1978 Ferrari 308 GTS No. 26451, Rossa Corsa, beautifully original

1978 Ferrari 308 GTS, beautifully preserved survivor

Excellent, very original Ferrari with complete history, and fully documented 63,638 miles

This is an extremely nice, well-maintained 1978 Ferrari 308 GTS in Rossa Corsa over tan with a fully documented history and authentic 63,638 miles. The serial number is 26451 and the build date is November, 1978. It was delivered new by the Griswold Co. Ferrari dealership in Berkeley, California to the original owner who was located in San Francisco, California where it remained until a few years ago. This is the desirable carbureted 308 with the removable targa top and is complete and documented in every way.

Much of this 308 is original and untouched- a true survivor. It has been pampered since new and carefully maintained. There are absolutely no issues and it is a sweetheart to own and drive. It is a thrill just to see it in the garage.

Exterior

This Ferrari has never been damaged in any way, and is very straight with excellent panel fit and finish. It shows very well, with only the tiniest of imperfections in the almost concours paint. The doors, hood, engine lid, and spare tire compartment lid all fit and close perfectly. The glass is all original and excellent as are the lights and lenses. The mirrors are OEM Ferrari, but are later 308 which is a desirable upgrade. If you wish to return to the original style mirrors, they are readily available from several suppliers and you could sell the later mirrors and make a tidy profit.

Interior

The interior is original, including the seats which are tan leather. The seats and other interior panels show very little wear or aging. The gauges are excellent and work perfectly. The carpet is in very nice to excellent condition and there are two sets of floor mats among the many spares that will come with the car. The only non-original features of the interior are the later radio and the lighter which is a later Ferrari version which allows use of plug in chargers, etc. The original lighter (that is a unique style where a cigarette is inserted for lighting) comes with the spares for re-installation if you so choose. The targa top is designed to stow behind the seats, and the original storage cover that snaps over it when stowed is present, including the storage pouch for the cover.

Engine, transmission, Rare Campagnolo factory 16 inch wheels

If you've not had a 308 before, you are in for a real treat as a good 308 is a pleasure to drive and own. Once you get familiar with the Weber carb cold start vs. warm starting procedure, the engine lights immediately. Oil pressure is excellent, water temperature stays nice and cool. The gated shifter and transmission are smooth and precise, the clutch takes up evenly, and the brakes pull straight and strong. On the interstate, the 308 settles in nicely, and the faster you go, the quieter it gets.

The engine bay is tidy and clean and is close to concours standards- very presentable as original. Underneath the driveline is dry and the fuel system and carburetors are free of leaks. The charging system works well as does the cooling system.

If you are a sharp-eyed Ferrari expert, you'll see that in the photos the wheels are Superformance 16 inch replicas. You're exactly right. I'm happy to report that factory OEM 16 inch Campagnolo wheels are included in the sale. They are so expensive and dear (current value over $1,000 each) that I keep them in storage for future concours exhibitions.

Extras included, records, manuals, and spares

Included with the 308 are the original and complete toolkit, original and complete jack kit with Ferrari emergency light, the aforesaid complete set of OEM Campagnolo 16 inch wheels, extra floor mats, original targa top storage cover, Ferrari factory parts manual, workshop manuals, extensive maintenance records, and the original 1978 sales brochure. My 308 is kept garaged and covered, and a fitted cover with storage bag is included.

Also included are original, as delivered, owner's manual, warranty and maintenance booklet, the original Ferrari fabric owner's manual case, and 1978 dealer list and service cards.

Service History and records

There are several myths about Ferraris that actual owners should dispel. One is that Ferrari parts are hard to find and terribly expensive. I have had excellent parts sourcing from vendors here in the US. You will also be well-served by Superformance in England. Being in the US, I found their shipping costs to be reasonable, and as fast as some US suppliers.

