What's the deal with "Swiss" 3x8's

Hello Everyone, I bought an '85 QV this year and it is (I am told and believe at this point) a Swiss car. Does anyone have information on the "Swiss" cars? What were the Swiss specs, specialties?, etc.

 

Need serial #

Ciao,
Edwaro

 

Serial # zffla13s000054845

 

This serial number is for a 308 GTS QV, either Sweden or Switzerland market! The eighth digit "S" in the serial number was used by the factory to identify these cars. According to the Chassis # she was prodeuced late November/early December 1984.

My understanding was that they were very similar to Australian "Spec" cars except in LH drive!

Cheers,

Pete

 

CH (Swiss) version 308QV have slightly different gear and differential ratios (see page E7 in the 308QV/328 WSM).

 

Don't Swiss and German cars also have mesh covering the side air intakes?

 

Also these cars did not run Catalyic converter(s)and were designed to run on "Super" fuel ,

Pre unleaded!

If running unleaded you need to use high octane premium unleaded fuel,assuming that is that the car hasn't been fitted with cat converters on import to the U.S.A???

The fuel tank(S) Capacity is 74 litres(U.S.A market cars 70 litres)

18 lites engine coolant (U.S.A market cars 22 litres)

Seatbelts if still original will be different to U.S.A market cars(Still made by Klippan though and still available here in Australia brand new!)

The car will also be quite considerably lighter than a U.S.A market car with better performance too!

Cheers,

Pete

 

Brian,

Wow, she , is lighter, stronger, faster,, ,, then a Normal QV..!

Smile,, you win....!


Edwardo

Now post photos......

 

Yes the gearing is much impoved over the USA market cars. I just wish I had one more! I own 47633 which is a Swiss Market car as well.

Cheers

 

Thanks Everyone, I sincerely apologize for the delay in my purchase report and lack of pics. Coming real soon!!!

 

And, better gearing in the gearbox,,,
I did not know that the Swiss cars are the best...!

Edwardo

 

I dont buy that. What is super fuel? What is the compression ratio? 9.2:1? If so you can run pretty much any half decent fuel in the 89-91 octane range which is nothing special or super. I was running 94 with 10.5:1 pistons in mine no problem.

 

I think that by "super" he just means regular high octane, nothing "special" (as clarified in his post). Many pumps do say "super", after all!

 

They're actually made of solid cheese......

 

Newman to clarify for you:

Here in Oz and in Europe at the time our cars did not run cat. converters and unleaded fuel was not introduced here in Oz until 1986." Super " fuel was then phased out due to the lead content and Cat. converters became mandatory.

The compression ratio on the Euro/Oz 308 QV at the time was 9.2:1

The factory owners manual says use fuel that is 98 to 100 RON on these cars.

Here in Oz our standard unleaded is 91 RON , with Premium unleaded rated at 95 RON.

Some special premium unleaded here in Oz i.E. Shell V-Power is rated at 98 RON and is for high performance Euro/Jap imports and that is what I run in my 308 QV.....

Using different fuel here in my car I have noticed running/performance differences!

Cheers,

Pete

 

+1

I ran Cali watered down 91 at 14 psi boost with no cats and with no problems until i moved to Vegas and discovered 100 octane race gas. 100 octane is nice!

 

I was under the impression that gas is pretty much the same and higher octane ratings gave you a higher combusting temperature thereby avoiding "ping" . Ping being the sound resulting from the gas combusting before the spark fired, like in a diesel? In other words, if it's not pinging you don't need higher octane gas. 91 should be plenty high on the octane rating for my car, with no advantage by going higher. Probably a few hundred threads on this.

 

In the United States, we use the RON+MON/2 method of octane rating. Most developed nations use the RON rating. So when people in most of the rest of the world say 98 octane, that's about 93 octane in the U.S.

 

I think the Swiss like MUCH quieter mufflers though.......better decorum.....no loud racing around, after dark...

Congrats!!!

 

I also own a swiss #59149

Different gearing and final drive ratio, very close ratio 2nd 3rd 4th, awesome on the track and in the canyons.
Lots of extra sound control, quiet muffler, engine bay insulation, air box muffler etc. Has a different horn tone than US or other Euros.
8.7 to 1 comp ratio, different cam timing, no cats from factory.
Different ignition advance curve than other also IIRC.
Small front valance, no rear air foil, TRX 390 wheels and tires were factory stock.

Look in the workshop and parts manuals for the "CH" exceptions and specs.

Keith Bluemells book "original ferrari V8" also has Swiss car info.

 

Thanks for the detail, I thought I recalled the noise control items!!!!

 

I cannot comment on the 308 but the Swiss market 328 is NOT superior by any means, in my opinion. Yes, it has "better" gearing for acceleration but that's because it only produces 255hp instead of the 270 Euro's hp. It has a more restrictive/quieter muffler, catastrophic converter, lower U.S. compression ratio, "softer" ignition timing etc. along with extra foam insulation here and there which mainly collects oil/oil vapor and probably only creates more fire risk..

On the plus side it does not have the heavy U.S. bumpers, flag mirrors or U.S. side markers.

Fortunately it also does not have the frequency valve and associated parts like o2 sensor either, even though it has a cat.

Basically it is a mix of the U.S. and Euro version.

It also has MANY different part numbers for the various gaskets (not U.S. or Euro part numbers). I suspect these gaskets had no asbestos or some other material specifically not allowed in Switzerland. My experience is the physical shape/size of the gaskets is the same as U.S. so finding them is not a problem.

Swiss market cars did not have the mesh screen on the intakes (not mine anyway) like the German ones. It DOES have headlamp spray washers which apparently were required for the Swedish market (my Swiss market was originally sold in Stockholm). Which, incidentally, you can see (the spray washers, that is) on the jacket cover of Keith Bluemel's book "Original Ferrari V8."

Again, I'm referring specifically to the 328.

 

Well, the 308s Rock !

Then, if you pop on some 16" QV wheels, put on a lightweight free flow exhaust, and Supercharger kit (like I did), you get a 2875lb, 370bhp rocket with great gearing and handling

Plus, the Swiss cars without the rear air foil are just darn pretty, IMHO. (check my profile pics)

 

Sure, and Swiss market 328's also rock IF you put on a lightweight free flow exhaust, and Supercharger kit. Many cars would.

The rear air foil thing is purely personal taste and the lack of them is probably a European thing rather than just Swiss. I believe, maybe just on 328's, the air foil was standard on U.S. versions and optional in all other markets. I like them both ways.


Erich
1988 Swiss market air-foiless/non-basket handle 328 GTS