You can blow $10K on the interior of a GTS, (a little more complicated than my GTBs) then you move toward exterior paint. So a car this clean below $30K is indeed an excellent buy, note also the "below 30K total miles" although the speedo registers in kms.... It'd be nice to see a 'full on' shot of the dash instruments........
NNO 'discovered" Ferraris as a young man, and did have access to lots of info from a former employer.... I'd go to the Factory Owner's Website and drop them an email for the Official Word..... But this does indeed look like a 'cut' car based upon several indications, and with GTBs there's little reason for someone to do that after 1978......
All the people wandering thru the website looking for "early 308GTBs" should certainly take note of this example, IMO..
With a registry (fwiw) claiming it's a USA bound GTB original color black I would be very suspicious. The first car I looked at got glowing reviews here but there was a buzz of controversy because it had euro bumpers, a single distributor and a non-catalyst sticker. Turned out it was a USA car with cats removed, sticker applied and bumpers changed. (It was still a beautiful car.) Just seems strange to me that in the middle of all these 77 GTBs they create a prototype GTS. Then some guy comes along and puts it on ebay proclaiming it's the very last carb and euro GTS with ignition to boot. Come on, prototype GTS with electronic ignition???
HOLY SCHNIKES BATMAN!!!! If I hadnt just bought one, I would buy this one NOW!!! I do hope that someone on this board gets it. Even if they have to use the BUY IT NOW!!! Its worth more than that easily IMO...just dont send the seller to this site. PDG
Exactly, that's I was thinking! Not including the cost of rebuilding/freshing-up the engine. Assume that the ads is honest and truly reflects the condition of the car, I think it makes much more financial sense to sell your old tired worn-out Ferrari and get something like this, could be much cheaper in the long run.
No if it was a North American specification car, it would be wet sump, if they knew all the further production GTS cars were to be wet sump they would have used that engine set up, IMO...as the "example" I'm just talking out my butt here, who knows? BUT, I can confirm that VIN number is squarely within the range of my cars, all wet sump GTBs....... That Firing Order plate on the air snorkle? It was only seen on the fibreglass North American cars, so that jumped out at me when I saw it.....as I said in an earlier post of someone put this car together 'bitsa" they certainly used a lot of correct detail parts. But it's not a standard production model for any given market...wet sump engine, yet single distributor, and I'll draw your attention again to the high level of engine compartment detailing, if it was built in the early 90s run up market BIG BUCKS was put into a beater, if not, it's 'real' .....a real something....LOL! That find on NNOs recap is interesting, FML data,I can assume
Maybe so, but if you look at picture 17 of 22, you can clearly see red overspray. It has definately been painted but the question is was it originally red. The carpets are black (not traditional tan) so it is feasible is started life as black and was resprayed "resale red". James in Denver
the "S" in the VIN denotes an original spider chassis. First GTS came out in 1977 and most were destined to the US market that clearly prefers open top cars. Everything matches. I don't see anything special about that car except the seller writing down a wrong date.
What is definitely strange is that if this was one of the first (or THE first) GTS's, why does it have the later style rear-lid supports? And early Euro cars also had the dino-style spare-rim (with motorcycle size tyre.....) There is something about this car that I can't figure out. Interior looks original, I would have to disagree it was ever redone. I hope those rear side-reflectors are simply stuck on with double-sided tape. Odd shiny doorsill plate, and steering wheel.....The chassisnumber just puzzles me. EARLY single distr.cars did not have electronic ignition!
Thanks for the European input, as you guys are more familiar with the early cars...I agree most likely imported in 1980, or titled that way for some other reason.....
All my 1976 - 1977 cars have dual distributors, and R1 R2 point set ups, although that can be changed too, it says it's been converted to electronic ignition, at some point. I missed the dual prop rods on the hatch, another good catch!
Posting stats and pictures for future reference (search is a good thing ). SERIAL NUMBER: 20757 Red / Tan with black carpets KMs/Miles: 46,300 / 27,092 Date on Ebay: 7/10/09 1980 Ferrari 308 GTS Euro BIN: $27,900 From the ad: This is one of the very last 4 Weber Euro versions. The Euro version is sought after for the higher performance, lighter weight, front spoiler, and greater horsepower. In 1980 Ferrari went to the 308 GTSi injected version. However, there were several problems with the injected version not to mention they lost about 50 hp. The injected versions never caught back up in horsepower even with the introduction of the quattrovalvole. The car is beautiful. I get compliments on it every time I take it out. The interior is almost perfect. There is a little rub wear on the drivers seat. It becomes obvious why when you try to get into a car this low to the ground. The exterior is Red with a tan interior (In My Humble Opinion- the only combination for a Ferrari). It is very nice with a few minor imperfections. The 308 is 30 years old, so dont expect a new car. It has an Alpine deck that is ipod direct connect, and Infinity Kappa Perfect speakers in the doors behind the original grills. This 308 has the desirable electronic ignition (no more points). The Euro spec car comes with the speedometer reading in kilometers. The speedometer currently reads 43,600 Kilometers or 27,092 Miles. The car has been kept in the garage and driven very little. I purchased it from a dealer in Costa Mesa, CA who was selling it as part of a private collection. They told me that it had been in a private museum prior to my purchasing it. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
the F106 AS would have been a "B" designation ( F106AB) on a GTB, so Ferrari must have done this with some thought. there was an f-chatter 2 years ago that had a very early 308 GTS from 77 also. these are pics of a friends 77 308 GTB carb car, dry sump single dizzy. its a steel car, with a "high" serial number. not the "EE" codes, and the datt plates codes and letter code differences between his dry sump GTB and the first GTS. man i hope someone here gets the car. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Quite a story, but surprised no concrete documented history by now. If possible, please post more pictures. The price seems odd, too.
If we could verify 100% that this was the first GTS ever made I would probably jump on it. It just seems fairly hard to verify.
I still think the seriousness of this discussion is interesting. Some here see first GTS based on serial number. Ebay owner hawking as last euro carb car with original interior and electronic ignition. Definitely a "bargain" so why hasn't anyone here bought it? Okay, I'm about to bust... the first GTS??? I'm sorry, I love my 78 308 GTS, but for ******* ' s sake the first GTS ever built just isn't worth much. (Can you tell I'm in a bad mood? )
I asked the owner if he was sure it was a 1980.....I recieved a reply from the owner and I quote...."Yes, very sure. 1979 was not the last year for the carb 308, there were a few in 1980. I assume that is why you are asking." Thanks, Eric He claims this is a 1980 308...so now where are we?
A better question might be to find out who the "collector" prior owner was. Since the car was being sold through a Costa Mesa dealer I would think that the car was owner in/around Orange County. There lots of Southern California connections here on the board to chase this down with that information. There does appear to be a serious anomaly in the year and serial number. Jeff
NNO says its a 77 GTB/(S), and 20xxx is early. really weird all the drama with Ferrari chassis numbers ! its true there were euro carb 308s in 1980. whats odd is you would think there would be more info if this is the first production GTS. i wonder what the process was for the first 206/246 GTS. Perhaps they pull a chassis off the line and come up with the design and modifications to make it an "S". most of the vintage guru's seem to say in vintage, and dont venture much in 308 threads. but i think this car is special, even though it is red and a GTS....
Do you guys think they literally pulled a GTB chasis off the line and cut off the roof, despite that GTSs had beefier longitudinals and perhaps some other additional frame changes?
