wow, you bought a wreck. send it back and get your money back looks like it was pulled out of a swamp.
There is nothing particularly unique about the OEM Cavis spark plug wire. Its just spiral wound wire. Belden 7 mm spiral wound is a suitable replacement and higher quality than the old Cavis.
Ok lets set the record strait. Yes the car was a turd when I bought it but it wasnt the cars fault that it was neglected. Yes it was a case of fraud but that will take up to 2 years to sort out in court. Yes I did want to send it back to the dealer the first time I saw it and was told to F--k off, but I had already signed the note so it was my problem as far as the bank was concerned. So as of now I can try and fix it, which is what this classic deserves, or see it everyday, sitting in the garage, reminding me of a kick in the balls. The legal issues will work out on there own. I have already repainted it and did all of the maintenance that I described. I spent a week in the garage drunk off my a-- just staring at it and decided it was a better use of my time to restore this classic to what she could be than to think about how someone shafted me. That is for the courts to figure out. Yes there are numerous issues to work out, but so far I have over come each and every one. I look at it like this. The more time I spend fixing her the way it DESERVES to be fixed the more respect that I will have for this piece of automotive history. Only 3024 of these cars were built, and I own 1 of them 27 years later, something Ive wanted since I was 15 and try and make it right, or I can cry in my beer every night. I chose fixing it and get on with it. Theres nothing like the feel of a 308 QV.
Good for you, and good for you for mentioning the dealer that sold it to you. I've got a little miss on my qv that I've been successfully ignoring so far. This whole thing is my future as well.
Brian Pull your caps and check your wires. Sounds pretty simple but I overlooked it looking for bigger problems. Mine runs like a scalded ape but I have a miss around 3000 rpm. I dont think it was a miss know but an intermittent fire.
Kevin, I commend you , and you have a great attitude. I truly am sorry to hear of this, though be equally careful of the high fivers that tell you fixing such a car is without pain. I have been on this board a long time, and many poseurs high fiving back and forth, only to sell there misery and leave fchat. Take your time, and talk to experts in the know to help you run the car as best as possible, these $20 potential solutions very rarely work....By the sounds of it, your car needs some great attention, you have no idea what was done to this car in the past to try and make it run, thinking you fix one thing, could very well show other problems. Take your time , and do it right, don't get in over your head by trying to do this on your own...even experts on these cars sometimes get stumped. Since you decided to keep it, stay calm, and patience, and save up some money for bigger things. Welcome to the $55,000 and over 308 club Good luck !
Make that the last time you talk about that. It's yours now. The rest is water under the bridge. Just worry about NOW and we are here to help. It will all work out okay in the end.
Make that the last time I talk about what? I did 1.3 ohms on all 8 as I stated before. I am trying to be optimistic, and I haven't trashed anything. I just want to drive. I am not a dumb ass as what was implied, I was an Air Force ground support mechanic during DS and the later a class A diesel mechanic for trucking. All I want is for the car to run. The rest is BS to me. And until this morning I have handled it on my own. With no help from any one. If you have a legitimate suggestion I will listen but don't ever belittle me. I joined this group for advice not ridicule as I have seen, and I wont bring it up if others don't. Oh by the way I have handled the "just now" for 5 weeks just fine. I Just wanted some expert advise. I don't know if that's the way you meant it buts that the way I took it
I think he meant you don't need to defend your decisions here. You bought a car that isn't quite what it was represented to be, but you are now attacking its problems with exactly the right attitude. We all wish you luck, and many here can offer the advice that may help you make it what it should be. It is a beautiful car, and we are all pulling for you!
That I can accept, but I felt it was another attack as you can read. I really dont care about what happened I just want to make it right. I just didnt care for the way it was written. The rest is just my problem and not one to be posted. What happened, happened and we are getting away from the subject. It was an ignition problem so far as i have seen. All I know is that its a pretty strong 6 cylinder so far.
Don't sweat it, Kevin, I think you're misreading one or more comments. I think there was only one negative assessment, and it was just saying to bail out of the car. I think Dr. Tommy was saying don't think about the negatives of the past, let's focus on making the car right and driving it. That being said, it certainly doesn't hurt to get the basics dialed in as you're now working on. It doesn't seem like the symptoms would be caused by some of the stuff you're finding, but those other things need to be done and can be cleared off the "what if" list now. FYI, a common issue with the extenders is a burn-through. they should be inspected closely for burn marks.
Extenders can be bought on Ebay, get the wires from Summit and follow one of the Tutorials and rebuild the looms yourself. I have done a few and its worth it. Caps and rotors, get from Superformance. I HIGHLY recommend a proper 4 wheel alignment, and a Fuel system calibration / cleaning. We did this to my euro QV, and after 8 of these cars i can tell you the difference in how a 308 drives with an alignment and in top tune is amazing. These are special cars, worth saving. Hats off to you for your attitude to overcome the obstacles. i hope you bust the shady dealer.
Sorry, What I meant was let that be the last time you have to defend your purchase. What's done is done and anyone here that wants to point out to you that you shouldn't have bought it is only being a ******* and is contributing nothing to your project. I say drop that, put it behind you here and lets get started helping you get it up again and on the road I'm in your corner, sorry for the misunderstanding!
Tommy Its all cool. I shouldn't have reacted like that. Just I have had I dont know how many people have been arm chair quarter backs on this. And all the send it backs that I have heard. Trust me if it would have been that easy I would have. I do appreciate all the help that the board has given me on the project and I hope to have the cap and wires put back on this afternoon.
There was a great Italian by the name of Michelangelo that is quoted as saying: “In every block of marble I see a statue as plain as though it stood before me, shaped and perfect in attitude and action. I have only to hew away the rough walls that imprison the lovely apparition to reveal it to the other eyes as mine see it.” A Zen like attitude and careful deliberate action will polish this diamond in the rough. Best of luck and as it has been said we are all here to help.
i wonder if it would have cost MichelAngelo 50 grand, and still do the work for free if he would have seen it the same way
Well said, guys. Kevin, count me in as well. It's going to be great to see you on the road. A guy waved me over at Starbucks this morning to compliment me on the car and ask about its history. I told him that part of my great enjoyment of the car is ensuring its preservation and undoing neglect bit by bit. It's inspiring to see you choosing passion for the car over the sometimes all-too-prevalent "chuck it" mindset. These cars are so worth the time and banged knuckles. Anytime one of them is kept from the parts bin, I'm happy.
You know, every one of these things needs something... It's frustrating when the "Something" is something big. That being said, I bought my '78 from a reputable (Ferrari) dealer, and paid for a proper PPI... Which yielded some small issues that they took care of prior to delivery. When it was delivered, it still had a number of issues that needed to be addressed, the biggest of which was that the clutch was slipping, and the distributor had been badly hacked to accommodate an older solid-state electronic ignition (Motorola) and it was fitted with a Ford cap, and a GM rotor. How these things were missed by a factory authorized technician, I don't know. The good news is that through research online, and some assistance from my friendly neighborhood Ferrari mechanic, these issues were sorted out and the thing now runs like a freight train. Take your time and do your research... These cars have distinct personalities, and your car is telling you something.
