FERRARI 288 GTO

If his GTO has steel doors they are non-original.

See the weights below and they are those o my 288 GTO, thanks to Bill S.
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I just have to say that this thread is amazing! The pics are wonderful/unbelievable!

 

F50 GT1 weight = scary!!!

288 GTO is still today an amazing car - I'm saving my pennies for one.

 

Dallara!

 

Yes, with steel inner frames which rusted terribly.

 

Bobolus one possibility is that the GTOs that were German-delivered cars had steel doors to meet TUV standards. We already know that German delivered GTOs had some modifications performed on them by the works pre-delivery, such as the vent restrictors in the form of mesh grilles etc. Is this a German delivered car? If I recall correctly you are German-based?

 

Just to jump in here with something I read on the 288 GTO only yesterday, here is a quote from page 103 From The Ultimate History of Ferrari (by Brian Laban.) "The main shell was now in glassfibre composite with aluminum-skinned doors."

Now if someone has a really really soft magnet (like a fridge magnet with a picture of Mother Theresa on it) they could see if the doors are steel or aluminum.

BTW, the book is pretty well laid-out and a pretty interesting read and since it was a Christmas present from my kids I will keep it forever.

Cheers-Colin Firth-Ontario Canada

 

Colin:

I'm pretty sure the doors of the 288 GTO are composite material (steel innards of course). In fact Ive personally laid hands on about 20 GTOs (including mine) and if you tap the door skins no question the retort is that plastic-sounding 'clack' rather that the 'thunk' you get with aluminum or steel.

The only concession I would make is for the German-delivered cars. I have seen great variations in German-spec cars dating back from the days of the Miura, so obviously the German TUV brought considerable influence to bear upon manufacturers.

But, test we shall!

 

Joe - Given your experience with the 288, you would probably know more about this rare exotic's construction than the author of the book who covered the complete range of Ferrari's history. The author's research may have been inaccurate.

The German twist would be an interesting footnote if proven correct.

Cheers-Colin Firth-Ontario Canada

 

Gentlemen:
There is clearly some mis-information here which I'd like to correct:
The doors also for the German-ordered/delivered 288 GTOs are also of composite material, no steel or whatever.
The so-called vent-restrictors with the mesh grilles on the air intakes behind the doors are pure mesh grill only that was required by the German TüV (TüV-Technischer Ueberwachungs Verein, which is the German DMV) or they would not register the car. The ONLY reason for this is that the TüV said, in the case of an accident a pedestrian could be hurt (if his arm or leg or any other body part) would go into that air intake. That is why the German TüV wanted the mesh grills. Protection of pedestrians. No other reason. These grills were NOT installed at the factory but by the two German importers (Auto-Becker and for the southern part of Germany it was Autexpo in Bolzano). Here's a photo of S/N 54231 taken 6 June 1985.

COPYRIGHT MARCEL MASSINI
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Thanks very much Marcel.

So just as I surmised GTO doors = composite material and NOT steel or aluminum.

 

Wow this thread is so great, you always learn anything more
So in Wikipedia and other Ferrari books you often read, that the doors are made out of Stahlbech = steel sheet (right word?).
I think there is the mistake because it seems logic and everyone copies it.
When I read it, I had to try it, with a magnet and a thin soft microfibre piece, so there gets no scratch in the paint
So the doors aren't magnetic, but the headlights and the a-column.
When we knocked on the fender and the door it's like the same sound, but the door sound is a bit darker because I think of the door panel.
So Macrel Massini is right and one source said it was steel sheet used and everyone believed it.

I think the ding specialist could push the ding out, because maybe it was so small? If it would be too big, the door would have broken, like the crash picture of the GTO with the front damage. I didn't find a picture, where a door is damaged, but there you should see it.
The car was from Switzerland, but as Marcel Massini said there is no difference.

Hope the technical words are the right ones and you understand it

I'm looking forward to the GTO book from Joe Sackey Thanks for the information. This is the best thread on the internet

 

Marcel,

You are absolutely right (as always..).
I bought my 328 in Münich, delivered first to Autobecker in 1988. It has grilles in both air intakes, installed in AutoBecker, for the reasons you explain.

 

This is new to me, hope you all enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXa_da9_7UM&feature=related

It's in three 10 minute parts.

Would have enjoyed more aggressive driving footage, and more from the driver and passenger perspective, but beggars can't be choosers. One of the three segments includes a cool interview of Michele Alboreto, one of the well known 288 fans/owners.

 

Like I said, the body is carbon fiber.

 

Thanks!

Gr. Martin

 

Thanks for the link to the clip.

What a fantastic way to spend part of a lazy Sunday with the snow falling outside of my window.

Cheers-Colin Firth-Ontario Canada

 

Nice to see Michele speaking about his beloved 288 GTO.

But also a sobering reminder that its best not to proclaim "Ill keep it forever" as he suggested. Why? Because we are mere mortals.

Anyway Alboreto's GTO is leading the good life in Australia these days with Miles S.
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No more gold coloured wheels...

Gr. Martin

 

Or drilled aluminum pedals, drilled rally footrest, aftermarket 4-point harness etc. The gold gearbox remains.

 

With any luck, this book will be published this year September on schedule.

Veloce Publishing is the publisher
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Will it be the same format like your Miura book?

 

Looking forward to my autographed copy Joe.

tex

 

Yes indeed.

 

I'm very happy to oblige.