Another myth is that service is complicated and expensive. If you put a 308 up on a lift, you'll see that it is simply and sturdily built. Frankly, despite the mystery and the aura, it is a basic sports car, well made and designed. These cars are robust, and easier to work on than many others I have owned. Since I purchased this 308 almost 10 years ago, I have done all the service work myself and rather enjoyed it.

And another myth is that you have to "pull the engine" to replace the timing belts. Per Ferrari, the timing belts should be replaced every 5 years as preventative maintenance. First of all, if you do most of your own sports car maintenance, you can do it yourself. You don't have to pull the engine when the time arrives, most of the work is done through the right rear wheel well- the wheel well liner is removable and gives good access. The reasonably skilled owner can replace the timing belts on a 308 in about 8 hours. Parts for the job are less than $300 (belts and timing belt tensioner bearings). It is far easier than replacing the timing belts on a Honda Odyssey I can assure you. The timing belts were replaced a year ago, so you should be set for at least 4 more years.

The service history from new is quite complete and documents the extensive service work and verifies the mileage. As mentioned above, timing belts were replaced last year, and the timing tensioner bearings used were the upgraded and updated ones sold by Hill Engineering. Valve adjustments were also made last year. The clutch, pressure plate, and throw out bearing where replaced at 57,000 miles by Ferrari of Washington. Tires are Michelin Pilot with less than 5000 miles on them. All brake pads, hoses, distributor caps, wires, extenders, belts and other service items were replaced less than 5000 miles ago and you should be set to go for quite some time.

Your satisfaction guaranteed

Buying a sports car on eBay, especially a desirable vintage Ferrari, is not for the faint of heart, so let me make this clear- if you are the high bidder, feel free to have this car inspected by you (or a qualified person on your behalf) before it is shipped. If I have misrepresented it in any way, if it is not as good or better than described, then you do not have to take it and your deposit will be fully refunded.

I welcome you to come see and drive this 308 GTS either personally or through a friend or mechanic.

Auction rules

If you intend to or are bidding on this item with a very low or a "0" rating, please contact me direct by email so I can confirm your intentions. I am not discriminating against new folks- heck I had a 0 rating at one point, but I don't want to sell this great Ferrari to a ghost. I reserve the right to cancel bids from bidders with unacceptably high negative feedback numbers or low numbers and 0 numbers that do not verify directly with me. I apologize for any inconvenience.

One thousand dollar deposit within 48 hours via Paypal, Twenty-five percent deposit within 7 days, balance within 30 days, or when the car is picked up or shipped, whichever occurs first. I am willing to help make the arrangements for shipping if you choose to ship, as well as meet your shipper to coordinate loading etc.

Thanks for bidding-

These Ferraris are hard to find in original, documented, unmodified condition. So if you are looking for a fun Italian car, to finally put a Ferrari in your collection, if you are a stickler for originality like me, and if you want a rare survivor that is ready to drive and enjoy, I think you've found your car.

On Mar-25-18 at 22:20:09 PDT, seller added the following information:

P.S. I ran out of space to to include photos of the original owners manual, warranty and maintenance booklet, Ferrari cloth document slipcase and other items. I don't think eBay allows a direct link to photos now, so if you do a google search for "SmugMug milepost105" I think you can get to my SmugMug photos. There is a folder there for my 308 that has plenty of photos for you, including the paperwork.

On Mar-26-18 at 07:40:50 PDT, seller added the following information:

Here we go, let's see if this works for a complete set of photos for you:

https://milepost105.smugmug.com/Cars/1978-Ferrari-308-GTS/i-XGszsC9

On Mar-26-18 at 07:44:30 PDT, seller added the following information:

With that link, you'll end up on page 3 of the photos, and you'll want to click on the page numbers to get to pages 1 and 2. Thanks for looking.

On Mar-30-18 at 13:50:32 PDT, seller added the following information:

Here is a better link for you for the photo file

https://milepost105.smugmug.com/Cars/1978-Ferrari-308-GTS