| Author | Message | ||
| Andy Falsetta (Tuttebenne)
Junior Member Username: Tuttebenne Post Number: 191 Registered: 3-2003 |
By the way, has anyone seen flares on the lower valances like these? In the 17 years I've owned my GTB I haven't seen another car with them.  | ||
| Andy Falsetta (Tuttebenne)
Junior Member Username: Tuttebenne Post Number: 187 Registered: 3-2003 |
My car was built in December of 1977. The serial number is 23153. I would agree with Gerald that the car was a November '77 car. | ||
| Gerald L. Roush (Ferrmktltr)
Junior Member Username: Ferrmktltr Post Number: 96 Registered: 5-2003 |
We went through the problem of "what year is my Ferrari" earlier. First of all, until the advent of the 17-digit VIN in 1980 Ferrari did not define any of their cars by model year. I have a copy of a letter from Ferrari to the Federal Highway Administration, National Highway Safety Bureau, that addressses this question. "The first 1970 Ferrari car was manufactured on the 2nd January 1970 and the chassis number thereof is No. 13177. The numeration of the 'FERRARI' and 'DINO' cars is made by progressive numbers for each mark. We, therefore, do not make any model distinction as normally done by big manufacturers." So by their standards cars made in 1969 were 1969s and cars made in 1970 were 1970s, etc. Starting in 1980 Ferrari was required by federal law to make a model year declaration as part of the 17-digit VIN on USA specification cars. Over the years they have made the model year change as early as June and as late as December, and even within the same year not always at the same time for each model. So one cannot say that all Ferraris made after a certain date each year are the next year's model. Finally we come to the practice in many non-USA markets for the licensing authorities to put on a car's paperwork the year it was first registered. So a car could have been made in October of, say, 2000 and not registered until January 2001 would have paperwork dating it as a 2001 while another car could have been made in November 2000, and have a higher serial number than the one made in October, but if first registered in December 2000 its paperwork would have it listed as a 2000! And even in the USA prior to 1980 this problem pops up in that many cars have titles that reflect when the car was first registered, not the date of manufacture, even though since January 1968 all USA spec cars have to have a conformity label that gives the month and year of manufacture. For example many USA Dino 308 GT4s manufactured in 1975 were not sold as new cars until 1976 and even 1977 and were titled as 1976 or 1977. | ||
| Mike Procopio (Pupz308)
Member Username: Pupz308 Post Number: 395 Registered: 10-2002 |
If that's the case (manufactured in 11/77), then what year would the car have been "badged" as? Wouldn't that in fact be a 78? Have you ever seen a 77 GTS? | ||
| Gerald L. Roush (Ferrmktltr)
Junior Member Username: Ferrmktltr Post Number: 93 Registered: 5-2003 |
According to my database Ferrari 308 GTS S/N 23003 was built as a European version so catalytic converters and air pumps are irrelevant to determining its date of production. Also there would be no USA conformity door jamb plate--at least not one installed by Ferrari. Based on the dates of production for USA models I would guess that the car was manufactured in November 1977. | ||
| Tom Jones (Ferrarioldman)
Junior Member Username: Ferrarioldman Post Number: 127 Registered: 6-2002 |
1977 models also had 2 air pumps. | ||
| PeterS (Peters)
Member Username: Peters Post Number: 772 Registered: 1-2003 |
I registered at the site. Awaiting a password conf. | ||
| Mike Procopio (Pupz308)
Member Username: Pupz308 Post Number: 393 Registered: 10-2002 |
He's got a GTS. Wasn't 1978 the first formal "model year" that the GTS appeared in, even though early 78 GTSs may have in fact been manufactured in late 77 (since this is when they were first announced)? | ||
| PeterS (Peters)
Member Username: Peters Post Number: 770 Registered: 1-2003 |
No cats..I'll check the FCar owners site. I trust it is at www.ferrari.com | ||
| Philip Airey (Pma1010)
Member Username: Pma1010 Post Number: 281 Registered: 7-2002 |
Peter Stephen's post is the way to go. However, as a qucik check, 78 = cats. 77 = no cats Philip | ||
| stephen r chong (Ethans_dad)
Member Username: Ethans_dad Post Number: 326 Registered: 3-2002 |
Peter, You should fill in a production information form at Ferrari Owners Site. They responded with the exact build date of my car with color/option codes within 24hrs. Doesn't your door jamb serial plate have the month of production stamped on it? | ||
| PeterS (Peters)
Member Username: Peters Post Number: 769 Registered: 1-2003 |
One FChat member stated that the actual year of my car may be a 1978. My chasis # is 23003. All of my reg paperwork states it as a '77. Could it be a '78? |