VIN question for 308 about to purchase.... | Page 4 | FerrariChat

VIN question for 308 about to purchase....

Discussion in '308/328' started by Plutonium, Jul 29, 2020.

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  1. Plutonium

    Plutonium Karting

    Jul 29, 2020
    63
    Full Name:
    1980 308 GTSi
    I was thinking very similarly (I believe) to you, BigTex when I decided to purchase it.

    This has been childhood dream car to me. Getting behind the wheel and giving it a go just felt amazing. I couldn’t care if the numbers matched or if it was created from part A and part C, I just wanted to enjoy it, as long as legally it was OK.

    The seller was absolutely amazing with all the potential issues. Very above board, discussed with the police departments regarding theft and fraud, and everything came back green light. The price was right and now it’s just time to enjoy it and maybe sort out that curious little puzzle.
     
  2. Plutonium

    Plutonium Karting

    Jul 29, 2020
    63
    Full Name:
    1980 308 GTSi
    That number is on the engine block. There were other numbers that looked molded, but those five looked stamped. I’ll attach a photo.

    Where is the body number?
     

    Attached Files:

  3. nerofer

    nerofer F1 World Champ

    Mar 26, 2011
    11,968
    FRANCE
    Yes, it is. But we should not forget that quite a number of engines of the first GTS"i" delivered in the US were replaced rather early (under warranty, by the factory) for excessive oil consumption. The number is in the right bracket, but to say that it is the original engine is another matter.

    Rgds
     
  4. TripleBlack

    TripleBlack Formula Junior

    May 1, 2006
    498
    Paris, France
    you're absolutely right nerofer, but number 579 fits quite well in the sequence. If the engine had been replaced, this number would have been higher, well, that's what I think but I don't have enough data to be 100% sure, what's more, I've never seen replacement sheet or any official communication from the factory or US dealers on the actual progress of this maintenance.

    The body number is engraved on the frame on the left side of the engine bay, at the level of the electricity label. It can be covered with satin paint but we can see the edge of the tape which covers it in this case.
     
    Albert-LP likes this.
  5. nerofer

    nerofer F1 World Champ

    Mar 26, 2011
    11,968
    FRANCE
    I do think indeed that the body number will be the best bet; and then, according to the old and famous legal method in french legal matters, "le faisceau d'indices" (= the "bunch of clues") body number + engine number, etc...we should arrive a at "reasonable conclusion".
    Brian Crall (= aka "Rifledriver") could be able to tell us more about these engine replacements under warranty, because he was there...

    Rgds
    (Or "Bien à toi", to stay between french speakers, even if the expression, although popular, is incorrect)
     
    TripleBlack likes this.
  6. Plutonium

    Plutonium Karting

    Jul 29, 2020
    63
    Full Name:
    1980 308 GTSi
  7. TripleBlack

    TripleBlack Formula Junior

    May 1, 2006
    498
    Paris, France
    More 487A to me.

    That is exactly in the good sequence for 33419 as the engine was.
    For me, and especially if the 33819 had been spotted in Rosso Rubino, you have 33419 with a typo on the VIN's frame from the factory.

    The body number is very closely related to the chassis number. It is difficult to separate them, except to change all the elements where it is stamped (which is not an easy task). As much on a door, it is easy, as much on the frame itself as shown in the photo, all the welds have to be redone, and these seem to be original.
    As the chassis number does not seem to have been re-engraved (and why therefore different in this case), only the typing error seems to be the most plausible of the answers ...
     
    Plutonium likes this.
  8. Plutonium

    Plutonium Karting

    Jul 29, 2020
    63
    Full Name:
    1980 308 GTSi
    Sorry, fat fingers and cell phone keypad, 487A, definitely.

    Thank you so much for taking the time to go over this and explain it. Very helpful.
     

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