So you've bought a 308/328/Mondial..........

Or, it could simply be the cat heat sensor box going bad and causing the lights to go on. Thus, freaking you out for NO reason.......

Those heat boxes go out ALL the time. More often than there are fires....

 

Oh yeah......

Also be SURE to add a chrome shift knob to replace the crappy looking one Ferrari gives you....


There are two sizes. Get the smaller of the two. A perfect fit and a GREAT look.

 

So what's your advice then, ignore them? I know you went through an ordeal with your slow down lights when you first got your car but your single data point is not justification to disregard them.

Take my advice, from someone who's been there and done that: don't ignore them. If they're flaky, get them checked out.

These cars do and have burned to the ground, sadly. I only offered the above advice so people at least understand the consequences of ignore the lights when they're functioning properly.

 

Tell us about this exhaust....

 

There were a few threads some time back of a few who had broken the rear stub axle. This is the outboard shaft that the wheel and brake rotor attach to and are driven by. The last reading I seen was that to wide of rear tires putting to much torque in hard turns were causing it to fracture. I do not know if the issue was resolved. It can do a great deal of body damage to have a rear wheel come off, to say the least.

If I could add anything, it would simply be to remember there are not that many of these cars left. I believe possibly as many as 75% may be gone, some others feel I am maybe 25% to high. In any case we can agree over half are now gone forever.

I know its a really cool car, but if you could, please keep modifications down to a point where the car can be put back in original condition. Wheels, exhaust, suspension, electrical fixes, lighting upgrades, among others, generally are reversible. But cutting up door panels and drilling holes through bulkheads to install mega sound systems are not. Both of my cars have had sound equipment installed that did almost irreversible harm.

I also know many of you want more power, and more reliability, but I would ask again, that you try to keep the engine and the car looking as close to original as possible, and not make irreversible changes. In the spring of 2007 both my cars will be 30 years old!!!

 

My only ordeal was the sensor going bad and, wrongly, causing the lights to come on. No cat temp issues. IR checked. Fixed the problem and "Voila!!!".

I didn't say to ignore them. But since I have owned my Ferrari, I have personally known 3 guys whose lights have come on and had it happened due to their "pyro box" (as my mechanic calls it) failing. 3 "Slow downs"/0 Fires.

I know these cars have burnt up. Happens a bunch. Seems more than other cars. Could be a couple of reasons that aren't inherent to the car though.

Old cars - Old fuel lines that people haven't replaced

Snapped timing belt - People don't want to pay $15-20k to have their motor rebuilt so they torch it.

Or it could be inherent to Ferrari.....

Like two banks - One shuts down, the other keeps pushing fuel.



What I would do if I had a cat problem is.......

Stop. Check the situation. Take a cat reading with a thermal laser gun (every Ferrari owner should have one. They are cheap and do the job).

Then, if the cat isn't red hot (which it would be if the cat temp was high enough to turn that light on)......I would assume it was the box. And nervously drive home. Or keeping driving and analyze the situation......

 

Great post, probably because I'm in 100% agreement. I rejected a number of 308s and 328s on my search for exactly the reasons you give. In fact I ended up shipping a car across the country to get an almost-unmolested one (has a tubi and F355 pedals, original pedal pads in the trunk).

Obviously if someone buys a car they can do whatever they want to, but (zips on flame suit) there's a kind of integrity in a 1979 Ferrari that looks and runs like a 1979 Ferrari. We hear all the time that 308s and 328s are very common, and compared to something like a Lusso or Daytona they are. But I have seen a total of two (2!!!) 3x8's on the road this year in San Diego (prugna 308 QV - go figure! - and a red 328 arriving at Symbolic Motors for an exotic car gathering), so I think Paul's point is spot on.

There's a point where originality gets to be stupid (1979 tires?) However, my opinion is that new 308/328 owners ought to approach their cars with some sense of sharing the 1980s Ferrari experience with someone a few years down the road. I realize it's completely valid to upgrade every piece of a car that you own and use it up for scrap. But if you are new to the 308/328 fold you should know that originality (even plastic shift knobs!) matters to a lot of us. Think before you drill, cut and paint.

 

I feel the same way – you may do what you want, but try to respect the history and comparative rarity of the car. Besides, if something about a 308/328 is really objectionable to you then just get something else. They are what they are. You can spend a bundle trying to change them and there’s still no guarantee you’ll be satisfied.

 

My suggestion would be when you first get the car, don't go rushing to upgrade everything you thought about right away. Enjoy and appreciate your gift to yourself as it is. The car is simply awe inspiring on first glance as stock to the uninitiated. Then if/when the dream starts to wear off, you can slowly upgrade things to keep your experience fresh or upgrade things as they break on the car. This is what I've done with my MR2 and I've owned it for 16 years without growing tired of it.

 

This Most Excellent Thread Is Now A Most Sticky Thread.

 

Nope. Not that thread......

I have gone and done something a WHOLE lot better......... ;-)

 

The US carbed cars, including I believe the GT/4, have about 15 pounds of sound proofing in the aircleaner that runs right up against the element and allows only about 10% of the air filter to breath air. Removing the sound proofing opens up the air cleaner for a 5 or more HP gain, allows the full air cleaner element to do its job, and noticibly improves the sound. Its also totally unseen and as far as I am concerned, has no purpose on a car like this. The fact that the cars existed for almost 30 years before anyone noticed it, is all the more reason to clean it out. It will probably be another 30 years before anyone misses it.

 

For those who do not like the 1988.5 and 1989 convex wheels (and it seems to be a lot), new Ferrari style wheels and tires.
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Ebay floor mats, fire extinguisher and Charness harness mount.
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Dye the grey package shelf black to match the interior.
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Replace the foam intake hose with a more durable, less restrivtive piece of 500 degree aircraft ducting. Wont win any concourses, though.
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Buy a front bra to protect from rock chips, but take it off after two months because it scuffs the paint.
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Drive it in the snow....well maybe not.
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Thanks. www.usacomp.com wheels
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Love the comment about the ease of installation -- hilarious.

 

Neat hose...got a source and price range you could post ??