Let's call it "half-serious" The sheet metal on the 308s up to and including 83 was unprotected beyond paint and primer. For 84, Ferrari introduced a Zincrox coating on the sheet steel. It's a long way from any modern zinc or galvanizing coating, but it was better than nothing. 84+ 308/328s can still suffer from corrosion/rust in the usual spots (bottom of doors, etc), it just takes a little longer and more exposure to come through than on the untreated cars.
Love my '83 and my air injection system is intact. I only removed the air pump belt for more power (?). I love the black A pillars as well. That car looks good to me and if everything is complete, the price seems fair. Definitely go check it our. PPI is a must with leakdown/compression test.
Not even all the 84's had the extra rust protection. Ferrari didn't begin that until Jan 1984. So it's a date issue, not a model year issue.
The 83's are less corrosion protected than the 84'-85' Regardless, I don't think it should be a deal breaker. When I was looking for a 308 QV I din't care too much for the year. However, I'm glad that I bought an 85' as I like the black color under the rocker panels better.
Unfortunately, that's the "wrong"' way as the check valves on the ends of the air injection manifolds are not designed to continuously back seal against hot exhaust, and both the check valves and air injection manifolds will degrade even more quickly (without the cool air from the air pump). At a minimum, you should replace the check valves with metal NPT pipe caps (which you can get at any hardware store), although the air injection manifolds will still suffer. The better approach is to replace the air injection nozzles with the available aftermarket plug and remove the air injection manifolds and check valves (and save them). If you do a search on "air injection nozzle" you should get plenty of prior threads. <<<rant off >>>
All 308's are old cars and they can all rust. The rustprotection the later QV's had, was not very good. If you decided that you'd like a QV, then just choose the best car you can buy. Modelyear is not important. An 1983 car can be rustfree and a '85 can be rusty. Why prefer an '85 car when an '83 car is in better condition? Especially if you are looking for a GTB QV, you cannot be very picky as there were only 748 built. NB: I own a rustfree euro 1983 GTB QV. These cars are fantastic.
+1 My 82 QV has some rust but not a lot. Much better than some later 84 or 85 QVs I've seen. I don't think the rust protection on 84 and 85 is still superior to the bare metal of 82 and 83 QVs after so many years, but where and how the car was kept. Condition makes the difference now but not 82/83/84/85.
I wanted to thank everyone for their input. This 308/328 forum is really great. I am on a few car forums including a Porsche 997 one, which is another choice. Ferrari 308's were so much cheaper just a few years ago and they have really gotten expensive. I would love to buy one and fix it correctly, so I can trust the car more, but the parts are wildly expensive on top of a $50K+ purchase price. It wasn't that long ago these cars where in the $30's. All that being said, I am leaning towards a Porsche 997.2. Totally different car, but I think it is a pretty good value. Sure nothing looks as nice as a Ferrari Euro 308 IMO, but to buy one and fix it to the point the car can be trusted on a 1,000 mile trip seems to be a very big journey and very costly. i am not ruling out a 308/328, but the deal would have to be pretty darn good and right now the demand is very high, so there are no "deals". Heck the Porsche 997's are flatlining because there is a pretty good demand for used ones, so they aren't going down in value much at all. Seems the sports car market is strong right now. Again, this forum is one of the best I have been on period. I will have a Ferrari at some point, but might go Porsche first. I can drive a Porsche as a DD and be pretty comfortable doing that, but Ferraris have gotten so pricy, I may not want to drive it for weeks at a time. Ah, to be Magnum. lol I will still read and if I come up with an interesting deal, I may revisit the idea, but I am leaning more reliable 2009 or newer Carrara of some sort. Thanks all! PS, I read the entire thread on Bullfighter's situation and this forum really shows a lot of class and I was so impressed. I am very new here and don't know anyone, but that was a very nice thread. I sure feel very bad for him and everyone that knows the girl he was with. What a shame and so sad. All it takes is one selfish driver and boom that could be any of us. Anyway, I don't know anyone yet, but maybe someday. I was at the Pittsburgh Vintage Gran Prix and go yearly. If anyone goes, I would like to say hello next year.
