Factory Re-bodied Glass 308s with Steel?

Recently uploaded YouTube video from a Belgian sports car dealer claiming Ferrari re-bodied glass cars in steel. Just curious if this is actually true. Pertinent section starts @ 0:50:

- Dave

 

Sounds like BS to me, it can be confirmed with the serial number.

 

The answer is NO!

Also, the car in the video is an original steel car! Pininfarina badge on the left, license plate area recessed, rear bonnet hinges are steel body hinges.

 

And what would have been their motivation to do so?

 

OMG! You mean the internet doesn't always get facts right????

 

Completely original and un-restored............with new leather interior.

 

Unfortunately, the S/N can’t be determined from the video and I can’t find the car on their site.

I think that’s the point: the dealer is claiming the car was originally delivered with a glass body and was re-bodied in steel by the factory.

I can’t answer that. The dealer mentions a fire issue with early cars in the video, so perhaps the body was replaced under warranty for lack of a better term, or perhaps if there were a couple of fires early on, Ferrari didn’t want disgruntled owners talking bad about their new baby.
IDK, but the other thing is the dealer’s claiming it’s a ‘76; there were no steel ‘76 cars, right?
I did email the dealer asking for the car’s dossier; I’ll provide an update if I get a response.
- Dave

 

The guy is full of ****! If Ferrari would do anything, and that's a BIG IF, they would give them a new steel car not rebody an existing car!

They started building the steel body cars around July of '76. They built both to around May of '77. After that it was basically all steel

 

They still had replacement fiberglass.Why use steel? Too many differences to just stick on different panels.

I agree, guy is full of it.

 

The man is not a dealer of any brand, all cars at Oldtimer Farm are there on consignment and he collects a nice commission when they are sold. He has +/- 300 cars in stock, of course not all Ferraris. As he exsist for a longtime he has some expertise but what he was saying about the 308..........ahum

 

My 20405 was a 1976 production VIN and "previous" to most accepted steel cars.

But it was obviously steel.
What's the VIN on this offering is it shown anywhere??

 

Odd also that it has "later" tail lights, the 1976 Euro should have solid amber round turn lenses with the Reverse Lamps cut into the rear bumper.

Nice to see these older cars in such nice condition, but the Rebody Tale is highly suspect.
The ;glass was so think to avoid cracking there might not have been any real weight savings at all.

Euro bumers of course save several huindred pounds weightover our North American versions.

 

I wrote to Old Timer Farm shortly after making the original post and asked for the s/n.....no response so far. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
- Dave

 

In November, 1984, while walking through the main assembly line building, I saw a 308GTB (Euro carb version, short louvers over engine) sitting to one side. I have no idea whether or not it was glass or steel but it was an early car, roughly 7-8 years old. I inquired and was told it belonged to "...a very special person..." who had returned it to the factory for ...(damn, I cannot remember what Matteo told me that cold morning 43 years ago). But he did say that the presence of that car was an exception because Ferrari rarely allowed cars to be returned by customers. I too find it hard to believe that they rebodied the one above.

 

So just to follow up, I did hear back from OldTimerFarm and the car's s/n is 19465, with a build date of 5/26/76 according to the FoBH website. Additionally, Robert Retzlaff notes 19465 as a Glass car. If steel construction started in July, then somehow a car with a s/n denoted as leaving the factory with a glass body, acquired a steel body.
I'm not supporting Mr. Molenaar's story - or theorizing about any other alternate narratives - just asking a question and hoping someone with first-hand knowledge could confirm or deny that such a thing could have happened.
- Dave

 

I doubt that the Factory would have taken a completed Fiber Glass car, and put a new steel body on it - Unless it was used for testing or a pre production car. that I could see. Back in the day the fiberglass cars were not well liked, as they were more expensive to make, and harder to work with. Ferrari did not like the thought of Cheap kit car material either... so steel was the appropriate material for a Ferrari. SO if it was done at the factory, it would have been seen as a major upgrade....

 

Oh, to make them heavier, so they would stick to the road better. EVeryone knows FRP cars were too light and would just launch themselves into the air on turns. I myself have experienced this. (Swampland in FL also for sale here)

 

or skip across the swamp

 

very fishy story. i would rather think it is not a rebodied car but a renumbered car....