308 GTB Vetroresina

So while the car was in the paint shop for the black stripe, one of the UK's leading experts and concours judges happened to see it as he visited to inspect another car. He very kindly said how nice it was and the only thing he could fault was the missing Californian decals from the mirrors!

I actually had a pair but left them off thinking they looked a little tacky, but obviously put them straight on. The question is have I put them on the right way round, sure I saw an old picture with them on the other way round with the wording facing forward, but to me just doesn't look right, and idea's?
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Did the car leave the factory with those mirrors? If not, who cares?

 

knew I'd seen them before somewhere....
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where can one get "californian" stickers ?

 

Mike, all I can tell you is that on my car, which is LHD with only one mirror on the left side (like the one you're showing one your picture), the sticker is the other way around, similar to that Niki Lauda picture.

I can't tell you for sure it's original, but since the letters turned white, I wouldn't be surprised it's been there for a very long time, probably around 40 years.

 

I also have this sticker in Furanku's position, you read it from front and those I could read from the other side look very new compare to mine (Sebino's glass for example).
See below, It is not fade but you see it is very old one.

My only comment would be about the position of the standard engraving on yours ? Is it a spare one because on all original that I've seen from 76 to 80, it is on the top of the mirror ?
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Mine is identical to your picture as well

 

Maybe like many things Ferrari it depended on who was on the production line that day! My expert still maintains that some cars left the factory with black tape on the swage line, maybe when the black paint guy was on a day off....

 

I thought the cars only came with a single mirror on the drivers side when new, but maybe there was an option fir driver and passenger mirrors

 

The Cali sticker still looks cheesey. Kind of like wearing a ball cap with the price and makers' labels still on the bill.

How many folks out of 10, who bought their cars new in '76 or '77, would have pampered that sticker every time they washed or detailed their car vice peeling it off on day one? C'mon, really? This kinda stuff makes me laugh.

 

It is the same for the sticker on the water expansion tank...

 

Different strokes for different folks I suppose. It's this kind of detail that makes owning a car like this so special, being a one year only model with it's small wheels, single exhaust and so on makes it interesting. I can never understand those who have the 4 pipe exhaust and big wheels for instance, maybe you one of those.....

Glad you mentioned that, I have one to fit but again not sure of the correct positioning, any pictures anyone?

 

No sticker on my expansion tank, sorry.

 

From the number of vintage pictures I've seen, I decided to stick it that way.
Of course, you will be able to find someone whom has in the opposite way....
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You're right. Everyone has a slightly different way of treating their cars. That does make it interesting.

...I'm the guy that restored an original single tip exhaust mailed to the USA from South Africa rather than having a copy made for my dry sump car restoration. I get it. I just think stickers are tacky!

 

FWIW...

Just had my car Dynotuned.

This car had a full engine re-build in 2007 and the was laid up till I purchased her this year..

I've covered 4000 kilometres gently building up speed/revs and did not exceed 5000 rpm for the first 2000 km..

I've fitted Petronix electronic ignition prior to this final tune.

Here are the results:
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196hp on a rebuilt 76 motor? Does that sound correct. When new, these engines produced 255hp. Why the difference?

 

Measured at the wheels...

 

Yep.... About the same as my 308GT4 had.

 

They only produces about 235bhp actual at the flywheel

 

I might add that to re-commission this car I also did the following..

Carbs rebuilt
Belts and all associated Pulleys (upgraded where avail.)
Fast rack from Superformance
Alloy Header tank from Sf
Water pump from Nick's Firza Ferrari
Hy chill gas
Birdman Fuse box
Iridium plugs

Every one of these little upgrades I would highly recommend!

 

I think that figure's for a dry sump perhaps?

 

Still more HP than a 76 corvette.

 

Can someone please explain what HP at the flywheel vs the wheels means?

 

It's the difference between sheer engine power generated at the crankshaft and the power that's left on the rear wheels Mark ! The difference got "lost" in transmission frictions/ power transfers in gearbox/differential. My totally rebuilt engine delivers 199 HP on the rear wheels, crank power is calculated at 229 HP. The much mentioned 255 HP at the crank is quite "optimistic".