308i owners' manual question

The owner's manual that came with my 1982 308 GTB had a red cover, the information was applicable to both the GTS and GTB, and denoted "North American Version" on the cover.

Since that was, ahem, removed from my possession at a Concours event a few years ago, I've been on the lookout for another one. Yesterday I won a bid on eBay for what looks like a very nice one. The cover is identical to the manual I had, but instead of the red cover, it's black.

I have the information on my computer, but like to have my tool kit, books and records complete .

QUESTION: Did the original 1982 manuals have black covers, red covers, or both? Have I bought a reprint or an earlier version of the manual, or does the color matter?

 

Most OM found on eBay are reproductions. The OM which came with my 1980 has a green cover. I have over a hundred pdf owner's manuals but no 1982 2v manual.
Often the NA (North American) version is a supplement with changes to the larger, typically 110 page, main manual. If yours is fewer than 100 pages, you will want to pick up the main version. As far as unreadable reproduction wiring diagrams, I can help there.


1980 186-80 dark almost black cover
1981 212-81 NA version - white cover 7 pages
1982 248-82 QV US has Silver cover
1983 260-93 QV US has 'metalic' light blue cover

Note the Ferrari publication numbering system is a unique number, a dash, and 2 digits of the year in which printed. That number is found at the bottom of the penultimate page of the publication.

_________________________
http://www.ferrari308gtbi.com/

 

This is the 80 manuals with an 81 supplement.
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I have an original 1982 U.S. version GTBi/GTSi owners manual, and it is red (kind of a maroon) like you describe.

I have an original 1980 U.S. version GTBi/GTSi owners manual, and it is dark green. I bought it off of eBay, and I distinctly remember that in the photograph the cover looked black; I think this particular shade of dark green -- which is obviously green and not black in person -- photographs to look like black.

 

D'oh!

Joe posted while I was typing. Yes, that's the one I have, and while obviously green in Joe's photo, it looked black in the eBay auction. The seller, FWIW, is an FChatter in Texas whom I don't know, but I recognized his user name. I'm under the impression that he has tons of parts and manuals . . .

 

What kind of shhit bag steals a manual from a car on display? Whoever does that needs to go have a long look in the mirror - what's staring back is called a "loser" despite whatever perception to the contrary has been pulled off elsewhere.

We're either mice or men. The choice seems clear to me.

 

Just to add some more info to the party, these are from the '82 GTSi Euro. Numbers 195/80 and 232/82 respectively.
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FWIW, my 1982 308 GTBI / GTSI ''U.S. Version'' 1981 /82 models the cover is red / maroon. What's the difference in ''North American'' and ''US version? Also mine is 110 pages and is cat.216/81 n.1500.
B.

 

Thanks for the replies, everyone!

I just won the auction and have not received the manual yet, but the listing does say that it is "original." From what several of you are saying, the cover is probably green and not black, as it looks in the photograph on eBay.

The manual I had before, which was, according to the previous owner, the manual that came with the car, was deep red, correct for 82, as you describe.

None of the European manuals shown above looks at all familiar to me, but I haven't asked my friends with Euro cars to show the manuals to me.

As far as I can tell, I must have purchased an earlier manual (dark green cover), rather than a completely authentic 1982 manual with the dark red cover. Does that sound right?

The seller does state that it is "Original" and comes complete with the supplement, though not the warranty service booklet.

I'll post more once I actually have the manual in my hands.

And yes, I agree that taking an owner's manual from a car on display is a crummy thing to do; I would feel bad about it every time I looked at it; I'd rather have no manual (or, for that matter, anything else) than one I did not come by legitimately. But he's the one who has to live with himself.

 

By my collection, 'USA Version' first appeared in 1972. 'North American Version' was used on the 1975 Dino OM.

There are also instances of Australian Versions and Japanese Version OMs. Swiss Version OMs are in French, Italian and German languages. There are some English versions with some RHD diagrams.

There is a 1977 version of the 308 OM which states "49 States North American Version".
Some say USA and some just U.S. Version.

Might happen to correspond with order volume and who came to work in the print shop that day.

 

Thanks, Paul.
B.

 

My 1982 308GTSi North American version (#40969) has the original owner's manual and warranty book and both have red covers.

 

Most of the differences between the 1980 and 1982 owners manuals are little things, such as having to account for there being power mirrors and locks and a roof console on the 1982 GTBi but not on the 1980.

And of course the wiring diagrams will be different.

The only truly noteworthy, IMO, difference I've found between my 1980 and 1982 manuals is that the 1980 manual tells you to check the oil immediately after shutting off the engine, while the 1982 manual states an amount of time to wait before checking the oil, allowing some to drain back. I don't know whether there are any internal differences in the oil cooler, lines, locations, fittings, engine itself (whether oil passages or something like the pickup tube), or something as simple as dipstick length between the two cars. But this is one case where I would choose to do what the manual says; hence my 1980's oil gets checked immediately after shutoff.

 

I'm with you, Tony!

I always check the oil level about 15 minutes after driving, as stated in the 1982 owner's manual.

As for wiring diagrams, I have those in pdf format, so I won't be following the diagrams in the 80-81(?) manual I'll be getting.

This manual which I bought on eBay is mainly just to make my car "complete" again.

Since it appears that you have both a 1980 manual and a 1982 manual, can you confirm that they are green and red, respectively? This would confirm or disprove my belief about exactly what it is that I purchased. Thanks!

~Bradley

 

You can also check the Print Number (should be on the covers or the title page or last page):

186/80
308GTBi/308GTSi
North American Version
(no model year given, but the Print Number indicates it is from 1980 and is the earlier of the two)

216/81
308GTBi/308GTSi
US Version
1981/82 Models

 

Thanks! 186/80 is what I bought.

 

Seems a little pricey, but Ferraribooks has 216/81 available:

http://www.ferraribooks.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=248_266_352

 

A "little" pricey!

Well, if anyone wants to give me the $169 they're asking for the earlier manual I bought, then I can use that money to buy the correct 82 manual.

In the meantime, I'll just say that the earlier manual is close enough!

 

Well, I finally got my manual today.

It IS original, not a reprint. It is green, not black, as I thought it was when I saw the photos on eBay. It's in excellent condition. It includes the update for the 1981 models.

I'm very happy with the purchase because the condition is excellent, and the changes between 1981 and 1982 are very few.

However, it's not the EXACT "right" manual for my car (1982.) Therefore, if anyone wants to buy the manual from me or trade "straight across" for a red cover 1982 manual, please PM.