If any of you F Chatters know someone in Houston or Dallas (or near that area) selling a 308 please let me know. Please reply or PM please. -Mike
Mike, I don't know of any 308s handy. You might call Joe Maniaci at FOH 713-772-1472. Joe keeps pretty good tabs on what's available locally. Plus, he just brought a 328 GTB personally so he should have a good idea what's out there. BTW, you should also note that Ferrari did not start using galvanized steel until the early 80s (83 I think.) While you should always check for rust, the pre-80s cars have an even higher risk than normal. Good Luck, Dale
I just took a much larger leap forward on a 85 GTB QV in Dallas. PPI happening at Norwood's when they can find me a slot. If it flies through the PPI I am sure the owner and I can close the price.
Mike, let us know when the PPI is happening, maybe one of us can go check it out as well. Rob and I both work close to Norwoods.
If I do not go up there this would be a good thing. Today when I had the owner on the phone he could not tell me if the A/C worked. Also did not get a warm fuzzy about the answers I got on the odometer. He could not tell me the exact mileage off the top of his head. The good news is a Carfax run came up squeakey clean with the excpetion that the title is still in the name of a dealer...aka...it has been a dealer queen for a while. I really see the price coming down or I go local as there is a low mileage 77 GTB sitting 5 miles from my house that I am interested in. I will post a new thread if I set up a PPI tomorrow. James was out - Mike Kuhn told me he would tell me tomorrow if Friday would work. I may call the owner one more time tomorrow as I now know what a spare costs...not cheap...yea...no spare in the car. Can o fix o flat to go please. Price is way down from where it was before BTW.
The older 2 value cars are one of my favorites to drive & the price is a little better than a really nice 308 QV. You can't go wrong with a GTB. Let me know how it works out for you.
I just got out of my car and I couldn't tell you the exact mileage to save Jimpo1's life Somewhere between 63 and 64K. If the owner is close, then that should be fine, especially on a true driver with 80K+ on it. I'll be dropping my 328 off Friday at Norwoods. I'll be happy to take an unprofessional glance at it if you want.
I have pulled the trigger on the PPI. The owner (Andre) will have the car at Norwood's by 9am. When asked, Mike at Norwood said F Chatters are welcome to come have a look see. He mentioned Tillman by name. I will not be there (99% sure). I can not pick up the car the same day of the PPI so I am skipping the driving. That 1% chance is there because I just might have to go. If the owner will take a deposit and let me drive the car home that % will go WAY up. Norwood will Compression/Leak down it first...if that fails they will stop and call me. If any of you have digital cameras feel free to give it a sunburn with the flashes. I would like to see more pictures of it. Especially a good shot of the seat backs, trunk storage area, battery box (cover will not be on it - it is "on the way"), spare area, ODOMETER!!!, and anything else you think I should see.
I'll try to stop by on the way to work, but no promises! Tillman, what time are you taking your car in? If I go I'll take the camera, but won't be able to download the pics until I get home Friday night.
I'm probably taking it in earlyish, it depends on whether Tam is giving me the ride back home or if I can talk J. into a run. I have a digital camera and will take some photos.
Mike, Just curious, but what was the reason for the car not having a spare and battery cover? It wasn't something to do with a "paint shop" was it? I'm sure Norwoods will do an excellent PPI, but I would strongly discourage buying it unless you have had the chance to drive it on at least two separate occasions, with a little time in-between to think about and absorb everything. Hope everything goes well - having just gone through what you are, I know how exciting/nerve-wracking it is!
Any deal I make will incude a test drive that passes my inspection. I suspect that I will agree with whatever Norwood says. Your advice is very good though. I may just suck it up and drive up there. On Thursday I will be seeing a very well maintained GTB here in Houston so I know what a good one "feels" like. By then I may have also had a look at that 77 GTB for sale near my house. I am extremely happy the 77GTB option is there because it greatly increases my willingness to haggle on the Dallas car. Forgot to add - I have no idea why the spare is missing and why the battery cover is gone. I assume the spare was sold with the original wheels. It now has some BBS wheels that absolutely must come off. It looks like Princess Diana wearing a thong...not that that is an ugly mental picture...but it is just wrong. But still a nice mental picture.
The batt cover missing is a so-so item but the missing spare is a definite head scratcher. Makes me wonder. I hate those BBS wheels. Don't understand why any F owner would choose those over F wheels.
Santiagos sold an 81 308 some time ago...it was missing the spare and battery cover too...1 + 1 = 2 I think...I am betting they took the cover and spare and put it on the 81. I was told Santiagos said a paint shop was responsible for the missing spare and cover. Deductions for sure.
I paid about $100 to replace my battery cover, it was missing too. Seems to be pretty common. My spare was there though. Mike, check on the owners site before you buy, they're frequently cheaper than anyone in the US.
Mike, If you buy the car - and want to swing through Austin on the way home - I've got an original spare from an 85 QV you can have. The small plastic cover on the Cavallino is a bit scratched (previous owner had nothing between it and the battery cover), but the wheel is in excellent shape. It has the original tire mounted - as did the rest of the wheels....don't drive on old tires, even if the mileage is low - the car now is somewhere in Oklahoma with a salvage title.....sigh. phil
Sorry to disappoint you Al, but I'm afraid not. I had the tire out while doing some work on the car and hadn't gotten it back in yet. I was thinking either of the local "Ferrari David's" would know someone who'd want it, when I saw this thread. Until I find the right 348, the 308 spare is (was) the only Cavallino in the garage. Best, phil
