I'm very sad, but it's the worst rust problem I ever saw on a 308. It will cost at least 20k to fix the body, maybe more Ciao
I’m looking into it. I will be working on more mechanical work before I tackle rust as suggested by others. [emoji854] -Claudia k
I think you will find more rust than that, and I know it will require expert surgery that you may or may not be able to do yourself, and may or may not want to pay for it. But, rusty or not, it's your dad's car. Enjoy.
I tend to agree. It's bad, but then - if you don't drive it in the rain and try to keep it in a reasonably climate-controlled environment, it probably won't get worse. So get it running first and foremost. You've got the rest of your life to sort cosmetics.
Claudia I hope this info isn't bringing you down. I took a cut off wheel to my GT4 and removed the quarter panel and put A NEW ONE ON MYSELF. Wildcat saw this first hand. Don't let it get you down. Old cars are always a pain pain pain. but as you go through them it gets better and better. It was your fathers I think was said. I have been through 2 yrs of crap with my car , all for my 10 yr old son in my heart. do what makes sense and keep it as long as you can and when you drive it fixed or not it will always have a special place in your heart. I bought mine 6 yrs before my son was born and for some reason I knew I would want it to go to my child.
Exactly! It’s my dads and I’m aiming to give it life in his honor! Thank you. [emoji847][emoji7] -Claudia k
See that’s a positive input. I love that. Coming from a child that has her dads car now. It feels like I have a part of him. That’s more than anything I could ever purchase. He could had handed down a shirt for all I care, but this was his pride and joy and he left it for me. He knows I’m a car lover like him, I think he knew I was going to fix it. It really does mean so much. So little by little I’m going to get this beauty back to what he always intended on it being. Your son will feel the same way, I’m sure. -Claudia k
Here is what I did....Ferrari at the time had licensed some FIAT design to Russia, and in return was getting Russian mill steel, which they used in manufacturing. Dinos are far worse, but any early 308 will "have rust working"...any time mine has been damaged the removed parts have NO paint on the inside at all. Look in the front rain channel of the hood, where two small holes are drilled to let rainwater run out, on it's way thru THREE sandwiched layers of steel. That is a spot that grows rust badly. The other "typical spots" are right above the reveal line, as you have, at the wheel wells. Before freaking out about it, look in your town, for the Hot Rod Shop, where they cut down roofs, modify fenders, design cars out of their own head!! Those guys are FABRICATORS, and will "know what to do"!!! When they are done all you have to do is repaint it. I had my car in such a shop, but it was pushed out of the way to work on some crappy VW van!! Which I must say, was in far worse condition. Look at your rain channel, in the trunk at the rear corners above the reveal, and oh, the front lower fender in BEHIND the wheel also traps water. These are places to check, find, and cut into the rust. Properly repaired it will be YOUR kids that have to worry about it! It's a small problem really, and whenever I would pick my car up, my Old School body man would say: "yes the rust is fixed, it will never rust again, at least right THERE!" ..and we would open a beer and laugh! For all the BS around these cars, there is a certain nonchalance about owning them, or else you will go crazy!! Drive on....
Claudia Right now you are just evaluating the car. Everybody had an opinion about your rust. Yes, it does need attention, but not exactly this week Go through it system by system, check it out then prioritize things. You are the only one who has actually seen the car. Everyone else is just going by a couple of pictures and one rust spot. After I read all the suggestions, my head was spinning. (Obviously, you are not going to part it out since your dad gave it to you). Eventually, you will develop a plan for your car and then you can request some suggestions. It seems like many people want to cut the car apart based on one picture. Maybe they mean well, but just be aware of the internet noise! It’s you car.
Thank you. Just what i needed to read. You are completely right. I’m going to start on the most important parts first. The rust can come later. -Claudia k
On one hand it's just a car... that means it anything can be fixed. On the other hand it was your Dad's car which means everything is worth fixing.
Image Unavailable, Please Login Im currently having all the rust repaired in my 81 308, and yes everything can be fixed for a price. I have an ex UK car so there was quite a bit of rust to repair. All the previous comments about areas to check are correct. This I believe is the same area as in your pic of what was required to repair the rust and mine wasn't visible externally. New sill panels, door skins etc. If and when you go down this path, I would suggest buying new genuine panels wherever possible. They're not that expensive if you can find them
My 308gtb project has been put on hold for years trying to find the remedy for the rear arch area. Some previous repair has used a LOT of bondo slathered over this area. I have emailed Superformance UK a couple of times over the past couple of years about their patch panels but received no reply. I have ordered other parts from them and been pleased, but has anyone here used these? http://www.superformance.co.uk/308/body.html
I have purchased one sill(Rocker) in the "high quality" panel as I could only source one side in new genuine. I also purchased two (LH and RH)rear sections of the front guards. The body shop that fitted them (which is an authorized Ferrari panel shop) said they were a good starting point and would save me time/cost in what it would cost me if they were to make them from scratch. I've had a look at the fitment now that they're on the car and I can certainly see some work was required to make them fit perfectly. Hopefully that info helps a little
I used a original nos passenger side quarter panel which I fitted myself. It required tons of work to fit. I made my own inner wheel arch piece from scratch. Premade pieces will always require work to fit
Note the small patch of lead in that bare steel photo...The doors were so variable that Ferrari would hang them and then lead the quarter panels to match the door! A replacement door will never fit a different car, without rework. That "dab" to the rear must have been a small dimple. They were proud craftsmen. These (even your year) were truly "hand built" cars. One of the last Rodders still leading, is out in California. Don't recall his name but he is 90, handling one of the most lethal metals on the planet!!
You should call FerrParts or TRutlands, they are breaking up cars... FerrParts had an entire 1978, last year.
Based on the image of the engine bay, this will take more than a little work to get back up and running. Every system will have to be inspected and at the very least cleaned up, restored, or at most, totally refurbished or replaced. Every single one. Yes of course you can drive the car with a rust hole in the body but really, who the heck would want that? Especially around tony Orange County. The rust hole can be repaired. Who's the member from GA who did a repair job in a similar spot on his 328 GTS? Rob Workz or something like that. It can be done. Yes, look around for a 308i that is being broken. You might be able to harvest parts as needed. I think FerrParts is in Riverside. So yeah, FerrParts, Ricambi, TRutlands, Superformance, Eurospares. -F
