2B or not 2B--308GTS?

Today is 1 April 2012. I joined F.Cht. today. A week or two ago, for some reason, I started to look at 208/308. Chatted with a cousin and talk to a couple of people and then looked at the internet. Looking for a driver to start, not concours. Want a good driver and engine and transmission, but do not want to pay a lot. A car or two shook out and then today saw the red PA. car which is amazing for $38,000 a show winner and a perfect rosa example. But it is E.C. and I'm on the W.C., so another one, not looking too perfect is something I might attempt to get into: 32,000 asking and no paperwork! No manuals or booklets and no covers for any of that original material. Tires will be new, if I get it. Serviceable Continentals. Allegedly had belt service. some dents and scratches and a front boot lid that is bent to the point that it does not sit down too well on the driver's side. It's a lhd. This is an 87 328GTS. I have driven it. This was my first ever entry into a 308/328 cockpit. I had to be told that the shift is a dog-leg. Drove it a while. I am doing one thing right: arranging for a ppi. - alexford

 

This 328 is an odd duck in a sense. Gold clear metallic paint on sticker and car. First thing: no paperwork on car and history. History has been verbal and is essentially something like folklore. Second Issue: Been promised some information about past places doing work and location of original or at least owner previous to the current one. That has not panned out. Now attempting to negotiate a PPI. Filled out purchase agreement and provided down-payment. # of car is: 69509. I've looked enough to know that numbering is every other rather than sequential prior to the 75000 number. This is an 87. Car has a bent front boot lid and a number of cosmetic issues and has been hit. The drive was nice, but there are idle issues. A smog certificate proves that someone has said it passed smog in California. The drive resulted in my seeing no smoke at any time during idle or driving and the acceleration seemed quite strong without any flat spots or hesitations. Thus the injection appears to be functioning as it should. Seats are a light whitish cream color, not beige with no piping. Any thoughts on this car would be helpful--Thanks, Alex Ford

 

The Ferrari I drove last Thursday has another somewhat unusual aspect in that it is gold. The seller has agreed to take a dent out of the roll hoop. It appears to me that someone lost their grip on the Targa roof while removing or attempting to install it in place. Actually, though I've not seen it, a paintless dent removal tech. is said to have fixed that dent. A key for the center console is not available, but a key is to be sourced from a locksmith. Further work on the idle that goes high sometimes for no apparent reason will be looked at for a second time. Finally, a auto transport company will take the Ferrari from its current location to the Auto Gallery in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles to have expert, Eric, look at it and do the inspection. This will sort of be the final effort to observe weather or not a reasonable driver has been found.

In addition to no smoke being seen by me during the short time I observed it in idle, the 328 not only accelerated hard and had no flat spots or misses and has passed smog, this 51,000 mile car has a full leather dash and gauge surround. Seats are in good shape. A rear hanging material had to be replaced. The rear end had work on it after some sort of an unplanned run-in with something; result: appears just a bit off in fitment though color appears well-blended. Some tar marks or touch-up, not sure which marks are evident as well. Has a long scratch on the passenger's side and at the present, the wheels have curb rash on a couple of them. This Ferrari 328 GTS will not win any beauty contests. Still, if it passes the PPI, I will have found a bit of an unusual driver. I did get some compression results, as follows: 160, 155, 155, 150, 150, 155, 155, 149. The variation is thus under 10% and within normal range for a U. S. delivery.

Lastly, having learned quite quickly the dog-leg shift pattern, I was beginning to have too much fun during the test drive and had to reign in the temptation from going South Ca. 101 to North 101 and onto 1, just to see if it continued to be fun all the way to Hearst Castle. Alas, I controlled myself and drove back to the dealership knowing that there was further business to take care of, it I was ever to officially own this or any other 328--Alex Ford