Euro single distributor set up had two coils, and I only see one in this car.
    Very sweetly simple and elegant car - a keeper.
     
  18. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    All those VIN plates are original and good, it's a 5 digit VIN, as seen on the door plate, and again above the frame plates by the engine.....note the VIN again stamped above the oil ID plate.

    As is pretty common with these the frame ID is combined with the 5 digit VIN to give it more resemblance to current form......F106AS (as opposed to F106AB, on mine) denotes openroof model.

    Heck, you an even see California Smog compliance on the one plate!
    So I suppose this car should have air injection system to be 100% original.
    I'd bet they lost that during distrubuter work!

    I did.......;)
     
  19. spang308

    spang308 Formula Junior

    Jul 17, 2004
    893
    York, PA
    I just looked at the odometer shot again. That car is 149 miles away from flipping over to 40,000 which would explain the non-aligning numbers even further as they are "jockeying for position."

    John
     
  20. smg2

    smg2 F1 World Champ
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    suprised no one reconized it. it's the nurimburgring (sp), the old loooong original one.
     
  21. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    I thought the same thing, Russ, Dallas Pontiac dealer, trade in, this thing says "Norwood" to me, or at least someone who knew what they doing, maybe even Fcar fealership!

    Records avaliable on the car??? Find the Service Coupon book.......

    Lord knows I'VE been tempted to chuck the whole thing in, and get a 400HP GTO! LOL!

    They have these colored matched dial faces on the guages, see.....and it's go with the 25th Anniversary 6 spd. T/A over there, and it's end of year close out time, and .......and..........and.......
     
  22. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Thanks Scott!

    saved me from reaching for my Race Track atlas, but I WAS thinking exactly the same thing, based upon number of turns, that is was HONKIN' BIG ONE!!!

    The 'Ring it is, then.....I'd say that's another 'plus', indicating discriminating former Owner..

    I'm sure Tillman or Jimpo1, or someone knows this car, where's our Dallas guys????
     
  23. mark328

    mark328 Guest

    Jul 30, 2005
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    Have seen several beautiful low mileage 1979 308's (between 14,000-40,000 mile cars), all for under $30,000 on other websites. I just sold my 328 through the dealer consignment program because of a slow market.
     
  24. TCT

    TCT Formula Junior

    Mar 9, 2004
    873
    USA
    Good catch guys on the cats. I sent an email to my friend about it.

    I noticed the one "sticker" says non-cat but the rivited plate has "cat" as part of the listing for emmissions equipment.

    You guys think the interior was redone? It's in amazing condition for it's age and looks somewhat new to me. Even the side bolsters on the seats are new looking.

    I also asked him about getting the car inspected.
     
  25. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    It's no big deal, here in Texas at 25 years we are granted an Exemption on Smog Compliance...more of a Technical Note to me. No doubt the stickers came off or were masked during the respray but normally the riveted plates remain.....

    And if someone at some point CHANGED the labeling it's a VERY well executed deception, which would fool 10 of 10 local filling stations I'd wager.

    I have two 1977s though and I think it should have been a CAT REQUIRED sticker starting in 1978, so I'd be interested on opinions of others.....Euro cars ran without cats thru 1980 but would NOT have had the US plates this car bears, and would have had amber/white front turn lenses

    Air injection pumps went on in 1976 with thermo muffler, Cats went on in 1978, to the best of my knowledge.
     

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