It's definitely a large rear wing, but the front splitter and canards will balance it out once they go on. It's just a large downforce package, so its going to look large in comparison to your normal setup. The wing is definitely the most controversial thing as of late. Lots of people feel it ruins the car, which I do empathize with. I like it, personally, though.
As the instigator of this thread, I sat back and watched it develop whilst also watching Mikes Youtube content, and I feel duty bound to comment. I have a friend who owned a hugely modified Alfa 105 Junior ... fitted with Honda S2000 F20C engine. I saw how he was similarly shunned by the Alfa community. So I understand how Mike must feel. I find this blinkered, parochial behaviour towards any modifications to a Ferrari, VERY strange indeed. But's what's more worrisome is the the fact that the folk opposed to such modifications seem to take it SO personally, almost as if someone else choosing to mod a 308, is a personal affront to them and/or their choice of car. It you live in street in which all the houses are the same, and you bought the house you chose because it was you and your wife's perfect house, then one day your neighbour of 15 years sells up and moves out, only for another couple to move in and immediately have a large extension built on the rear of the house, and rework the garage and kitchen into one big huge family/dining/kitchen area, do you pour scorn on them, eschew them or berate their actions because their behaviour/modifications would suggest the house design and your choice of house wasn't "perfect" from their perspective ? I'd certainly hope not. And if you did, I certainly wouldn't want to live next door to such narrow minded bigots. If the 308 was dynamically perfect, genuinely quick, as in its motor produced a solid and reliable 300hp, and it weighed what most European cars manufactured in the mid 70's weighed (for its diminutive size) it could be considered "perfect" (whatever that means) but it was so far from that, it beggars belief that that some are so slavishly addicted to the standard car and its many known shortcomings and foibles. Since the dawn of the automobile, individuals have dreamt up ways to make pretty much any and every car, whether it be a Ford or Ferrari, go quicker, stop faster, corner better etc etc, and what Mike is doing is no different, but added to kudos to him, he's not paying someone to do it, he's doing it himself and learning new skills along the way !! Win, win !! Seriously you guys berating him and the car need to take a long hard look at yourselves, because quite frankly you should be ashamed. And if what Mike's done offends you, you'd better not listen to what Jason Cammisa and Derek Tam Scott have to say about the 308 GTB/S ... (and let's not forget that Cammisa does actually own and drive a 308 GT4) And Mike, I think your alooominium (that's a Brit taking the piss out of the Yank pronunciation of the word by the way) welding is bloody marvellous, all the more so considering the limited practice you've had. You should be incredibly proud of how far your welding skills have progressed, ditto the car as well. As you've said, the rear wing is probably the most divisive addition yet (followed by the motor) it's shame the design of the base car doesn't allow the use of some really efficient underbody ground effect aerodynamics so you could have utilised a smaller rear wing.
JC, I’ve had the same reaction by some when I point out some of the **** engineering and crap quality in the 308 (they take it personally even though none of them were responsible for the mistakes in the design or poor quality of the castings, build etc.) Some reading this will take offence and may even reply saying “what **** quality?” or “well why did you buy it then?” etc. like I’m somehow insulting them personally. I don’t like the huge wing, but how cool is it that someone can build a car that’s exactly what they want (and do it well.)
I don’t care what a person does with their car, as long as they don’t pull a Karl Kleve and leave it outside in their wrecking yard to rot and rust into the ground. It sucks that his car was stolen but it would have rotted into the earth had it not been and subsequently restored in Europe. I digress. I’m good with a modified Ferrari engine (done well), but it’s no longer a Ferrari when you remove the engine. It’s one of those cringe moments like when you see or heard about a 250swb with a Chevy engine. Notice how none of those are still around? As for this car, once completed I actually think it’s value will be pretty reasonable as there is a crowd who would be into it. It’s unique and a lot of clever thought has gone into it. More power to them. Whether that same position stands the test of time is yet to be known.
I haven't peeped this thread in a while, so I am late to reply, but I wanted to say thanks for this in every regard. It's so appreciated!
I think to bring the universe back into equilibrium someone needs to put a Ferrari V8 motor in an NSX.
