Hello, I have a couple ?s for you all please. Vehicle is 86 328. First is the engine numbers. Where is the engine number? I believe the engine number has nothing to do with the vin number is this correct? How does one verify that the engine number is the one that goes with the chassis it’s currently in? Also what kind of factory paint thickness readings should I be looking for? Thanks in advance. Much appreciated.
On top of the engine block at cylinder #1 (as is the engine family marking). This is from a 1987 US version 328 (engine family F105C040; engine serial no. 00998): Image Unavailable, Please Login Correct. Ferrari has records for that (but not easy to get). Comparing the engine SN to other 328 using the same engine family made about the same time can give some confidence. Try this website: www.328registry.com Maybe you'll get lucky and it will be there
I suppose in the future there might be a matching-numbers obsession that develops among owners. Right now, as has been in the past, there is almost no information about what engine went into what car. Matching the numbers is not an issue in the 3x8 world mostly because we don't know. It is true that engine number does not march upward in a lockstep with serial number although generally they both move upward over time. However, virtually all 3x8s are of such low mileage that it is extremely unlikely that the engine has been changed. The engine in the car is likely the engine it came with. They are a few engine swaps out there though; usually the cars that got high mileage (>100k miles) early in their life. There were a few "crate" engines available. Like any engine, valves can break, head gaskets can blow, and so on but from what I've read almost always the block and heads stay intact and are reusable.
There are some photos around this forum that show maybe 100 engines sitting along the 308 assembly line. The worker just goes over and picks the easiest to reach engine and plops it in the car. No different than brake rotors or headlights. Ferrari would have recorded what the numbers were on each component (engine, trans, interior etc.) that went into a particular car but they hold that info close to their chest. The "numbers matching" category seems to have stemmed from American muscle cars where they stamped the same number on all relevant driveline parts as they were assembled to the car. An easy way to verify if the components were the original "as it left the factory" parts.
It's very rare to find a 308 or a 328 that hasn't had some paint at some stage. Either a full on respray or just a little blow over for stone chips on the front bonnet or bumper.
Well, For most 328s, the engine number is printed with the VIN on the warranty card, so it's not that difficult to find. If you have the warranty card, that is... Rgds