Restoring my 78 308GTS

Hey Paul, thanks for pointing it out. I actually thought about your comments on here back when you installed yours as I noticed right away that the light is on whenever the lever touches the outside since like you noticed, it is metal.
I know it is a bummer that the repro labels for the levers don't have "choke" written on them, they only come in "heater" ones. If I should ever find a new one that says choke on it I will replace it.


Helmut

 

Thanks guys! back to more 308 today

 

I am finally working on my car again. Today I installed the Facet Fuel pump, I am not happy with the looks of it and I have heard it makes some weird noises as well so if I find a better one down the line I might swap it out. I didn't refinish the fuelfilter housing on purpose in order to preserve the writing on it which is kind of cool I think.
I also installed the sparkplugs cables, fuellines and cleaned up a bunch of little parts that are now going back on.

I had the new exhaust tips installed by Sean from Precision Rodware, he can make anything out of metal, excellent welder. The tips I wanted, the ones with the red inserts from Summit don't come in the same length as the original ones so Sean had to shorten them, which is quite a lot of work to get it perfect.
Also I finally got my brake calipers back, or at least the front ones, the rear ones should come next week.

Helmut
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I got the levers from Verell Boen with Unobtainium supply, he is also on this site.

I don't think its one of their official services but if you call Jack at GAHH and tell him that you saw my restored steering wheel and you would like yours done as well then he will do it for you as well I am sure.

Thanks for the encouragement, I need it

Helmut

 

Thanks for pointing that out Verell, I only bought the levers from you, I missed the fact that you are also making the labels. I bought the labels a long time ago on ebay and the ones I saw from Rutlands also didnt have "choke" written on them.

Helmut

 

Thanks Alan! I am enjoying your resourcefulness in your resto project and the perfectionism which I am sure you have come to suffer from at times

Helmut

 

I know what you mean Paul, the grime on these cars hide a lot of potential trouble and its such a pain to work on them when everything is covered in gunk. As I am working through every nut and bolt of this car I keep wondering if anybody ever thinks of fixing all sort of details. Today I was wondering how many 308 owners ever replace the bearing in the AC belt tensioner. Those things dry out get hot and freeze up.
I will not miss all the phonecalls trying to find little pieces like the pre-bent hose from the rear bank to the bellhousing, or some new studs for the carb trumpets and new rubber gaskets around the carbs for the airfilter box, new spacers for the gaskets, new shims for the lower AC bracket, new spacers for the top AC bracket plus the new rubber cones .... and that is just what comes to mind from what I did today. The detail is definitely the killer on such a project.

Its been raining down here and I have been taking some time off. I finished installing the XDI and I put the new AC compressor in. Belts, Alternator water-pipes, everything that was not finalized as of yet. I filled the tansmission (from the top of the clutch housing), hopefully that did in fact give me the correct level, put in the engine oil with some Red Line "engine break in additive" and voila, I am getting ready to hear the engine run after over 5 years.

Btw my new starter sounds amazing, when I cranked the engine today (with ignition disconnected) it sounded like a I was about to start a new car. How long would you guys suggest I crank it in order to get enough oil flow going to actually start it without causing damage? I originally was planning to pump some oil through the engine from the Oil filter port but couldn't find an appropriate pump for it. I am thinking as long as I crank it for a while before connecting the ignition and before adding fuel I should also be getting enough oilflow going.

Thanks
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Today was the day I cranked up the oilpressure plugged in the new electromotive and after 6 years she fired up like a charm. I am amazed at how easy it was, I figured I would have to adjust the carburators as well as the ignition etc but I was wrong, it just idled perfectly. Also no fuel smell (except what I spilled ) etc. it runs perfectly clean. I suppose it really makes a difference regarding smell with the new Hyperflows. My 91 300E which passes smog with flying colors stinks and smokes way more. Just a bit of condensation on the new exhaust tips ( yep summit racing with the red inserts ) but no visible smoke. I expected this to be a much more "vintage" experience.

The sound is awsome, I am one of those who actually likes the stock exhaust in spite of its weight. It sounds subtle more in the lower registers, yet very beefy, I am not that fond of metallic aggressive sounds. I had all parts of the exhaust triple ceramic coated as well as on the inside. And of course I love the carburetors, I think that those are a part of mid 20th century Ferrari history which I am pleased to have on my car.

There is still a lot of stuff to do but I feel I have come another big step closer.

Helmut
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Thats right, I would crank for about 5 to 10 seconds and then wait, not exactly 5 minutes as I didn't want the oil to drain out again. I only had to do that a few times and the oil pressure gauge came up right away.

 

besides, there is a lifetime warranty on the starter

 

That certainly is the truth, it is a pita to get it out even though this gear reduction starter is much smaller than the original one.

 

But by the time I got the plugs back in I would have lost my oilpressure again