My 308 "GTO look" project | FerrariChat

My 308 "GTO look" project

Discussion in 'Detailing & Showroom' started by bert308, Nov 16, 2003.

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  1. bert308

    bert308 Formula 3
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    Nov 30, 2002
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    Bert Kanters
    I posted "building a GTO" in the old Fchat exact 1 year ago, here is a little update. Work takes much longer than I originally estimated. Especially preparing for paint. To smooth out 1 door takes me 2 working days, the frontspoiler I did many times and it still is not good, etc. Anyway, I'm not getting it painted before winter so I put some temporary paint on it with a brush, a 5 Euro can from the home improvement store. So I can actually get an idea what I'm building and it protects against surface rust. With some gloss I can judge the reflections on the surface and I have to say, they look a little weird some places under certain light. I'm not happy with the decision I made to turn the transition between door and rear panel into a sharp angle instead of a smooth transition like a GTO has, but I'm not gonna change it anymore. There are some other small issues that have to be corrected. Except the painting I didn't do anything for over a month but now I'm starting some regular maintenance, change the belts, examine waterpump bearings, rebuild the brake calipers and other things. Hope to have the car painted and, short time after that, on the road next spring. Here are some pictures.

    edit: pictures from the start until now: www.ferrari308.tk
     
  2. bert308

    bert308 Formula 3
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    Bert Kanters
  3. bert308

    bert308 Formula 3
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    Nov 30, 2002
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    Bert Kanters
  4. bert308

    bert308 Formula 3
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    Bert Kanters
    Look how left and right are indentical (almost), not as easy to achieve as you might think! In fact it is more symmetric now than it was originally. Take some measurements from your 308 and you'll be surprised!
     
  5. bert308

    bert308 Formula 3
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    Ignore the agricultural background :)
    The tires are still white from sanding dust.
     
  6. bert308

    bert308 Formula 3
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    The paint is not THAT good.
     
  7. bert308

    bert308 Formula 3
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    68-66-72, perfect measurements for a car?
     
  8. bert308

    bert308 Formula 3
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    Topless GTO? Looks like Barbie's Ferrari...
     
  9. bert308

    bert308 Formula 3
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    Last one. At least one picture with some photographic quality. The paint on the car is to orange, like the formula-1 red, but in this picture taken at full tele it looks more like the normal darker Ferrari red.
     
  10. allanlambo

    allanlambo F1 Rookie

    Jun 9, 2002
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    Allan
    Thats awesome. Doing anything to the motor?
     
  11. Peter

    Peter F1 Veteran
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    Dec 21, 2000
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    B.C., Canada
    I've been following your project since you first posted on the old FChat site and I'm impressed with the work so far. Keep it up, it looks really good.

    Do you still have your Lancia Montecarlo? A picture of that, plus this 308 of yours came up on a Lancia site I was looking at some time ago...
     
  12. bert308

    bert308 Formula 3
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    Herbie and the Montecarlo, both waiting for better times to come...
    The crank from the MC seized, 2 years ago. There was always something with that car, the 308 is much more reliable and easier to maintain. If I find the time however I will fix it. Some day...

    I'll leave the 308 engine standard, I want to drive the damn thing now, and often!
     
  13. ForzaFerrari

    ForzaFerrari F1 Veteran

    Jul 25, 2003
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    Waldo
    man..you have some nice cars! And you have 'guts' to just cut open a Ferrari to re-built it as another model :)
    It starts to look really nice!
     
  14. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Where did you get those front turn signals? Real?
     
  15. FerrariFrank1

    FerrariFrank1 F1 Rookie

    Aug 15, 2003
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    Andreas. Did you ever check out that website yet? The one that I posted for the guy out in Arizona who does the 308/288 conversions. He can probably get you any "individual" pieces that you need,so that you can do it a little bit at a time. Check him out. www.italianauto.com He's very knowledgable,and professional. Knows alot about Ferrari's. He has a really nice set-up out there. I've been out there. ...Bert,your car looks very cool. Did you ever check with this guy for your mirrors? He has been in the business for awhile,and has advertised in Hemmings for a long time. They are pretty particular about their advertisers,and jump right on someone's ass if they don't deliver,or,send "junk". So,I will venture to say that you can trust him. Believe me. I've been to his place,and,he's not going anywhere!(leaving)...ForzaFerrari,I'm with you on this one! I couldn't do it to the car that I have now. I'd have to find one with some body damage or something,so that any cutting,changes,etc... would not only make the car "cooler",But...at the same time be improving it,and "fixing it"..
     
