First-time poster here. I'm excited to finally join the ranks! This Thursday Sept. 18, I'll be flying from San Diego up to Portland with a good friend who's a fellow FerrariChat member and owner of a beautiful 360. The plan is to buy my first Ferrari! I'm picking up a 1983 308 gts from another member on Friday morning. The plan is to embark on the ultimate road trip, with my friend and I driving the 308 all the way back down to sunny San Diego. As you can imagine, we're expecting a bit of an "experience" with a vintage Ferrari road trip. I’d like to do a bit of coastal driving maybe south of San Francisco, but we will surely do mostly I5 in the interest of time. While we're hoping for nothing but smooth sailing (and lots of music from the V8), I understand that we’ll be on a long road trip in a 42 year old Italian car. My friend and I both have years of experience working on older cars with mechanical fuel injection. However if anyone along the I-5 corridor between Portland and San Diego happens to be around and willing to lend a hand in the event we get stranded, we'd be incredibly grateful. Please feel free to PM me your contact info. Wish us luck on our journey! I'll be sure to post an update when we make it back home. Image Unavailable, Please Login
^^^ I will update this thread with our journey as it happens I'm the friend riding along and trying to figure out what small set of tools and parts to bring. Besides basic wrenches, and screwdrivers and pliers and such, this is what I'm thinking so far: -Voltmeter + long test leads and jumper wires -Fuses (I think it has upgraded aftermarket fuse box is there anything special to know about it?) -Zip ties -Duct tape -Safety wire -Coolant hose splice connectors multiple sizes -Fluids, water, oil, brake -Carb cleaner (to check for vacuum leaks and as a starting fluid) Image Unavailable, Please Login So I'm used to K-Jetronic, been messing with it my whole life on VW Rabbits and Sciroccos, how hard is it on this 308 to pop an injector out and check spray pattern and if it's working or leaking? Any other parts to bring that would be likely to fail? Something like a fuel pump relay or anything of that nature? Thanks! This is gonna be fun!
https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/fuel-injector-removal-tool.630460/ Fuel injector removal tool. Easy to make.
Ahh thanks that is a bit more involved than the tool im used to with VWs. I just place this under the injector hex and pry up and the injector and rubber o-ring pop out together. You don't even disconnect the fuel line so you can then point the injector in a jar or whatever and test the spray pattern Image Unavailable, Please Login
Congrats and welcome to the club! You’ll really enjoy the 308. I love mine and it’s such a great experience driving it around. Looking forward to the pics! Life’s about the journey. Good on ya for making it a fun one! cheers Dave
No pressure on the guy selling the car…. Ironically, I drove it up from Cali so back she goes the way she came. - Dave
Make sure to plan extra time at each stop to allow for all the questions and comments. You will spend more time answering questions about the car than filling the tank. That will continue after the trip also.
Timing belt: Do you know if the timing belt and timing belt tensioner bearings have been recently changed? Bring one? Water-pump belt (maybe includes AC, but that is not important -- the water pump is) Car jack: the aluminum ones from Harbor Freight are quite nice Flashlight, reading glasses, and gloves (if you me, you definitely need the reading glasses and flashlight for up close repairs)
The car looks like it comes with the stock widow-maker style jack. Stopping at Harbor Freight for a small hydraulic jack might be a good idea if there's room. Flashlight and gloves are good, that's going on the list. Going over my racing/track day list now.. I'll also add Extinguisher Tire pressure gauge a few hose clamps
IF the car is in good mechanical condition it will be fine. I drove my 328 2700 miles from Las Vegas to the east coast 2 days after I saw it for the first time/bought it. The only thing it needed on the trip was fuel. The 328 has been more reliable (as in totally reliable/never an issue) than any of my wife's last three MBs purchased new and I suspect nobody would give a second thought about driving an MB from Portland to San Diego! Enjoy!
