308 VIN number question

It was just titled late when originally sold.......we were chatting about it today in 308 Section....go by the door plate, but sometimes the paperwork doesn;t reconcile exactly...if it is a good car, go for it!

 

That site compliles all cars registered there....use Cavallino or other sources for actual VIN ranges....

All USA cars can also be verified with DOT if any questions arise.......

 

In addition to DOT checking for legal importation, you could contact Ferrari North America for customer assistance and see if they could explain it.....

It often happend that cars were pulled for special uses....shows...press duty..who knows?

*shrugs shoulders*

Read a book "Inside Ferrari"....final QC could send it back for paint respray or various issues.

Pretty common in older times for VIN numbers to "pass" each other on the assembly line, for arcane reasons known only to Enzo.......much mystery surrounds these cars, grasshopper.

It wasn't a robotic line like today, at GM or Toyota!

At the end of the day you just evaluate what you have. The presence of "books and tools" is no BS as the tools are cheap as he11 but cost $600+, and the books should have original date of sale as well as Service Coupon Book showing service every 3,000 miles..Owner's Manual can be replaced as a Part number but the coupon book if missing, knock $10K off the price for "unknowns"...

It's an expensive game to play, brudda!

1977 308GTB #22127
1977 308GTB #22641

#22127 exploded the engine under warranty in Canada, while #22641 sat for three years at Ron Tonkin before even hitting the road! See what I mean.....

 

Iceman, you're right - 52073 is a mid-1984 car...

The earliest September, 1985 production date I can find belongs to S/N 59891, a 1986 USA model Testarossa...

 

*eyebrows up!*

Thanks, Carbon!

You better post a pic of the VIN plate then, and examine closely the date stampings....hard to believe someone would go to the effort to defraud over one year devaluation at this late date.....a heavy crash could be reason to replace it though.....

Do you have any VIN tracking info on this car Carbon????

Where is the Service coupon booklet? It shouild be in the leather pouch with the Owner's Manual......

 

And who is selling your car? The Ferrari world is much smaller than you would imagine......


PM to Carbon, if you don't want anyone to snipe your deal...

 

No worries!

Kids are always better at this stuff!

Let Carbon McCoy (of the Ferrari Market Letter) figure out if your deal is a "go or "no go"..you are a distance from the car??

Seeing the Coupon book could answer a lot of questions quickly...Original date of sale, dealer, owner, it's all in there, if it present!

 

As I said on the other thread, the cars are sometimes titled late. And the money difference between years, pales at this time as you buy based upon condition, condition, condition....but backing that up should be a full history with no "gaps", or you have a "raised alert" situation......

 

Hmm, two views then and I have to go.....

#1 is the money fixes everything view, in that if the price is right, Euro versions can be desirable, BUT if it isn't legal with the DOT on importation......well, track use only or they COULD (long long odds) have opprtunity to seize it to crush..net gain ZERO.

#2 If it has some DOT papers and such, proceed based upon heightened awareness...after 25 years no one seems to care much (Boxers for instance) but you are not quite under that umbrella yet, you see?

I have seen games played, most recently with a 1979 car that clearly had a Non Catalyst sticker on the door jamb, when in fact 1977 was the last year. So someone had gone to the trouble to have a facsimile sticker MADE and applyed to fooll the local garage on testing criteria.

That's the kind of thing, if caught, could have HUGE repercussions..glad we had this chat..lots of good cars out there, and this could still be one, but you are wise to research and be careful!

Have a good weekend, go take it for a test drive as reward for your aggravation! A dealer cannot afford to be off base on the representation either, so that is a point in your favor......

 

Vostro Devotissimo, giade

 

Sadly, leasing compnies have only slightly higher scruples than used car dealers! LOL!

No this sounds legit but bear in mind, paperwork paperwork paperwork.....the only thing that makes a Euro car legal in the USA is proper DOT paperwork, and they should be so proud to have it, they wear it on a neck lanyard!

Good Luck!

If you get the heat, Track Use Only, or as the law is currently I think its called Show and Display...I have the DOT phone number at home, may have trouble getting on line there though..

It was no accident I purchased my 1977s as they turned....25 years old.

 

Ola! Mucho gusto!

That's about it, but there is a Spanish speaking section down the page!

Hasta manana!

 

You did it, amigo......Welcome!

Is this internet thing something or what???
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So how did it look?

I'm surprised no Euro car owners joined this thread...

Enjoythemusic, where are you???

Dr. Tommy Cosgrove's is a Euro as well, IIRC..

 

iceman,
Where are you on this? I've got an Euro GTS QV. I have a fax from Ferrari saying it was built in October '82. The door plate says it was a 1984 car. I was pretty sure it was a 1983 car when I bought it. In MA, anything 1983 & earlier is exempt from the state emissions tests, so I made sure a condition of the sale was that it was titled as a 1983.

If you'd like my $0.02 on the risks associated with DOT paperwork, PM or eMAIL me with a phone # where I can call you. I can put you in touch with someone who was grey market licensed to convert Euro Ferraris for several years as well.

While an extensive service history is very desirable, My car did NOT come with one. The only service problems I've had were created by the jmoke that did the major I insisted on when I bought the car. If I were to do it again, I'd take it w/o the service & do it myself like I ended up doing in the end. (Not a general recommendation, just that jmoke shouldn't have been allowed near a Ferrari engine.)

My bottom line is that if it's a clean car, AND your state isn't anal about emissions like CA & a few others, then go for it.

 

Yeah, you would think, but there’s often surprises. As anal as states can be about proper paperwork, at one time my 308 was titled with the wrong VIN. Somebody had transposed two characters (not in the serial number, fortunately, so there was no doubt about what vehicle it referred to) and it went undiscovered for who knows how long. The fix was easy – just a lot of paperwork – but I was surprised it hadn’t been caught. Had I not noticed it when buying the car it might never have been found.

 

I am not positive, but I think 308 production had ended by 9/85 and the first 328's should have been built. However, Euro cars (at least not all) were not required to have the manufacturer door plate, so, perhaps the door plate was affixed when the car was federalized. I think this car was built in 1984 and the plate must be wrong.

Dave

 

He hasn't come back...I think he was to travel and see it today.....

 

I agree, on my '82 the '84 door plate was obviously added after the car was brought into the country. Even has the name of the importer on it.