Value of an original paint job?

A very high quality professional respray, with proper disassembly, is going to be better than the mediocre original paint job in terms of how good it looks.

The important thing is to know why it was repainted. E.g., red is very fade-prone, so if a 308 spent its whole life in Arizona, and was never in a serious accident, it would probably need a repaint. Remember, a '79 car is 27 years old, and paint in 1979 wasn't very good to start.

From what I have seen and read, post-factory paintwork on Ferraris is extremely common (aside from the very recent cars). These cars get lots of rock chips, plus 20+ years of scratches and scrapes. I'd be more concerned with the history of the car and the reasons for/quality of the paintwork. Also, check the paint color code label (probably on the inside of the rear deck lid) to confirm the repaint is in the original color.

 

As a new 1980 308 GTSi owner, I asked the same question. Mine had a more recent good quality repaint. A friend suggested that mine at 52,000 miles had been out in the sun and weather a lot. So maybe a lower milage car (obviously garage kept when not running) could have a very nice original paint.

Also, I was told that back then Ferrari didn't use a clear coat. A more modern paint job with UV protectors and tough clear coat may be more desirable.

Just my thoughts as a new Ferrari Owner.

Good luck

Marc

 

Go for the 85 QV with the original paint, that you can preety much see the real original condition with your naked eye. Repainted car is risky since you can't see whats under those nonoriginal paint. Find out why it was painted in the first place. Plus for me QV is much more reliable and the 85 is the last year of the 308 series much newer, lots of upgrade from previous 308's and requires less tinkering.

 

i would rather have one with crappy old paint than new paint covering crappy body work. i detest color changes on crs unless they are cheap and the issue is discussed before a final price is reached.

 

color doesn't mean much to me because it can be changed. Rust is another issue. my 308GTB was grigio when it left the factory. today, it is bright silver and an original period-correct ferrari color.

 

Having the original paint is about as important as having the original tires. It really doesn't matter. Especially on a 308. As long as the paint is in good shape, it won't matter even to a concours judge so it shouldn't matter as a buyer.

Basically I am NOT going to pay $XXXX.00 more for a good 308 just because it has a factory paint job. I'll pay more for one in excellent mechanical shape and forget about who painted it.

 

I'd go for the QV, but not because of the paint. Prior to '84 the body was NOT electro galavanized & was very rust prone. I've got an '82 QV & have to watch it very carefully.

The QV engine is probably more powerful than the '78 carb'd engine, and is a lot less finicky.

Also, the QV paint is a much more modern paint than the lacquer used on the '70s 308s. Like any modern paint, it'll hold up fine as long as you minimize sun exposure & keep a good coat of wax on it.

If you still are considering the '78, get the VIN & run a CARFAX on it to see if there's any accidents or signs of odometer roll-back, etc.

 

I'd go for the QV, but not because of the paint. Prior to '84 the body was NOT electro galavanized & was very rust prone. I've got an '82 QV & have to watch it very carefully.

The QV engine is probably more powerful than the '78 carb'd engine, and is a lot less finicky.

Also, the QV paint is a much more modern paint than the lacquer used on the '70s 308s. Like any modern paint, it'll hold up fine as long as you minimize sun exposure & keep a good coat of wax on it.

Whichever car you're considering, get the VIN & run a CARFAX report on it to see if there's any accidents or signs of odometer roll-back, etc.

 

Front and rear repaints are almost a service item for these cars (drive a euro deep front car and you'll know what I mean!)

the majority of these cars will have had paintwork at some time, it's pretty easy to spot........no orange peel / runs / fisheyes like they had when they left the factory

 

I agree with Verell about choosing the QV and doing the carfax

 

How do you get a Carfax on a 78 vehicle-not enough numbers is the VIN.