328 Chassis Types

Carbon,

You are getting yourself mixed up between the two different homologation type for the two different MODELS of 328s (“série 1“ cars, distinguishable outwardly by their concave wheels; “série 2”, bulged, or convex wheels) and different versions (B vs S) and different markets.

It is easy, so let’s put it straight, by telling again a story already much told.

There are two different MODELS of 328, “série 1” cars, before chassis n° 76626, and “série 2” cars, after chassis 76626.

The main difference is not that “série 1” cars have concave wheels, and “série 2” have bulged wheels, it is that the “série 1” cars have more or less the same chassis and suspension than the 308, whereas the “série 2” cars have a completely different suspension (the one from the “Mondial”, actually, in front: same parts such as triangles, etc…) than can accept ABS.
Let’s avoid a technical description in details, but dimensions between the two “series” of 328s differ as for offset, wheelbase (shorter by half-an-inch on the “serie 2”), track (front track of “série 2” cars is wider) castor, toe-in, anti-dive, anti-squat, etc… (you can compare data for wheel adjustment between the owner’s manual of “série1” cars; and “série 2”: 513/88; 518/88; 535/88 if you want to have a more precise idea).

Have a look inside the WSM or the parts catalogue, and you will see that the chassis of “série 1“ cars, and the one for “série 2” cars is therefore not the same: to obtain the different characteristics in the “contact patch” of the wheels on the roads, triangles, uprights and wheels are held on the chassis by a different lattice of tubes for each of the four pyramid of tube holding each wheel: all tubes of those lattice pyramids holding the suspension are welded at different angles and inclinations than on the former “série 1” cars.

THEREFORE, the differences between the two “séries” were considered sufficient for Ferrari to have to homologate the “new version”, “série 2” cars, again.
First homologation, for the “série 1” cars is August 1st, 1985, n°21874 (probably French dates and number) for “TYPE F106 AB/R” (GTBs, Berlinettas) and “TYPE F106 AS/R” (GTSs, Spiders)
Second homologation, for the “série 2” cars is April 19th, 1988, n° 22119, for “TYPE F106 AB/PB” (GTBs, Berlinettas) and “Type F106 AS/PB” (GTSs, Spiders)
(to sum-up: two different models: two different homologations, ” /R” = série 1; “/PB” = série 2)

Then: the versions: Berlinettas or Spiders:
The only difference on the chassis is some “beefing-up” for the bottom of the GTS chassis to compensate for the loss of rigidity without the “tin-top”: bigger longitudinal tubes in each door sill: open the doors and look at the door sill of a GTB: there is no ridge, whereas in the “S” there is a ridge due to the “beefing-up’ tube of the chassis.

And at last:
By market: no, 328 chassis do not have different type numbers if there are intended for an “euro” car or for any other market.
For instance, an American-market car has the same chassis than her “Euro” cousin, but with additional tubes for protection welded in the nose of the car. Again, the parts manuals show this clearly.

Rgds

 

My Swiss 89 GTB is F106 AB/R

 

Probably it means that Switzerland didn't ask for a second homologation...Swiss cars were not considered as belonging to the main "euro" standard (they have cats, euro do not) they do not have the same VINs: Euro GTB are ZFFWA19B0000xxxxx, swiss are ZFFCA19B0000xxxxx...

herenclosed is the italian homologation certificate of april 1988:
"Autovettura Tipo F106 AB/PB, estensione di omologazione n° 22119 del 19-4-88, differisce dal tipo Ferrari F106AB/R":

http://ferraridatabase.com/The_Cars/1985/328%20GTB/1/Homologation%20Certificate%20328%20GTB%20ext3.pdf

It states that the main reason for a new homologation is the modification to the brake system, i.e, the apparition of "AntiBlocking", that is ABS.
Interestingly, ABS was, and remained an option only until the end of production, but those cars that have the modified suspension without the ABS option are identified as AB/PB or AS/PB nevertheless for "Euro" version.

Rgds

 

Thanks for the explanation.

VIN IS ZFFCA19S0000...