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The most beautiful, extremely rare Euro 308QV, the final evolution of the classic Ferrari 308 featuring the most powerful and modern engine. The four valve per cylinder 308QV did not arrive until 1983 and all prior 308s only had less powerful 2 valve motors.

A video walk around of the Ferrari was made this week and can be seen below or on Youtube.
To view the video in full screen mode, click the [ ] button on the lower right of the video.
To watch it on Youtube, click the Youtube button on the lower right of the video.

You are looking at a nearly restored Ferrari 308QV GTSi, the closet evolution of the 308 to the legendary GTO. Please see below for a detailed description of the car and its restoration work. Also, I have more photos of the car and its drivetrain restoration process.

The Euro cars are highly sought after because they are much faster, handle better, brake better, get better fuel economy, run cooler and last longer than regular 308s and look much better as well while featuring a much larger trunk.

This gorgeous Ferrari features (1) the small front and rear GTO style bumpers, (2) the white and amber turn signal assemblies like the GTO, (3) a front grill with a prancing horse and (4) fog lamps set in the grill similar to the GTO while also featuring (5) smaller more graceful side view mirrors and (6) a deep dish GTO-style front spoiler.

The engine was removed and refreshed by a Ferrari specialist at a cost of $14k (new rings, new valve guides, etc.) The mechanical components were refreshed, cleansed and detailed making the drivetrain pretty, show worthy and reliable. The entire process was photo-documented as well and of course this collection of photos comes with the car.

There is no better interior in a 308 Ferrari on the planet as about the same amount of money was spent restoring the interior as was on restoring the drivetrain.

If you’ve ever wondered what it was like to sit in a new 308 this is probably about as close as one can get now. Every part of the interior was removed and refinished with materials of a higher quality than original. Premium quality leather and carpets were used. From the floor to removable roof, the carpet, the door panels, the seats, the center console, the entire dash, the trim around the rear window, etc., every upholstered surface has just been beautifully restored.

FULL INTERIOR RESTORATION

Every single bit of leather, vinyl and carpet has been fully restored in this interior. From the floor to the headliner on the removable targa top it has all been expertly refinished with materials as good or better than original. When I bought the Ferrari the interior was in good condition for a car nearly 35 years old. But I have a friend that I’ve known for over 15 years who has a top-notch auto upholstery shop and I wanted a spectacular interior. I have been going to car shows in California for nearly 30 years now and visited the Ferrari factory several times but I have never seen a better interior than this in any 308/328 Ferrari. A well-known Ferrari restoration shop uses them regularly for their vintage Ferrari restorations and this upholstery shop has done countless Ferrari interior restorations. They have done the interior work for cars that set record high values in Monterey auctions for the 246 Dino the Ferrari 365 GT4 2+2 Prototipo. More than one of their cars was on the grass at Pebble Beach, including a rare Super America that was a gift from Enzo Ferrari to Agnelli, a car valued at $3.75 to $4.5 million dollars as offered for sale by Gooding auctions. Their workmanship is first rate and the materials used were actually better than original in terms of quality. In the photos you can clearly see the quality of the stitching and workmanship.

TWO STEERING WHEELS AND TWO SHIFT KNOBS

Included with the sale are two steering wheels and two shift knobs, as shown in the photos. