Rare Video of the 308 in the making at Maranello

1982 must have been a good year for Factory visits my wife and I were lucky to have visited with the British Ferrari Club.
3 days with visits to :-
Day 1
Scaglietti to see the bodies being built
Fiorano test circuit
Dinner at superb Villa about 10 - 20 km from Maranello
Day 2
Trip to Imola to watch the San Marino F1 GP
Day 3
Competition Dept == little work being done just a lot of champagne bottles laid about !!
Invited into Ferrari's office
Lunch at across the road from main entrance
Afternoon tour of the factory including the old foundry
Dinner in the evening with senior management and the drivers -- Villeneuve and Pironi --
after Pironi having taken advantage of a team orders mistake at the GP and passing Villeneuve on last lap they did not attend such was the bad feeling between them -- Little did we know Villeneuve would be Dead in 2 weeks.
Was still a good evening - sat opposite Brenda Verner and Harvey Postlethwaite
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Do you recall about what time of year that trip occurred?

 

The lady with the paint brush reminds me of this little gem. Check out this completed 288 GTO getting its door jamb re-painted on the assembly line. A modern day collector would have a heart attack seeing this level of 'craftsmanship' LOL
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Sure wish that video was a half hour long!!!

 

Tape and paper on the right side and the heat lamp is cooking the left side - We need to uncover a 288 Video !!! Wouldn't that be rich.

 

hi Tommy

It was weekend 24-26th April -- Have some more pics --bit grainy -- but in those days I spent more on 365 2+2 and fuel than camera

 

In 1989 I bought a 308GT that was the 3rd made and was sold to Saudi LHD --- all in bits-- everything-- Kept him and his mates busy all Summer rebuilding it and changed to RHD-- He raced it at Zandvoort in September -- A just reward

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I disagree. I think the modern collectors know better then ever that represents how the cars were built. It is also part of the reason preservation is far more popular now than ever. We want to keep that kind of individuality instead of turning them all into cookie cutter barbie dolls. I just exchanged emails yesterday with the owner of a GTO agreeing he should leave a nose badge on the car with most of the finish gone because it is the original.

There is a one off being brought back to life right now and we are hoping...it looks like he is going to keep the original delaminating glass. The car is mostly original and should stay that way.

 

Exactly and that is why our concours rules favor originality over perfection. I hate it when yet another car goes in for some nature of restoration.

 

So when you hear owners talk about imperfections in their older Ferrari's and say that's how it came from the factory, more often then not there is some truth to that.

 

Well I think Ferrari gets blamed for a lot more than they are really responsible for.

 

I really like the Fulvia in the back corner.

 

That's true too.

 

It was several years ago, but someone started a thread complaining about how his new Ferrari had a defect in the paint and was going to require repainting a panel. I don't recall the full details, but he wanted either another car, or compensation, in addition to the repair, since the car was no longer "original". Someone commented, who claimed to have worked at FNA in New Jersey, where all the cars enter into North America. He said if only everyone knew almost EVERY car had issues that were repaired at port of entry....he said all cars are thoroughly inspected, and they often found previously missed paint defects, damage, etc. He claimed touched up paint was common, and even entire panels sometimes required repainting. He said the idea of compensation was laughable, since almost all Ferraris had paint repairs either in Maranello on in New Jersey, before delivery.

 

Yes classic coach used to and maybe still does that

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I recall that thread. I bet that was an eye opener for many and dose of reality for others.

 

How do these rules deal with consumable items like hoses, tires, filters, wires etc where an owner can source either OEM spec and more importantly OEM appearing items vs aftermarket stuff that is now available and is chosen perhaps because of the higher level of safety and/or technology? SRI hoes for example?

 

The following might be the video you are referring to although it would be have been made somewhere between 1983 and 1985 as evidenced by the 308 Quattrovalvole intake plenums (see 19:20 minutes) and the GTO bodies.

 

That's a great video, other than the fact that the factory and studio shots look so dark.
Everything looks like it has been lit by candlelight.
Guessing its just the age of the video footage.

 

Hi Brian - I will look again later but this might or might not. The one I recall was with English subtitles and shorter in length. That said this is a wonderful video with even more views. For one, the footage of the forging, is enchanting! Good for you to post it and thanks!

 

Hi
That's sons first car--- I had garage and bodyshop then so it made a good play area for him -- He and his Mates took the Fulvia to the National Concours when finished and got Trophy having driven it there and back -- He still has it today.
photo in garage showroom when we did Fiat Launch
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Thats how it was ---- my photos are the same --- the cars were made in a "Factory" not a hospital as they are today -- I wish I'd managed to take some photos in the old foundry where they cast all the blocks and heads ---that would have looked ancient -- but the workmanship was fantastic.

 

I seem to remember you telling us that some of these cars were repainted when new by the dealers based on the quality of the factory finish. Did that really occur or am I getting that story confused with something else entirely?

 

All true