Hello By way of introduction, I originally signed up for the group like a lot people I imagine – for help with some research. I was trying to locate one of my father’s old cars, and hoped to see if anyone on here could help. Since joining and preparing to ask, a mini-miracle happened and I have found it (!). So I thought maybe I’d still make that first post, but just to share the story – whilst also seeing if anyone else has further details of the car’s history in any of the gaps. The car is a 308GTB. UK registered in 1977, it is an S registration vetroresina. When my father had it, it was black with a red interior. Purchased from Modena Garage in 1981, he had it until 1984. Reg plate SSL683S. This is essentially the extent of the information I had to go on, when lockdown boredom prompted me to start a search. No chassis number, obviously. DVLA enquiries drew a blank. Via Instagram and other routes I managed to contact a bunch of names that I learned are familiar to many historians, old dealers and afficionados in this market. I’m sure they’re well known here. All were helpful, and some gave up a little of their gold to try and help me locate it. Someone managed to give me a list of 5no vetroresina 308GTBs in black that were imported that year, but they all seemed to have a different history, and none had red interior. Plates just didn’t match and things didn’t add up. Also, information emerged that the registration was first made in Scotland, really throwing me off the scent considering it was purchased in Surrey, and lived with my father in Devon. During the search, my father managed to find some pictures confirming the plate, and also the red interior - that essentially should not have existed on any car imported in that colour and that year. The trail had gone cold…. Earlier this year, an Instagram contact randomly got in touch with me and through a shared interest in classic cars we met at a little village gathering out here in the 51 department of France. We got chatting, and he mentioned he ran a Ferrari 400 club, and knew a bit about chassis numbers etc as we spoke. So I told him of my project, but how it had run aground. He asked me to send him the details and see what he could do. That was a Sunday, I sent what I had on Monday, and by Tuesday evening he had found it! My father’s car was/is chassis number 20317. The discovery was made by a fellow archivist of the person I met in France, and was down to an MOT certificate buried in the photos of this recent listing by Bonhams 1977 FERRARI 308 GTB Vetroresina For Sale by Auction (bonhams.com) – https://themarket.bonhams.com/en/listings/ferrari/308-gtb-vetroresina/c0ec10ad-d363-42b0-b886-56ed2b7394ae?status=live - my father’s car. Interestingly the MOT certificate shows the plate changing (twice) which helps explain why that avenue of research was difficult – with another plate change since that cert. It was imported grey over red and changed to black before my father had it. Now it finds itself red over beige. So 4 different number plates, 3 different colours and 2 different interiors, it really was a miracle to track it down, and just from a random meeting in a little classic car gathering in a completely different country. If anyone else is conducting a similar bit of research I can pass on some helpful names. Perhaps your breakthrough will come from an unlikely source too. If anyone has any further info on this car, please let me know. My father is quite lucid when talking about this particular period in his life, so it’s an interesting subject matter for him. Number plates were SSL683S > 3000AR > CFE 348S > 308AFK. Originally sold via Grassicks of Perth. One final point on this, and maybe a kind request to any experts here. Whilst this discovery is pretty conclusive, I struggle a little to convince my father it’s his! He cant get past the paint changes and the interior refit. He remains baffled why someone would go to those lengths. From grey to black within a couple of years of import, and fully stripped down etc. Is or was this commonplace? Thanks for listening/reading. 308 GTB Vetroresina #20317 UK RHD ordered through Maranello Concessionaires Ltd Original colours: Grigio Ferro (grey), Rosso VM 3171 interior Engine number: 00498
Hi Kelly welcome to the board, and nice to hear your success story. If you agree I will move it to the 308 section, as I think you will get the most replies there
One 308 recently sold in the UK began as blue with red interior then about 35 years ago went red because that what the market wants sir before its current grey - the interior did not change however - it has had about a dozen different plates too
During times when these cars were not so valuable I'm not surprised by multiple color changes. Someone finding a nice Ferrari then painting it the most popular red would be very probable. And grey to black before your dad got it? Maybe something happened to need bodywork, then "while we're at it" happened. Or the original owner was wealthy enough to change it just on a whim. This is a great story. Glad your found it and glad you shared it.
Warranty book was all signed by Maranello Concessionaires before your dad had it. Maybe some clues and records are out there somewhere about the change to black.
Clever! I guess I'd need to go and ask them. Be lovely to poke around in those books though, you're right.....
For most of Ferrari history until just a few years after your fathers car was built Ferraris were popular in many colors. In just a few short years later Red became all the rage and many Ferraris of all ages found themselves being repainted red with either beige or black leather.
Maranello does not have any records - they all went to Tony Willis at the Maranello Archive - but that'll probably only tell you what you already know re colours etc
At least you can tell from the invoices that the colour change to red and interior change happened in 1989. My UK QV had colour changed to rosso corsa from rosso metalic (just a different shade of red) as well in the 80s but interior was original. There are a lot of 308s had the exterior colour change and it was so common for non-rosso corsa ones. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Very interesting on the non rosso corsa point. I'm hearing that more and more as I continue the research. Thank you so much. I saw these receipts. The bodywork one seems to be from a dink or something, but it's clear it was red at this point. Well noted. I found an owner who sold it in black in 1986, so I'm rounding the time of the respray down to some point from 1986 to 1989. Black to red. Not to mention the initial grey to black which must have been from 1977 to 1981!
Nice story. Not always easy to find cars. I tried to find one I owned myself about 7 years after I sold it. Never found it. These cars often lead very odd lives being almost as much a toy as a car. Mine was sat in a barn for 31 years. Bodywork receipt looks like a full respray? Front and rear bumpers removed, lights, both mirrors, plus £2.5k in 1989 suggests fairly major work.
Lovely story My 308, chassis 19815, was Blue Chiaro Metallic (106-A-38) but was painted red within 3 to 4 years. I discovered this about 10 years into ownership!! It was possibly painted by the second owner. Mine was originally supplied to Huddersfield Garages, in August 76. It now lives in Ireland, and Im the 4th owner of it, owned since 2006. Its still red! Yous Dads has had so many colour and interior changes, Im delighted you managed to track it down.
