For Sale 1978 Ferrari GTS needing work

Chuck, is just the investigation as far as the 80psi cylinder 2 event went?

What was the recommendation by Algar to this issue?

 

Interesting. I'm perplexed that they would say to drive the car. That is pretty low compression, and failure there, could obviously cause a small issue to become a very large issue. Did they scope the cylinder? Or just give the compression number? This would be an interesting car to buy for relatively short money.

 

This car having sat for a long time could have low compression on the one cylinder just from the long sleep. It may be more than that, but don't automatically assume it means a engine tear down until the car is looked at further.

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/how-can-sitting-cause-temorary-low-comp.70889/

 

Where is the car located?

 

Painters installed your tail-lights backwards, the orange lenses should be on the outside. FYI


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You might try a solvent soak, to free the rings in the low cylinder. As Algar suggested use might do it too....

Color change is an issue but it's better red/black than silver/red, IMO
Low miles is low miles, I think you are low by $20K on the value.

1978s are not as good as the NON CATS but still far better potential than the later cars.
Early cams and tuning could make this a real nice car.

GLWS!

 

PM sent. Walt

 

Please contact me at [email protected]
I don't know how to send personal messages through this board.

 

very nice!

 

As a prospective buyer, I went to see the 308 at Algar today. The car as described by Chuck is very accurate. The paint work is very nicely done. I could not find, short of taking panels off, where the car was originally silver. There are a few paint chips but nothing that can't be taken care off. Who ever painted it went to great extremes. The interior is spectacular. The leather is supple, soft and looks barely used. In fact, the ordinal owners manual was found in the door pocket.

In speaking with the Algar mechanic, who has been there since 2000, he personally spoke about any issues he found. There is the compression issue on number two cylinder. He told me he performed a wet leak down test and feels that it is a ring issue from non use. He would not commit on the rings loosening up if driven.
He stated that there is adjustment left in the clutch and it is not slipping. The 1st gear synchro is bad but will go into gear once stopped. (Who needs to downshift into 1st anyway.). He stated the car could use a good tune up and replacing the original points ignition with the electronic one, fluids change and definitely tire change (looks like late 80's early 90's Comp TA's. The spare tire looks like original Michelin and still has the paper tags on the tread.

The Algar mechanic put the car on the lift for me to inspect the under carriage and engine compartment. There is oil weepage on sump plates, but no drops. The airpump has been disconnected and the pulley taken off. There are indications of oil leakage from the disconnected air pump housing halves, as evidenced by the burnt oil spot directly below on the exhaust pipe.

The rear calipers look new along with the cooespondig SS flexible brake lines.
I did not see any dry rot or cracking on any of the rear suspension rubber bushings. All looked good.

The undercarriage looks fairly clean. I was amazed that there were no spider webs or signs that the car sat for a period of years. There were some slight chin scraping marks but no gouges.

The car is well worth the money. In fact, it may be under priced for a fairly original unmolested 40 year old car. Unfortunately, the car I thought I sold to make room for the 308 fell through. My wife said one of my 13 cars needed to go.

Please note that I am not affiliated what so ever with the seller. I first spoke to him this past Saturday. The comments above are just my opinion and nothing more

Someone please buy the car before I do something stupid and piss off my wife

 

@Vintageracecars Please consider the car sold! Email sent.
@Jgivoo Thank you for posting this info! Great service for the community.

 

Nice XMAS gift to yourself !! PS, check the motor mounts, if you replace them, the car will shift like a knife through hot butter, synchro bad or not, shifting to first will be easier

Thank you

 

Great info! And what are people's favourite places to buy 308 consumables, like brakes, clutch, belts, etc? Thinking ahead here...

 

Read Hagerty's recent recap of the 308 models, you are actually low by $32K (I was off in my first shot from the hip!! LOL!)...
They put a '78 GTS at $72K…...

There's a link to it in the 308 Section, come down there and join that thread.
But OTOH it looks like you have some action.

True enough that stuck ring could always snap, instead!
But as Algar mentioned I would just repair that one hole and drive on.....

 

That's in Hagerty's article also, the service of these cars now with internet support is actually about 3X easier than when they were new!
Note I said "easier" not "cheaper"....lol!

But belts hoses brakes, all very doable these days, even crash parts, God forbid......

 

Good tip as the motor mounts are rubber isolaters and they do indeed perish.

 

So....what happened to it???

Bump for more info....

 

I did buy the car and got it home last week. Car was exactly as described and I'm very happy with the purchase.
#2 dry and wet compression test readings are the same, which leads me to believe it's not a ring issue, but rather valve not sealing all the way.
Very common for cars that have been sitting. The problem should go away after some miles. If it doesn't, I will be lapping the valves. Either way, nothing serious.
Algar is sending me some belts and fluids. In the meantime I'm hoping the weather will improve soon, so I can drive the car more.