Does anyone have the numbers of how many steel cars were made in 1976, AND how many were imported into the U.S.? A surprising number of sources list all of the 1976 GTBs as being fiberglass with the steel cars starting in 1977. (Look even at how accuracy-minute-detail-crazed Cavallino lists the 308's in the price guide...) Anyway, there WERE also steel cars in 1976 (including mine, #20577, built in December). Thanks for the help!
I don't know, and no one I know or knew ever knew. But, the GTB register lists a production of 644 GTB produced in 1976. They also claim the the first steel bodies were produced in the middle of the 77 model year. But what is the model year? I have been told recently that it starts in July, so my May 77 car should be near the end. I say that because the March 77 308 is number 277, and the May 77 car is 311th built. How they built another 652 cars in the next two months is beyond me.
Paul, If you are referring to the "Register for Ferrari 308 GTB carburetted models" (URL: www.308gtb.de), all I got was confused reading through that site which inspired my original thread and question. There is a bit of conflicting data on the site. It states the following: "Early 308 GTB's had a lightweight fibreglass body, in 1977 production changed to steel bodies." But then clearly lists – in the serial number listing – a generous amount of 1976-built steel cars. (And since I own a 1976 steel car, I know that they exist!) The site also says: "The last fibreglass car is, according to most of the books, s/n 21289. The first steel-bodied car is regarded to be 20805. But there is at least one steel car known in the USA with a lower number, having definitely a steel body! Experts claim that all 308 GTB's destined for the US market with numbers higher than 20000 are steel cars." But, in the car listings, the site lists many 1976 & 1977 steel cars with a lower number than the aforementioned "20805", the first three listed as 19367, 19805 and 19999. Maybe "20805" was a typo and they meant to say "19805". And perhaps "19367" being the "one steel car known in the USA with a lower number (than 20805), having definitely a steel body." The site also lists "20409" as a 1976 steel and "20385" as a 1977 car. How'd they manage a lower VIN number to be a later model year car? So either the 308 Registry has a few mistakes in it, or the Ferrari serial number guys were drinking a little too much at lunch at the nice little restaurant across the street from the factory... Anyway, I just proofed my post and it gave me a headache. If you (or anyone) can follow it, my hat's off to you. It's almost more instrutable than the average Cavallino article! And, for reference to the whole issue of how a "Model Year" is defined, my car, built in December of 1976, has always been titled and registered as a "1976" car. Pen
the rigistry is wrong, as are several older books. mine was 20433, steel, USA spec. made november of 76. i know of another steel euro dry sump 1976 GTB that has a 226xx chasis number thatw as sold new in Modena as a 1976 model. car still has the italian plates on it and is in a private collection here. the cars numbers were done in batches, i think there was a thread dicsussing this. also there was a thread about the number that is stamped on the left rear chasis member in the engine compartment near the coil braket. mine was "250A" some said it meant the number of chasis made that year on the line to be weled up into cars. my GTB wasnt tilted until 1977, but i swear it was really a 1976 model year car. i want to find a 1975 GTB, as they made and sold a few as 1975's. 712 cars were fiberglass, at 204 xx something they became only steel cars. i guess it would be nice to find out the last known glass car ( visually verified ) and compute the batches. i think the 308 GTBs were done in batches of 20 cars a week with the GT4 on another line?
my steel (US)308GTB is November 1976, serial # 20425. Cavallino magazine is looking into this - in there letters column, some guy from Michigan questioned the mag on the starting serial #'s for 308 steel models. He had a lower number than mine - think it was issue 152
The Ferrari 308GTB Register is another good source for the information you are looking for: http://www.r-design.net/308/index_e.html Barry
I also sent them a follow up letter to say that I was interested as well. No response yet - will post reply if I get one or if they cover in a future issue of Cavillino.