Well, Chevy reverse-engineered a 458 to make the new Z06 - does that help balance things? On a related note…how about a LT6 in a vintage Ferrari….blasphemy! But sign me up!
I like it too…and God knows there’s more than enough concours-quality 308s running around to last well into the next millennium. TBH, I would probably build something similar if I had a GTB - except for the K24 part - which is really just Japanese for “LS Swap”….not much to see there. So the car’s pretty cool, but what I wasn’t down with was Mr. Burroughs rolling in here, taking a giant dump on the 308 - in THE 308 forum - and then doubling-down in a running feud with 308 fans and owners. So that was definitely not cool and…..yeah…..just uncool and really turned me off to Mr Burroughs and - by association - the Ferrari, which is unfortunate.
Well, two years later, and it's pretty much (close to) done. Now the fun begins with the testing and tuning of the car. I hope you guys enjoy it, or at least enjoy the work that has gone into it. Image Unavailable, Please Login
I guess we see things differently. I didn't roll in here - someone else made this thread. All I did was defend my positions and stick to my guns. I was polite and respectful to everyone that showed me the same -- it was the community members here that threw the first stones with ad hominem attacks, calling me a vandal or an ******* just because I did something they don't like. Just because we disagree about what kind of car the original 308 is doesn't make me a bad guy, but if I made a bad impression, that's unfortunate.
I'm jealous of the attention it gets, but that's a me problem, not a Mike problem. I'm absolutely not a Honda fan. My sister in law drives them. She's a horrible person. LOL But Mike has been a nice guy and a decent ambassador for the 308. I really can't wait to see it driven in anger on a track. Aaron
Congrats Mike! Your 308 turned out so much better than I thought it would, WOW! I'm blown away, love it, what an incredible build, let me know if you ever take it to a cars and coffee in the OC, I will drive down from L.A. and looking forward to your dyno and track setup videos.
I have followed along, and really do love how it came out... Not a 100% fan of the large wing, but I get it. I'd go for a large 288 GTO Kaam tail... but regardless love how it looks and the way it sits. I'd never be able to drive that with the spoiler so low but it looks so right! hope you have fun.
Thanks a ton! I appreciate the kind words despite the disposition against Honda I should have the car at Radwood this weekend, although its still not tuned yet. Hopefully next week I'll hit the dyno and following that, I can start putting street miles on it (without the aero.) I don't think I will. Thank you so much!
wow street miles with that spoiler? when I had my euro 308 - I cracked that spoiler with in the first 2 hours of owning the car! why is it that when it looks so good, its never right on the street?
For those curious, I weighed the car yesterday, and it came out to 2377lbs, 823lbs lighter than the original weight of the car.
That's still heavier than a Michelotto 308. Had you made one of those it would have been far more valuable too.
Show me a scale readout of a Michelotto and then lets talk about the differences between my car and one of those. It's gonna be a long list and it'll make your comparison look silly, because it is. Some folks on this forum really just want to take away whatever they can from this project
Actually it would not have been more valuable because it would have been a copy. Mike B was at least original enough to make his own project rather than clone something else.
The last Michelotto replica to sell was pretty recent and it made some $400k. Makela (MaT) of Finland make them, and they are nothing short of masterpieces, likely superior to the originals.
http://www.mat.fi/projects They sent me pics before but for whatever reason I cannot locate them. I want to say it was 1050kg. Their work is masterful, and yes, even with full roll cage and FiA mandated race prepped requirements, and Ferrari engine, they are lighter, and it's still a Ferrari.
I’m unsurprised there’s not a photo of a scale readout. As far as “still a Ferrari” goes, last I checked, mine is too. I could quite easily drop my weight below that of a Michelotto. But even without doing so, my car makes multiple times the power, has significantly more tire, significantly more brake, and is still a fully finished car inside and out. A complete interior with modern finishes. Modern amenities like cruise control and limp mode. I could carry on. My car certainly isn’t as romantic as a Michelotto, but it’s almost unquestionably a superior car. Hell, it even gets better fuel economy.