Visual diffrent between the 308 GTB and the 308 GTS

The main difference is the roof of the GTS has a very noticible upturned ridge at the leading edge of the removable roof hatch, where the roof of the GTB is very smooth from the windshield to the trailing edge.

The other very noticable visual cue is the louvers in the rear quarter panel window.
Int the GTB you see the glass window, on a GTS they are a full louvered panel that hinges out to access the fuel filler on one side.

Bumpers are very light on the original 1975 -79.

Then get heavier and heavier visually, until with the 328 they drop down almost vertically from the leading edge of the car!!!!

You need to make a FCA show where they are all lined side by side to see!!!!

HTH,
Alan

 

The rear engine hatch is a tip off as to year also....

Two simple rows of louvers are early cars 1975 thru 1977

Then the louvers run full across and join together beginning 1978.

Past 1980 go by the rear badges:

308GTB or S followed by lower case 'i' are 1980 thru 82.

Then the last 308s are labeled "Quattrovalve" for the 4 valve heads 1983 -85.

 

Here are a couple of photos for comparison.


You can see the side louvers over the windows, then differences in the louvers on the hood as well. 308s have them behind the headlights, 328s do not. I forget when the louvers appeared on the hood - maybe with the QVs??



PDG
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The 328s also have the body colored bumpers (although there are a few 308s out there that have them painted, thats not how they left the factory).

308s should have black bumpers - regardless of the color of the car.



PDG

 

Of course that's a GTB, the GTS has a removable targa roof!! LOL!

That's a Euro, from the bicolor front bumper turn signal lights....

It's newer than 1980, when the FRONT hood got louvers..(I forgot that from previous posts)

Past that, it could be early injected but I suspect that's a later Euro Quattrovalve example..they had the 'Flash to pass' lights in the front grill.....

The wheel color looks a little 'dark' to me..probably changed for owner preference......

 

I dont know for certain, there are others who are more knowledgeable, but that looks like a QV (83-85), and yes it is a GTB.

As to desirability, thats in the eye of the buyer. There are folks here who LOVE their GTB, while I prefer my GTS. I like the roof off driving. For competition the GTB wins due to being more structurally rigid and weighing a bit less than the GTS.



PDG

 

@BT - that car has the US side markers though.... so it looks more like a US car to me.




PDG

 

The photo you posted HAS spent some time in North America as the rectangular side marker lights are a requrement for "over here" and not Europe.

They also mounted them at unusual heights.

They should be at the same height, front and rear as on mine here...
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Good catch - I hadnt noticed the different height, just the shape. So, appears now that it may be a Euro car that got federalized.



PDG

 

It is a Euro spec 308 quatrovalve GTB. 1983 to 1985 though probably a 1984 or 85 looking at the wheels.

Dave

 

Old style door handles....

I think you nailed it, Dave!!!!

 

This is really interesting. I have a question on this topic. I have always preferred the gtb look to the gts because it looks to me like the rooflines on the two models are different. The gtb roof appears to have a "crown" to it that flows with the overall lines of the car. The gts roofline appears less crowned, or flatter, such that it doesn't seem to fit the cars lines as well. Is this an optical illusion? Perhaps someone lucky enough to own one of each could somehow measure the crowning and let us know.

Having said all that I love both of them and would prefer the gts for the top down ride. I just wish Ferrari would molded the targa to match "b" roof contours exactly.

 

The "B" sure stands out!
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I don't own either versions (sadly), but I'd say the GTS targa top does look a bit flatter than the GTB's. This may be due to ease of manufacture of the top or it could be to match the strengthening modifications made to the windscreen surround and the rear structure for safety reasons.

Two other things that highlight the lack of flow in the GTS' roof design are the lip on the top of the windscreen rail to deflect air away from the cabin and the fact that in normal trim, the targa top is black and not colour coded.

It should be remembered though that the GTB was designed from the beginning to be an attractive design at all times whereas the GTS design was a slightly compromised one in order to look good with the roof removed, and when this is taken into account, both designs work exactly as intended.

 

The B roof is more rounded and the targa roof is flatter and does not fit flush with the top of the windshield.

Dave