Pair of '81 308's anyone?

I discovered the 308 in 81 when I was 13. I thought they were so unbelievable, like they weren't even real and at $50,000 - $60,000 I knew no one that could even come close to buying one. I didn't know a single soul who had that kind of money. They cost more than the house I lived in.

So at some point in 1981 imagine a couple of people, likely very very successful. They had achieved a status in life that found them in a position to be able to locate a Ferrari dealership and purchase one of those beautiful automobiles. It is likely that had to leave town to find one and when they brought it back home, I bet it was just something else to be them. No more anonymity while in that ultra rare Italian race car. NOTHING else on the road back then looked like them. Gorgeous. A conversation at every fillup with someone that wished they could be them for a little while just to be able to get behind that wheel. Probably 90% of the people that would see it when they had it out never saw one in the flesh before, only once a week on TV and most went home and told someone, "I saw a Ferrari today!" with a big fat smile on their faces. Some, like me, took pictures even as they drove away.

Once upon a time they were rare and exquisite machinery imported from northern Italy and sat proudly on the showroom floor in one of but a handful of Ferrari dealerships across this entire country waiting to be taken home by only the privileged in our society. And today somehow, someway, they are just two pieces of **** now waiting to be drug off on a trailer by someone willing to try to get them running again without losing too much of their ass in the process.










WTF happened between 1981 and 2016 to those two poor little once proud king of the road 308's???

 

Don't buy the red one it's ruined.Been sitting out in the rain.

 

One too many zeroes on the price

 

Believe the red one has a Saratoga top.

And aftermarket Wheels.

 

Damn..

And a Superbird behind the grey one.... sweet!!

Just think.... 10 years ago they might have gone for $10k a piece.....

 

I think the reflection on the top is just rain. They are not great value as you can find fairly nice driver GTSi's for around $55-60k and getting these to that level will cost as much or more in the long run. He'll probably easily get $60k though from the European flippers.

 

Your probably right.. I use to live in The Renton area quite a few years ago.
I'm sure Beverly Hills Car Chumps will be all over these in no time. Any F-Chatters in the Seattle area care to take a look and report back? I'm not in the market for a 3rd. 308 but Curiosity is high.

 

I very much doubt that. They don't look at all flippable to me.

 

I heard a lot of BHCC cars go to Europe, get a clean and a quick 'n dirty fix, then sold.

 

Yeah, maybe. You see a few poorer US cars over here but the one I bought this year was in superb shape except for some tired paint (it was flipped to me by an importing dealer). It's pretty easy to spot q&d fixes vs long term great custodianship but I guess newcomers unwise to the signs may get fingers burnt. I'd hope these two don't follow that route.

 

Well that is just plain sad.

I am curious to know what the history is on both cars. Clearly they have been neglected.

 

Don't know the history..but here is the future. First guy that walks up with $25K and a tow truck wins!

 

Copycats filled road, that is what happened. It is the same reason why Three Stooges or Richard Pryor jokes are now so lame; they have been copied to the point of banality.

I disagree though about the 308 no longer being "special". Ever though the road is now filled with unusual (a rough synonym of "exotic") cars (Teslas, F-types, 911 GT3s), the 308 still causes a rolling carnival. Ever time I drive the darned car, I collect a gaggle of ooglers and tailgaters. In many ways it is the same liability it must have been in 1981.

 

HEY!! There's nothing lame about the Three Stooges, let's get that straight right now!