No, they did use an 83 308 QV in Magnum PI. It was used in many episodes.
Well, this didn't take me long I was pretty sure they did use an 83. I pulled season 4 and there it was.
the car was actually a 85 by the vin #'s but built in 84 to rush to the states for the show,look in wades site under the 1985 vin#57685 www.308qvregister.com
It was a retractable roll up vinyl cover that was attached to the windshield header and the front of the targa-bar, kind of like the window shades they make for windows next to bab seats. I have seen a few GTS' with them installed. There was a 308gts for rent in Waikiki in the early 90's that had one. Magnum uses it in multiple episodes the first season.
I hate to have to disagree with you on this one but TM never rolled back a fabric top on TV. At least tell me where he did it in the first season so I can go see for myself.
Tommy, Please give me the episode name in season 4 with an 83 QV. I have to see this for myself. You are telling me you saw a 308 with the QV front hood vent AND a black A-pillar?
Yep. Like you, I know 308's upside down and inside out also so no mistaking it on my end. Believe me. Anyway, Season 4 would be Fall 83/Spring 84. If you pull your DVD set, you don't even have to go to an episode. A black A-pillar QV clip is on the little menu video thing. The first episode is the one when TM is treading water for the whole show so skip it. The second episode is the Luther Gillis one and all you have to do is watch the intro scene clips. You'll see it there. Get ready to be shocked because I know how you are about to feel: ...a few years back - despite my expertise with this model I was SURE that the 2V NEVER EVER had a black intake manifold. For some reason I had it in my head that they were all silver. I would have bet my life on it. So after arguing with someone on here about it, I went and pulled a picture that I took myself back in June 1982 of a new 82 model's engine to prove I was right. There it was, black intake as the day is long. I couldn't believe it. I had been looking at those pictures for 25 years and never paid that close attention to it. Not even any of the cars I have been around during that same time did I ever pay any attention to that little detail. Evidentally 80 was the only year of that silver intake... I felt like an idiot. I just SO knew I was right. No doubt about it in my mind at all. Just one of those things.
Yet another little design tweak that sets the 80 apart from the similar 81 / 82's. We could easily compile a list! Cheers - DM
Ha! In 1981! My 1980 has manual locks. And my 80 has a manual "California" outside rear view mirror. 81 was power. And vertically stacked console gauges. 81 had these side-by-side. And 14" wheels / tires. 81 was the start of the TRX era. And a silver intake plenum, already mentioned. 81 was black. And a rocker console switch for the rear window defogger. 81 was a pushy-button switch ( ... I think, might have this one wrong ...) Let's see, now, there must be more ...
How long do you reckon it would take me to knock up a Ferrari letterhead validating my 1989 328 GTS was used in the 1987 episodes! LOL Bob.
Absolutely! My 1980 has the GTSi on the rear of the car but on GTS on the interior fuse cover panel. Rick
Tommy, You are 100% correct. I don't know how I ever missed that, except that I think I skipped the Luther Gillis episodes when wastching the DVD's, because they irratated me as a kid. I'll have to go back to season 3 and 4 and see how many times it appears. I can't imagine it is too many. I have an 83, so I'm quite happy to see one show up. Thanks for giving me the exact clip/episode to look at. BTW, I still maintain that the Nelson's Garage ad is a bit off. It claims the 83 was used in the last 2 seasons, and it shows a euro at the center top. Apparently I'm not the only misinformed one. Here is a quote from an earlier poster: "There were three different 308 GTS's used during the show's run. For the first season, it was a 1978 308 GTS (one mirror, no rear spoiler, no front hood vent, red vents behind the headlights). For the second, third and most of the fourth season, it was a 1980 308 GTSi (two rectangular mirrors, spoiler above the rear window, black front hood vent, black vents behind the headlights). For the rest of the series' run, it was a 1984 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole (looked just like the '80 except it had a red windshield frame instead of the black one)."
And likewise, my 1980 GTBi has just a GTB badge on the fuse cover. And as mentioned earlier, a non-console headliner. What about the speedometer? 1980 speedometer is only 80/85 mph. When did it revert to 160 or 180 mph? There is also a year that they lengthened or shortened the gearshift lever; anyone know when?
Went back and did some dvd viewing. No QV in 3rd season. But 4th season is all 83 308QV. In the 5th season, the 83 was used for the first few episodes, before the A-pillar becomes red and wheels used are 16". The change over is so late in 1984(oct/nov), that an 85 could have been used.
I'll have to check a couple of those '84 episodes out. During magnum's run, I watched 1/2 hour of one episode, vaguely remember the 308. My first memorable exposure to the 308 model was in seeing one owned by a client of the architectural firm I was with in '83, sounded and looked good but I have no idea if it was a 2V or 4V model.
Guy at a gas station saw my 328 and hollered, "Hey, that's Magnum's car." I'm bummed now to find out he was lying - thought I had a real collector's item.
I am doing this from memory, but I think the episode was "Don't eat the Snow in Hawaii." The scene is in the opening credits and it is clearly a solid top--not a roll back. In fact, you can see the moulding of the top, with its concave features--to lighten it. A roll back top would not be solid--would be fabric and would no thave concave features. WHile I do not dispute the roll back tops exist, I can tell you that the opening sequence, where he is on the grass and fishtails the car before hitting the pavement--in that scene, it throws back a targa top and a stage hand catches it off camera. Look at the 0:15 mark and there is no roll http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CquMO3vJvo
You are totally correct about that scene, it is notone of the ones I am thinking about. I really do believe that there are other scenes in that first season with the roll back top, I believe one was a downtown scene, but my memory might be totally off.
