Finding out original interior color of 308

Hi, I was just looking through past records of my father’s 77 308 GTB. I found the previous owner was able to get an email from the Ferrari News Market letter the original owner and listing of when it was for sale.
All of the for sale ads mention black over tan, however we have black seats (knowing they were reupholstered) but also black dash, central tunnel, carpets, and door cards (which I think are original).
I’m curious to find out if it was originally made with tan seats (or even more items tan). Does anyone know how to find out?
Serial number is 21567.
I’ve checked the GTB registry and it only lists the exterior color. Thanks for any help.

- Sultan

 

Did you ask to your local Ferrari dealer ?

 

I own 21561 and have since '78. Car was initially Giallo with a tan interior. I have since changed the interior to all black. First by redying in the late '80s and more recently by recovering.

In '77, the basic tan interior was the seats and door cards only and maybe the carpets. My carpets were always black though. The dash, tunnel, package shelf, armrests, and door pockets are always black.

Since you already know the seats have been recovered, you could take one of armrests off to see if the door cards has been redyed.

 

You will likely need to ask Ferrari directly rather than your local dealer since your local dealer will not have access to the relevant records (unless they sold the car originally and still have their files from that far back).

 

I tried doing that, about as directly as you can get - in the factory. We did a factory tour in September, the Tailor Made option which included seeing the Classiche shop. They pointed out the room with "all the production car records" - when I asked if they could look up the original specifications for my 1984 308 GTS QV, they replied "Oh sorry, records for cars newer than (somewhere around) 1976 are kept elsewhere, we can't access them". The tour guide said that she would ask someone to follow up by the end of the tour, but it was never mentioned again. I've tried the local dealer a few times. Nobody is interested in helping - and I suppose I can see their point, I bought my old Ferrari used and am not in the market for a new Ferrari, so I'm not worth anyone spending time on the request.

Gordon

 

Yes, it isn't easy because you have to ask the right person at the right time. Local dealers only have access to whatever records they keep for cars they have supplied plus Ferrari's system which covers cars from about 1990s onwards. If you want to PM me your chassis number I will see if I can enquire about your car and @Blackfin's (no promises).

 

PM sent, thanks!

Gordon

 

Yes, that is the point.
that I did time ago at my local dealer and I was lucky enough to found someone who want help me, and my car is from 1986 ! Of course he confirmed the information orally and only orally. To get a document "vehicule production data" you have to spend around €1200 ( price from last year )

 

I heard same history several time and I still don't understand this attitude. Hope you will find answer ASAP

 

I obtained a "Heritage Certificate" for my GT4 in 2004, they were free then after you sent them photos of your vehicle, engine and gearbox serial numbers. IIRC, they ended that service soon after and started the Classiche program. Somewhere around the same time the factory cleaned out their parts warehouse (I believe they sold the contents to Superformance) and moved on to the modern era exclusively. There were a lot of photos posted on this forum of the treasures being cleaned out of the warehouse.

 

Well, if you had rolled-up in your “used” Daytona, 246, or 512 I’m guessing someone would have seen the “worth” in helping you.

I recently visited my local dealer for the first time as an owner, trying to determine if I wanted them working on the ‘79 or not. I lost my excellent Indie tech recently, and after sub-par experiences with two other Indies, threw a Hail Mary in the direction of the dealer literally because I found myself driving past with a few minutes to kill.
I was not disappointed…..
Walked into Service and was greeted by a beautiful 246 Dino which, according to a placard on the car, had been restored by the dealership. The conversation went something like this:

Me: “Hi, I recently purchased a ‘79 308, is that something you would work on?”

Concierge: “We have one tech that works on “older cars” and he only performs routine maintenance; we couldn’t provide a full restoration, major mechanical repairs, or anything like that.”

Me (thinking to myself): “Huh….so an acquaintance has his 330 serviced here, and you completely restored a Dino….which the 308 is an evolution of…..yet you can’t do much more than fluids on the 308?”

