1978 308 GTB: Swiss spec?

If my information is correct a 1978 (steel) 308 GTB should have a single exhaust and 14 inch wheels. But I was wondering if this isn't necessarily so for Swiss cars? Could it be that Swiss cars had four exhausts originally as well as 15 or even 16 inch wheels? Or maybe as factory options? Any other Swiss specs known? Thanks.

Best, Peter

 

BTW. Why is there Swiss spec cars for start at? I know the polution stuff like Us car but Ferrari even made Swiss-spec gearbox for QV car, both 308 and Mondial, why is this?

 

Swiss cars should have screens pop riveted in the side air intakes.

 

I have a well documented Swiss 77 GTB in steel. I have a single tip exhaust to the left of the car. I believe a 78 will be the same although not 100%.

A 78 will have 14" rims.

I believe the air intake screens were installed for German cars only. I know of one german glass car on the east coast that has them and have seen another steel car with them as well. My Swiss car does *not* have them and there is no evidence of previous pop rivets or repairs in the vents.

Swiss cars are also rumored to have a shorter final drive. I haven't bothered to try and confirm that with my car, though. I will say that the 77 is an absolute screamer off the line and will blow the doors off my 78 US car from a standing start. The difference between the two cars is tremendous and not something I would attribute to just the dry sump motor in the Swiss car. Guess I should figure out what's really in it before I go and comment further...

 

Moku has it correct..

That would be a nice NON CAT car to have....gear ratios are different IMO ue to noise restrictions and I think the single exhaust valance is correct although a 4 tip sport exhaust would have been a dealer option....

 

You have to go thru the early '80s 390mm tire experiment to get to 16" rims, brudda......

And one of my 1977 North American cars has the riveted screens ....go figure....

It has a front Nerf Bar too, that's the only one I have EVER seen! Delivered new into Canada

 

Hey Bubba, do you have a pic of the car showing the nerf bar?

 

Lets have some pics.

 

The short final drive was due to the mountainous terrain in Switzerland.

16" rims were actually an option from very late 79 on. My December 79 build GT4 had them when it left the dealer end of March 80. They were soon pulled for the typical 80's gold BBS rims. I got the car with the BBS's, the 16's, and a set of 14's to boot.

Funny, I had heard that some Canadian cars had the air intake screens. Just hadn't seen one.

 

my 84 euro GTB QV was supposed to have been sold new in Germany. it has the shallow front valance with the fiberglass bumpers, a dual Ansa exhaust that looks totally original, and it has a rear fog light mounted to the bottom left side of the bumper. my car has no grilles in the ducts, and no evidence there were any. it seems to have a really close ratio gearbox, but this is the first QV, euro or otherwise, anyone here has seen or played with.

as an aside, my 83 euro Jalpa was sold new as a Swiss spec car, and it had a special exhaust and a few other bits with its own chapter in the illustrated Lamborghini parts catalog.

there should be a check digit for country code i think, with Japan and Switzerland noted separately. seems everything else was " Euro " or "rest of world spec " as they say on Rennlist. my 308 has a euro vin with no specific check digit indicating a particular country.

 

The '78 swiss-spec 308s came stock with a block of cheese riveted to the underside of the battery tray in order to limit intrusion of battery acid into the surrounding areas. I belive on german-spec cars it was instead a cervelat sausage riveted in place.

 

Well done!

 

Just to explain further: I've seen a 308 GTB from 1978 for sale in Switzerland. If I want to import it into Holland there are a few things to be considered. I will pay only 6% taxes if the car is 30 years old and if it's completely original. If not, I will have to pay 29% taxes...
The 308 for sale will be 30 years old in December but has 16 inch wheels and four exhausts. If these are not original, the problem is quite clear.

 

Peter,

Wheels and exhaust are easily replaced?

I have three sets of 14" wheels stacked here!!

See if you can make out my lil' nerf bar here, #22127 into Canada, I cannot vouch the screens in the door scoops are OEM but they are there....
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I'll be repairing the shattered valance soon, I will investigate the attachment of the bar, it goes right thru the valence onto the frame some how......it'll have to be removed all at one time.

Peter maybe you are buying one year "too soon" or the car is "too young"!!

 

Borrow a set of 14's from someone for the trip home. They should be easy to find, I would think...

If the car originaly had a single exhaust there will only be one cut out on the left side of the rear valance. But, on the other hand, Ansa sport exhausts *were* a dealer installed option. Not sure how you would prove that to the powers that be though.

 

I agree. considering the car you have an eye on (it only seems to need a respray and has a nice milage, right?) the 14"are easy to borrow, and even a one tip exhaust is a possibility. if needed. If they have done it right it is not to see, and show me the customs-guy that knows what it should be....

The price on this car is ok too, even with the extra cost of a respray you are way under what other cars cost. Only wonder why the car has not yet been sold, it is on the market already a few months. Final drive ratio I don``t know, I only have experience with a ex swiss vetro car, and that went like hell (beat on the circuit even steel cars with more HP and on paper better suspension mods)

 

I have a 1979 Swiss spec car with 4 exhaust tubes. These were a factory option back at the time.

 

Hey Bubba, I was just about to post that US car screen thing, I fairly sure that my '77 had the screens in there(assuming you are referring to 21227. On that nerf bar thing, that was installed by the 1st owner there was one on the back too I took it off 'cause in looked stupid, hahaha Left the front one since it seemed to allow some protection and it didn't look to bad. Regards, Vern

 

I'd just like to know how the Dutch motor vehicle authorities would actually know what's original and what's not? Do they have access to your car's build sheet from Ferrari? Furthermore surely there is some allowance for non-original parts. For example they don't actually require a "ferrari" muffler at this point do they?

 

That's interesting, thanks! Was this recorded anywhere? If I have something on paper it would help a lot at the customs office I guess.

 

Ferraris just don't sell quickly. And for now this 308 isn't interesting financially outside Switzerland so the vendor's market is quite narrow. Also the paint is quite bad so a respray is absolutely necessary.

I already have some offers to help with borrowing wheels and exhaust.

 

That's the thing that puts me off. I'm at the mercy of a customs officer and I can't affort the luxury of paying the high tax. I'm thinking about being upfront with them and contacting them before even going to Switzerland and explain the situation. So far on the 'phone they said it could be a problem. If they can't give me any guarantees I'm not going to go through with it.

 

Sorry no documents, 2 solutions:
1- You find the original showroom documents where the option must figure
2- You can suffice yourself to pictures of other similar cars with the same exhaust

Still the comment about "how would customs know" is very valid. It would be up to the to prove the equipment is not original and not vice-versa.

 

Try Kees van Stokkum van Italauto, Achterveld. He has much knowledge and contacts. He can help you I am sure! This car is too nice to let go imho...(it still is the wrong tim for me now, otherwise....but because of 2 kids the car I buy will be a GT4 ....)