308 VIN numbers

Welcome to FerrariChat. If your car is a US version, you'll have a manufacture plate mounted on the driver's door sill which indicates the month and year of production. But you would have found that by now, so apparently yours is a Euro version.

Let us know your serial number and I'm sure we can extrapolate.

Barry
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John, you should register your car here, seems like you will have the latest 85 GTS to register.
http://www.308qvregister.com/

 

And you can also register on the Ferrari Owners site and request a Heritage Certificate which will indicate the date of manufacture completion.

 

Heritage Certificates are only for pre fuel injected models. 79 and earlier carb cars. You can get the color certificate and that has the build date also but also for pre '80 models.
I just checked the owners site and it looks as if the color certificate is the only document available.

 

Looks like your car is Swiss and very late '85 production. FChatter LouGaudio has 59149, also Swiss production. This might be useful:

Courtesy of www.308qvregister.com


308 QV V ehicle I dentification N umber decoded


First digit - Z = This digit identifies the country of origin. Italy was assigned the letter Z

Second digit F = This digit identifies the marque (MARK) F for Ferrari, If Ferrari would have continued with the Dino nomenclature this digit would have been a D for Dino.

Third digit F = This digit identifies the manufacturer. F is for Ferrari.

Fourth digit L/R/U/M = This identifies the engine type. L = European 308 / R = Australian 308 / U = USA 308 1984-85 only / M = USA 308 1983 only

Fifth digit A = This digit represents the restraint system. A = 3 point inertia belts with auto retractors for front seats only (two passenger car)

Sixth & Seventh 12/13 = These numbers represent the body type or model, 12 for 308 GTB / 13 for 308 GTS.

Eighth digit A/B/C/D/J/R/S/T/X = This digit identifies the market for which the car was built for. A = Left hand drive North America / B = Left hand drive European / C = Right had drive UK / D = Right hand drive Australia / J = Left hand drive Japan / R = Left hand drive Russia / S = Left hand drive Switzerland and/or Sweden / T = Middle East / X = One-off, prototype & competizione.

Ninth digit 1-9 or X or A = USA check digit, this digit is calculated by adding the numerical value of each other position and then divided SEE FORMULA . The numerical remainder becomes the ninth digit unless the remainder is 10 and then the letter "X" is used. If not a USA car the ninth digit will always be a "0" except for Japan where it will sometimes be an "A" .

Tenth digit D/E/F = This digit identifies the year and is only used for the USA and Middle Eastern market, all others will always be a "0" zero. "D" is for 1983 , "E" is for 1984 , "F" is for 1985 .

Eleventh digit 0 = This digit identifies the assembly plant, since Ferrari only has one plant to produce cars which is in Maranello this digit will always be a "0" zero.

Twelfth thru Seventeenth digits = These digits are the sequential production numbers assigned to its specific chassis and there are six positions, the 308 QV series started with chassis number 041701 and ended with number 059265

 

Hello John,

I see you have not subscribed yet. Should you choose to sell you car, I may be able to steer you to someone who may have an interest. Once you subscribe $15, you can send me an email directly via Fchat.
Al

 

I registered my '85 308 a year ago or so. That site is excellent and I learned a lot from reading it.

Nice job, Impactco.

BTW: I just completed the certification program with my car. Do you think that should be added to my car entry?

 

As Impactco said, the car here is #59149, Swiss spec, build date late july 1985. My "build number" is 1261.
Look on the left side of the engine compartment, just next to the coolant tank. There is a number stamped into the top of the steel frame member, usually under a little "flap" of black frame paint. The original exterior paint color is under there too, unless the flap has been removed and painted over black.
This number, for Euro cars (by my research anyway) is the chronilogical consecutive build # of all European market Ferrari road car frames constructed for that model year.
The only higher vin I know of is 59265, and I don't know where that car is, or if it still even exists as a complete car.
The car (vin) #'s are for ALL Ferrari models built that year, so this would include Testarossa and Mondial, and perhaps even early 328? I was told by more than one "authority" that my car was one of the last 16 308's (both USA and Euro market)built in 85.
So, you got the latest built AFAIK !!
my .02

 

Thanks Michael for such a detailed explantion of the numbering system. I am sure this is going to be of great help to a lot of F chatters. When I get home I will be able to find a little bit more about my car.

 

Lou, how'd you get your Euro registered in CA?

 

John, did you find the date of production and the gearbo number...? I would love to know both.

 

MONEY.

It cost about 6K to have it converted to cats, lambda box, frequency valve, charcoal cannister etc. Cost included all the testing and EPA required docs etc. The PO and I sort of split the cost in the sale transaction, long story involving the barter system. I was quoted up to 12K by some shops, and less than 5k to do it a little "less than legal" by others. G&K Engineering in Santa Ana did the work in a straight forward legal way (they are EPA licensed conversion shop), for a fair price, good guys.

 

As per Gabriel's Dino, 59265 is supposed to be the last 308 GTS QV. But I have 59273 as being a Swiss '85 GTS QV, but I have no information on the car. I also have 59847 as being a European '85 GTS QV that was stolen on Halloween in Milan, in 1986. It's a red/crema car that was then seen in France in September, 2003.

 

don't waste your time with 308register that site is a joke I've left many voice mails,e-mails, and a month ago when I got my 308 I register on that site and still its not in there, I've tried to call and left mesg. and they can't return the calls, I've wasted alot of time with that site, thats how I fell.............. but grats on your new toy if your in calif I know many shops that can help you,even on the smog issue

 

if you want to keep the car I'm sure it won't cost that much to just pass smog, there is a guy in L.a. county(ferrari tech) if you want the phone # let me know, he can get it to pass smog

 

and then one time..at BAND CAMP.....!

Really !! Where is this info coming from ?

Seriousley, I'm interested.!!

 

If this helps, if it does not I apologize My car was a MarcH 2004$ build date, serial #50693, it was delivered new, within a week of the truck from FNA at BoB Sharp Ferrari in Danbury, Ct on 26 May 1984, I hope this little bit of info helps you in your quest because, to the best of my rememberance, ANDas well as wht I've read here, US 1985 production bEgan in May 2004

 

Put down the 12 year single malt, and step away from the keyboard.( and I'll put down my glass of central coast syrah)

I am sure you meant to type 1984, not 2004, correct?

but.. we get the point....1984....2004...(we love these cars, coherent...or not {ask my wife}.

 

Hey Mike, sorry you are dissatisfied with my website. It is a hobby of mine not a full time gig. I update it when I can and try to answer emails when I can. I have been running it for about 8 years now and it has helped out a lot of people. I plan on doing some updates by months end and your car will appear on it. Again I appologize for not being on top of it but I only have so much time to dedicate.


Wade
www.308qvregister.com
www.sportclassiccomp.com

 

The registry has been updated www.308qvregister.com




Wade

 

Surely you can't be serious.