  16. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Frank, I know both of these places, thanks. They do have the mirrors, I know.

    However nobody has the turn signals. In another thread a long time ago somebody stated the same thing: The hardest to find piece of the entire GTO conversion are the darn front turn signals. First I thought no big deal, until I saw them in real life: They're very tiny and it looks Bert just got them right.
     
  17. jordan747_400

    jordan747_400 F1 Veteran
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    Dec 9, 2002
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    Man that is looking great! I have been following your project's pictures for a while and you have made some real progress! Cant wait to see it on the road...and Im sure you cant either :)
     
  18. bert308

    bert308 Formula 3
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    Front turn signals: for months I was watching each car I came across to see if it had suitable units. I thought the Suzuki Alto's came closest so I got those at a wrecking yard (no, I didn't go out at night with a screwdriver to get one from a nurses car). I made the front bumper, and THEN I found, in an old box at home, the Fiat 127 units I bought long time ago for my Sud but never used, and those were perfect! I had to rebuild the frontbumper then, but is was worth it. It may be possible they used the same lenses for the GTO, at least I have Italian "altissimo" written on it now instead of japanese. The round indicator repeaters however have "japan" written on them, I'm cheap :), also I think it is funny to give the "know-it-alls" some ammunition: "you see it is a kitcar, it says japan here!"

    As I mentioned sometime on the old Fchat, I ordered mirrors from Jim Carpenter, Phoenix Arizona, he also sold the bodykits, and he was really friendly in the ordering process. Then I paid the 452 dollar including shipping with paypal and never heard from him again. I could see he was active on ebay, using the same email adress I used, so neither he or his computer crashed or died. I was to late complaining with paypal, so I filled in a recharge form with my creditcard company, and they did a recharge so I got my money back. Paypal is investigating the matter now, I'll wait for the final result, maybe Mr.Carpenter has some crazy excuse and will sent the mirrors after all, I don't think so however and then I will contact Mr Hooper at Italianauto. I was thinking to get some suitable mirrors from another car and put them on a flagstick, but hey, do I have to build everything myself? I noticed in the build that very little details can make or break the car, and convincing, not homebuild looking rear mirrors is one of those.
     
  19. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Thanks Bert for the info on the turn signals. Would you be so kind as to elaborate what Japanese car the side turn signals came from? I have been doing the same thing btw, checking every street car for similar signals, but in the US that is a bit harder to do.

    In case you find nothing for your mirrors, I know the guys in Long Island (Berlinetta Motors) use just plain mirrors on their rebodies. Vitalonis would be pretty cool I think.
     
  20. bert308

    bert308 Formula 3
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    Nissan Sunny and Micra, about 1987-1990. I can sent you some if you want, they're for free and plenty around at my local wrecking yard.
    I see the original Ferrari signals on the Dutch ebay sometimes and they are like 50 Euro or something, not worth it for me.

    I also got some Audi 80 mirrors as that is one of the few modern cars that still has mirrors on the doors and not in the corner of the windows. They can be fitted and look good, maybe a bit to modern and streamlined.
    I decided to treat myself to some real (=replica) GTO mirrors. First I thought they would be a bit over the top (haha, litterally) but I photoshopped them on my car and now I think they are way cool.
     
  21. Artherd

    Artherd F1 Veteran

    Jun 19, 2002
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    looking damn good bert!

    I really want a 288GTO with GTS open roof. You are building the dream!

    Best!
    Ben.
     
  22. Bmyth-FDC

    Bmyth-FDC F1 Rookie

    Oct 4, 2002
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    wow, bert... that 308 re-body is really coming along great! I've been following the pictures of your project for a long time and I'm really impressed by your meticulous nature.

    Keep up the awesome work. Hope to see her on the road soon!

    Byron
     
  23. Teenferrarifan

    Teenferrarifan F1 Rookie

    Feb 21, 2003
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    Great job. That car really looks sharp.
    Erik
     
  24. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

    Nov 20, 2002
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    Car is looking great!

    I hope you can get all that sanding dust out of everything, as it is a real bast*rd. I assume thus, that you have plans to change the interior too ... I would get in there and clean it out asap before it becomes permanent if I was you :)

    Can't wait to see more progress installments.

    Pete
     
  25. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
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    i too have been following the rebody project. WOW! its nice to see someone tackle a job like this and come out on top. great news on the progress and please keep us posted!
     

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