FERRARI 288 GTO

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Gr. Martin

 

Just to formally announce that eagle has landed here in Japan, #53295 from Swiss, and is under my care.

w/ smiles

Jimmy

PS. Also heard a rumor (unconfirmed) that very recently, a Japanese client purchased a GTO Evolutione ?

 

Congratulations again Jimmy. Now we meet at F-Chat instead of F-Life

Gr. Martin

 

Thank You, Gr. Just wanted to make a note for the record.

w/ smiles

Jimmy

 

I loved the fact that he had all the garage sorted with heat, air-con, de-humidified etc., etc., first, so that his cars would be okay, while he was living rough in the building site of the house with only the bare basics and no creature comforts!

Now that's when you know you're a true petrol-head!

 

Does anyone know how long he's had his GTO and what the history of it is?

 

Best part was Martin actually drove it in the show too.

 

Greetings Joe:

I Just pre-ordered the book at Amazon.com!

I hope you cover the 2 (alleged) GTO’s in Puerto Rico. Plus the story on the Lauda 288 GTO.

In regards to the Lauda GTO, my former neighbor has been a gun, car and Ferrari collector for the last 30+ years (308 GTSi, Testarossa, Mondial, 328 GTB, 355 F1, Challenge Stradale) .

In early 1985 he informed me that the ordered a GTO (I remember the retail price at the time at the dealership was about $85,000.00 to $90,000.00). BTW, the official dealership at the time was “Caribe BMW” if you can believe it.

Then in late 1985/early 1986 he informed me that he was getting instead a Testarossa and then proceeded to show me a framed letter (allegedly signed by Enzo Ferrari himself) stating that the GTO he had ordered could not be delivered to him since it was going to be delivered to Lauda.

I want to know if this story is true, or if there is evidence of Ferrari “bumping” one client in order to deliver the car to another (more important / former factory driver) client?

I ask this since the person in question through the years also had a tendency to spin tall tales concerning his cars and his other possessions.

As a side note, the Testarossa he had in 1986 was a “flying mirror” one, still the most beautiful car I have ever seen. The price was $120,000.00, which was a lot more than what was being asked for the GTO by the dealership. Any idea why such discrepancy?

Thanks in advance.

 

That story smells odd to me, I think you're pal has been up to this old tricks again and is telling porkies.

 

Jaime if memory serves me Joes book has yet to be released. Please correct me if I am mistaken Joe.

Best,
Gregg

 

You are correct. That is why I pre-ordered on Amazon.com. ($69.99). It is expected to be released on July 2013, as per Amazon.com.

 

Jamie,

I just sent you a list, I think you will find it helpful, and Bob will be quite familiar with all.

 

Jamie I believe he has had it some 2 years if I'm not mistaken.

Here is what he says about it:

"I don’t like cars from the Seventies, but the Eighties were my childhood and the 288 GTO was on my bedroom wall. I never dreamed I’d own it. I had the chance when it was half the price – but that was the day I bought the Gullwing Mercedes 300SL, the very first car in my collection (long since sold). Prices for the 288 GTO have overtaken the Gullwing now. It was a 180mph car, back in 1985; only about 20mph slower than the latest Ferraris. Despite that, it’s quite a friendly car to drive – certainly compared to the famously dangerous F40 that came out after the GTO and had the same engine. That’s why these are twice the price."

 

Im not sure there are any 288 GTOs in Puerto Rico, although at least one car was Panama-registered when new. Its entirely possible that Ferrari 'bumped' a customer from a far-flung place, and if you have actually seen he letter so stating, then, perhaps there is some truth top it. However I find it unlikely that Ferrari would mention the name that he was being bumped for! I cant answer why the Testarossa cost him so much, but bear in mind it was Ferrari's flagship car of the era.

 

Sounds about right.

 

Thank you very much Joe!

I will try to contact one of my friends who tells me he has pictures of the GTO when and if it was in Puerto Rico. The story goes (and you know how those stories go…….) that the GTO was bought by the President of Citi Bank in Puerto Rico at the time and it was kept in his “secret” garage.

I always love how exotic cars like the GTO are the basis for the great “stories” and “legends”.

 

Ah, very good sir.

 

Joe's correct. AP has an updated clucth for the 288 GTO. There's a company in Oakland, CA that Ferrari (in North America anyway) uses for the bell-housing upgrade. The original company in Italy is out-of-business. I'll post the Oakland, CA company's information. Or, you can run an external or internal hard line and avoid the fluid from touching the magnesium all together. I'm on my second set of (original) injectors (019 I believe). I kept my original ones in case at some point I'll have to actually try to repair them. I've seen GTOs running Bosch injectors (a recent Platinum wining GTO is doing just that). But, the most common thing mechanics have done is just replace the original 019s with 021s. I'll double check those numbers as I'm not at the warehouse with the cars and parts. But, I think those are the correct Weber injector numbers.

Basically, anything that is magnesium on the car needs attention now just due to age whether you drive the car or not. If not, you'll be sorry soon.

Steve

 

Happy New Year all!

 

Happy New Year Joe!

 

hundreds of gto chatroom pages to read. great place to spend time in ferrari room section. nice work gents.

 

336 pages of 288 GTO to be precise, a great resource for the model.

Any contributions from you would be most welcome.

ferrGTO, do you own a Ferrari 288 GTO?

 

53289

Todd that is a GREAT image!
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+1 This thread is so full of beautiful photos. Keep em comin.

 

What the world needs, is someone to step-up and have the magnesium parts of the 288 GTO (e.g., the bell housing) re-cast in a "friendlier", longer-lasting material ... perhaps aluminum?

Someone ... like me

I'm happy to investigate this, and fund it ... at least, fund most of it. Where's a good place to start? Ferrari Classiche? Naturally, the shape and dimensions of the new castings would have to be as "original" as possible ...

Jeff