Amen. I'm always amused at the length people will go to when it comes to nitpicking every little single bit of minutia on these cars. Buy the best one you can find and drive the hell out if it!
I only know this because I read it somewhere. I don't recall where now but my 84 is a Jan production and I clearly remember instantly being concerned if my car got it since it was on the line right when it said it began.
An antique Ferrari and a modern Porsche are indeed entirely different animals. It is being done by a few of us, but using a 308 as a daily driver is certainly more difficult than doing so with a mass produced Porsche. Even "visibility" is a factor; you can't hide in the masses with a Ferrari the way you can with a Porsche. Even daily parking would be different. It is an open question, that will be resolved over these next few years, regarding the final price plateau for 308s. Certainly the speculators are showing their cards right now with lots of cars supplied to the market with "hopeful" prices. Regarding your initial question about the 1982/1983 QV, I will add my testimony that they are great cars too. I will add that there was more factory effort needed painting the black roof pillars (particularly the rear one) and I can't help but wonder if the change was made to save money. I like the black look quite a bit better. The 1982/1983 QV is the only way to get the original black and the QV engine. Aside from the big ugly bumpers (which can be pushed in somewhat, but still heavy), I really like all the black on the US QVs; front and rear louvers, roof pillars, basket handle, rockers, etc.
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/attachments/308-328-sponsored-yellow-compass-group/1883616d1399480969-3x8-production-numbers-year-manufacture-2014-05-07-308-production-year.jpg http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/143103888-post10.html
That only applies to US model years -- euro (standard version) 308QV were introduced in 1982 as per Brian's chart.
I feel the prices are softening and will find a new plateau. Thinking $50K will be on the high side for most, but the super perfect examples will go around $60-$70K. The prices are falling pretty fast right now. I am surprised, but the sellers are starting to really drop prices. Ah, winter is coming and people know this $100K type stuff is a false market. I think a Porsche will be first and I will keep looking for the right 308 for fun. Best of both worlds on my budget which isn't unlimited, but I am a cash kind of guy and don't like to have any debt at all. Also after reading more, I think all the old 308's would be okay, but I may want a QV. Even though I could adjust the carbs myself. It isn't really rocket science, but probably something that needs to be done every 4-6 months. lol Thanks for all the replies. Who knows, I may just buy a Ferrari and report back on here. They are the BEST looking of the bunch I am looking at. Hmmm!
Keep in mind that buying an antique exotic is not like buying a used Honda. There is never usually an "inventory" of available 308s for sale like there is now. In the past, people have flown across the country chasing a good lead on a good car. Some spent years looking.
They were popping a few out early for testing, etc. back in 82. Then some early production cars were fielded. Things like that. For 99% of the conversation on QV's, sticking with 83-85 is perfectly acceptable. I don't think the first cars were rolled off the boat in America until about Feb- April 1983 which is waaaaay into the 1983 model year and I am only speculating based on the flood of tests we got in print all at once in Aug 83. How long did it take to go from written article to published magazine back then? 4 months? 5 months? Aug 83 magazine would be on the shelves here in July and you know R&T and C&D were first in line when they got here. So anyway....
Every time I read the title to this thread, my heart skips a beat, anguish. I propose an automatic ban on any nay sayers of the 83'
To be honest I wish I could change the title. I don't think it is really accurate after reading this thread. Maybe the title would be better if it says, "Looking for a 308QV". Feel free to change it if the powers are reading this. I would take the '83 in a heartbeat if the price was right.
I have had several antique cars. Restored a '60 Vette years ago and pile of interesting cars over the years. I think I would probably prefer to restore a 308, but if a driver came along, might go that route. I am an investor by trade, but rarely look at cars as "an investment". They most often are more of a liability, but I love them.
Yeah, the title was more of a question that was answered. I don't know the moderators on here, but I suspect they could change it. I don't want to put any one model down. The best answer on this thread was, "they are old cars". In reality that is what we are dealing with. An old '77 could be much better than some 328's depending on its history.
Yep i agree a title change would be good, I have an 83 QV and it has been nothing less than amazing. Never missed a beat in 5 years, starts first turn of the key, no rust.
