Fantasy Junction

Description

1980 Ferrari 308 GTSi

VIN – ZFFAA02A7A0033779
Exterior Color – Rosso Corsa
Interior Color – Tan with red seat piping
Engine – 3.0-Liter quad-cam V8
Transmission – 5-Speed manual transmission
Mileage – 45,663
Current owner – Purchased in 1991

Highlights of This Car

30-year current California ownership
Very nice, low mile, original California car delivered new to Ferrari of Los Gatos

General History

Having become one of the most iconic sports cars of the 1980s, the Ferrari 308 was celebrated in movies and television as the ultimate in performance and style. Debuted at the 1975 Paris Auto Show when car design and performance needed a serious boost, Pininfarina delivered like a Magnum going off. Given the challenging times in the auto industry, with smog emissions, large bumpers, and restrictive exhausts, the Ferrari 308 was just the sports car enthusiasts had long been craving, particularly in North America where sales were about to become record breaking for Ferrari.

Sculpted by the talented hands of Pininfarina designer Leonardo Fioravanti, designer of the Daytona, Dino, and Berlinetta Boxer, the 308 was crisp and dynamic with balanced mid-engine proportions and comfortable seating even for taller drivers. As a replacement for the 246, the 308 styling was both aggressive and sensuous. Mechanically, the car featured the same layout of the GT4 with a transverse 3.0-liter quad-cam V8, initially with carburetion and later with fuel-injection. Although the original 308 design was limited to a fixed roof configuration, the GTS arrived in 1977, featuring a removable satin black roof panel, which could be conveniently stowed in a vinyl cover behind the seats. Through a decade of production iterations, the 308 vaulted Ferrari into new markets, demonstrating their capabilities producing a very capable and reliable exotic for a wide range of clientele.

Current Condition and Ownership

Assembled at Ferrari in September 1980 and delivered new to Ferrari of Los Gatos February 11, 1981 this Ferrari was given a 1200-1500 mile service March 31, 1981 at the same dealership, stamped in the owner’s service booklet. The car remained in California when it was next purchased by the current owner in 1991 in Palo Alto, CA. The current owner replaced the 14” wheels and tires with 16” later series wheels, only moderately adding miles for local events and pleasure use during his 30 years of ownership.

A recently printed Carfax report shows the first entry for this Ferrari with 42,585 miles on January 13, 1999 when it was serviced in Alameda, CA, passing smog inspection on the same day. Subsequently accrued miles continued through the years at a nominal pace until the last Carfax entry February 13, 2017 when it again passed a California emissions test, with 45,569 miles recorded at that time.

More recently, the car was serviced by Ferrari expert Patrick Ottis who performed a major belt service and valve adjustment approximately ten years ago. In June 2013 with 45,091 miles, Ottis performed a “mini” version of the belt service with the belt replacement, oil and filter, and a new water pump installed ($3,566.00). In 2021, Ottis rebuilt the steering rack ($2,000.00), the owner reinstalled it in the car, and had an alignment performed. The car has passed CA smog emissions testing recently, retaining a valid certificate for the next owner’s use in CA registration.

Today this Ferrari presents as a capable and handsome driver level example currently displaying 45,663 miles, believed to be original to the car. The paint is in very good to excellent condition with smooth lustrous gloss to the Rosso Corsa finish. Digital paint meter readings recently taken reveal numbers on the hood and a small portion of the passenger rear fender closer to the door indicating these panels have been repainted. The remainder of the paint shows meter readings in single digits, consistent with factory applied original paint. The hood and trunk open and shut smoothly, displaying very nice fit with even panel gaps. Doors also open and shut without issue.

The removable roof panel and black bumpers are in very good condition with no significant marks of note. The glass is in very good condition as are the various window gaskets, black side vents, side glass, and engine cover. The Ferrari emblems and badges are in excellent condition, as are the lenses and lighting. Ferrari type 8J x 16 cast wheels currently mounted on the car are in excellent condition, shod with an older set of Yokohama 225/50 ZR 16 radial tires. The original 14” wheels are included with the car.

Inside the car, the tan leather interior has a nice look and feel with some wear to the leather seating surfaces that can likely be remedied with a quality redye since the material itself has no significant tears and appears to be original to the car. Bolster wear is evident on the driver’s left side of the lower seat back where the red piping has worn through, but otherwise there are no other significant interior flaws. The dash and other black interior trim appear to be original to the car. The gauges are in very good to excellent condition with no fading or unusual wear while the steering wheel is in generally good condition. The dashboard is updated with a Nakamichi CD stereo unit. The center console leather is in very nice condition, housing the 5-speed manual shifter, clock and water temperature gauges, and the AC control panel. Carpeting, though properly maintained, shows evidence of use, in keeping with cars of this age, but is also very likely the original material. The removable top is easily latched or removed, stowing in the factory case behind the seats, making for both open and closed cockpit driving without the hassle of a folding convertible top. The trunk compartment is in very good condition with original black carpeting and a taut black zipper liner, smoothly opening and closing for access to the compartment.

The engine compartment has a very clean and proper appearance which is consistent with the displayed miles. The preserved engine and surrounding compartment remain original without significant modifications, though some original finishes are showing signs of age. The handsome cast aluminum components are in very good visual condition and the hoses, hardware, and various fittings appear to be correct including the factory installed air conditioning unit. Factory finishes and original data plates, coded labels, and various stampings are correct and in place.

An original Michelin XWX spare tire mounted to the factory rim sits snugly inside the front tub, which shows no cracks as is often seen in cars with more accumulated miles. The underside of the car is tidy, clean, and without notable damage. Overall, the chassis is correct, shows no visual evidence of structural compromise, displaying condition consistent with the preservation and low indicated miles.

The car starts easily, idling smoothly and evenly. Driving this 308 one is reminded of how well-balanced these early 308s can be. This 308 GTSi is impressive for the power and smooth delivery via fuel injection, delivering a well-balanced chassis, further enhanced by the 16” wheels. Handling is great especially given the recently rebuilt steering rack and alignment. Power comes on strong especially in the higher rev range and shifting is very comfortable via the 5-speed gated manual shifter. Braking is quite good even coming down from high speeds. Most impressively, the fuel-injected engine delivers progressive power and great range without the fussiness often presented with carbureted cars.

Included with This Car

This car is accompanied by an original embroidered fabric and leather Ferrari owners folio and manuals, the 14” wheels originally delivered with the car, a factory tool roll complete with all tools, scissor jack and tire tools with case, plastic fuse and light case, misc. spare mechanical parts and belts, two Ferrari spare parts catalog notebooks, and a car cover.

The above vehicle information is complete and accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time it is posted to this website. Corrections or additional information is always appreciated. All advertised prices exclude government fees and taxes, any finance charges, any dealer document preparation charge, and any emission testing charge. Vehicles are subject to prior sale. All advertised to be true but not guaranteed. We assume no liability for errors or omissions.

Inquire About This Car

Fantasy Junction  •  510-653-7555  •  1145 Park Ave, Emeryville, CA 94608