Concierge (thinking to himself): Bugger-off fella….you’re not gonna drop $10k on a tune-up or $300k on a restoration for a 308 and I need to get back to this very important YouTube video about the 28” wheels Kim Kardashian recently had installed on her 458 Spider.”

Me: “OK, thanks.”

Concierge: (mumbles something unintelligible as he buries his face in his monitor.)

That attitude may change as our cars continue to creep up in value, but doubt I’ll live to see the day.
- Dave

 

Maranello Concessionaires bought the factory’s remaining stock of parts.

 

I stand corrected, I am working from a very feeble old memory.

I have a 1983 ur-Quattro that I have owned since the mid 1990's, the model that really put Audi on the map. Audi has the same view towards older cars as well. Fortunately there are a few suppliers that have stepped up and make reproduction parts unique to the original Quattro. Not many were imported to NA, only about 650 cars from 1982-1985 and they rust faster than a Ferrari! Regardless, being in my mid seventies I keep forgetting that when these cars were new I was in my 20's-30's and most people at dealerships today probably weren't even born yet, it seems just like yesterday to me.

 

From The Registry...

Serial Number 21567
Production Date: 05/18/1977
Exterior Color: Nero 20-B-50
Interior Color: Pelle Beige VM 3218
Importer: CHINETTI GARTHWAITE IMPORTS

 

Curious what Registry you pulled that data from? I’m looking at the 308 GTB Registry and not seeing nearly the same level of detail (no production date, no interior color, and no importer).
Thanks.

 

This is what I can do to help,

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S

 

https://www.ferraribeverlyhills.com/the-registry

 

@tobygaff - Thank you! I’ve never run across this resource or even seen it referenced before. I recently purchased a Euro ‘79 308 and there was precious little info available about it; even after contacting Marcel Massini and Jim Weed at the FML. Mr. Weed was able to provide classified ads that filled-in some of the gaps in the car’s US history, but through the FofBH registry I was able to learn my car was originally Argento (it is currently Rosso Chiaro) with a Pelle Blu interior (currently tan), and that it was originally sold in Italy (previous information indicated Finland).
So again, thank you so much!
- Dave

 

Thank you and I also never heard of this kind of public registry from an official dealer !

Unfortunately I look for information to 328 model and this registry stop on 1985. Some know why 1985 ? Next year we will have information until 1986 ?

 

I am fighting similar issues on my car. I love preserving the history of the car, but sometimes all roads just lead to dead ends. Ferrari wants you to do Classiche certificate in order to find out information like this, which is an awesome program.. but sometimes you just need to find some basic information that is not worth spending the thousands to go through the full Classiche process. My car has had a lot of modifications over the years, and I know it would not fare well with classiche certification.

 

Link is new to me as well. Thank you @tobygaff

The importing dealer being Chinetti Garthewaite was something I suspected since the car was always in on the east coast but had no proof.

I don't know what happened to the Chinetti Garthewaite paperwork but Algar / Ferrari of Philadelphia confirmed a few years ago they no longer have the original paperwork for my car.

 

Incredible find but also kudos to FBH for compiling and/or putting it in the public domain

 

Thank you for the link.

It seems my car, 1978 Ferrari 308 GTS-USA manufactured as :

Vin Production date Exterior Color Interior Color Dealer/Importer
26533 1978-11-23 Rosso Rubino 106-R-83 Pelle Sabbia VM 3234 FERRARI NORTH AMERICA

The original owner, a dentist from California, converted it to a black interior with Daytona-style seats. I'm the second owner.

Looking up Rosso Rubino, it's metallic, wow! Presently is barchetta

 

If you've not looked it up, the connolly site is pretty neat. My GT4 is spec'd as VM 3234 as well, but is listed as beige.

https://www.connollybros.co.uk/shop?page=2

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I just checked my 24865 and it is correct. It lists the distributor as Modern Classic Motors. I also know that it was originally sold out of Phoenix as Bud Root passed all of the documentation over to me when I became owner number 4 almost 30 years ago. Thanks for the link