Last known 1987 328 serial number before 1988 MY changeover?

It all seems pretty random.

For the US 328 GTB, there are cars built in September that are registered in that year (built in '86, registered as an '86) and then there are cars built in the same year, same month of September, which are registered as MY '87.

Same thing happened in September of '87; cars built during the first part of the month registered as MY '87, cars that were built later in the month registered as MY '88.

But all the cars built in September of '88 are registered as MY '88 and all cars built after that (Oct. forward) are registered as MY '89.

Now, this is for US 328 GTB. I believe things are different for other markets and different for the US 328 GTS.

-F

 

I'd just add that "model year" in the US is really more about the configuration of the hardware and matching the date(s) shown on the emission stickers under the bonnet (rather than the actual date of production).

 

Exactly (the assigned VIN and all the labels that specify "model year" need to match each other). My guess would be that the actual physical differences between the last 1987 US 328 and the first 1988 (non-abs) US 328 would be extremely small or nil.

 

Furthermore, many of the major changes that occurred with the 328 happened outside of the model year change, they tended to occur within the given model year.

Things like changes to the door handles, changes to the wheels, changes to the shocks, etc. Those all occurred within the middle of the production cycle and did not track with the model year changes.

The above is based on the US 328 GTB. The changes to the GTS and the Euro models may have occurred more in line with the actual model year change over.

-F

 

As I have already stated a few times, in Europe, the “concept” of model year as such was not used by Ferrari, even if the cars were indeed identified by M.Y in the different countries where these were sold, but…it did not mean a thing.

As stated by “Furmano” above, Ferrari introduced modifications on the 328s as these modification were devised, all along the production and progressively, when the mods were ready and were the production line was ready also.

Whereas the “concept” of model year mean that during a year of production, the manufacturer stacks all changes devised by its technical team during that year ready on the shelves to be introduced all at the same time (the changeover is July 1st in France) to make one model year variant really different form the one before, with a full package of small modifications all introduced at the same time.

As stated by Steve, there is probably no difference whatsoever between the last M.Y 1987 328 and the first M.Y 1988 328…

Whereas there is a BIG difference in 328s before and after chassis #76626, namely a revised suspension and chassis, with different camber, toe in, front and rear tracks, different wheels offsets, different wheelbase (actually half an inch shorter on the revised suspension) different pyramids of tubes for anchoring the front suspension and providing antidive, etc…

Now, if the concept of “Model year” was pertinent to Ferraris, you would have thought that this major modification, the most important to happen during the 328 production, would be worth a change of model year? But it happened in the middle of February 1988, without any change whatsoever in the model year of the car, even if these were indeed worth a new certification of the chassis by the department of transportation: from F 106 AS/R to F106 AS/PB.
A good proof that Ferrari production was evolving independently of the M.Y concept: the most important change in the 328 production occurred outside and independantly from a change of model year…

There might be no difference whatsover in the last M.Y 1987 328 and the first M.Y 1988 328, but there is a big difference in cars before 76626 and after...a change that occured in February 1988, outside any M.Y change.

Rgds

 

Out of over 5000 328 vins the last US 87 I have is 74331.

As someone else said model year is defined differently everywhere you go. The US require an official declaration of model year but even then there is a great deal of flexibility when that happens and changes year to year. In 87 it happened mid September. It is not always at that time.

As an example US 83 QV's started in early March or possibly late February 83 and continued to mid December 83. 84's went from December 83 to mid July 84.


I have 24 vins higher than yours considered 87's and I have about 2/3 of the 328 vins.

 

my GTS has a Feb. 88 build date. It is registered as an 88 but is a transition between the 1988 and the 1988.5. It has features of both (but no suspension change). I think the 88.5 started in March 88. My VIN is 76289.

 

The first car with the suspension changes (so "1988.5") is a GTB sold new in Italy, #76626, which today is in Canada. Two or three cars with chassis # post 76626 still have the "older" suspension however, like 76632 (GTB, owner is an F-Chatter) or 76647 (a GTS).

Rgds

 

Yes there were a number of other changes which happened before the suspension change, such as the revised interior door trims and latches, which were 71597. Then the exterior latches changed on 75929 with the latch recesses being a separate part fitted with a black gasket.

 

And, among others :

- From engine # 2537 (car 71381) on Euro cars and # 1406 (car 71401) on US cars, new valves with chromed “tail” (from the French “queue de soupape”)
- From car 75272 on Euro production, GTS 76628 and GTB 76726 on US cars (so not relevant for the car in question which is US) new oil cooler with flexible duct
- From car 75592, new front hood with the lifting strut changing from driver’s side (former) to passenger side
- From car 76076, new motors for the heater blowers.


Some of us are still trying to pinpoint some minute changes, mostly cosmetics:

- For the cars with the slim spare wheel (5 ½ space saver) the change in color from silver, to gunmetal, rim
- The change in script on the airbox cover from “Ferrari UFI, etc…” to “Ferrari” only
- The change in the stitching on the dashboard lip, under the instrument binnacle, in front of the steering column

Rgds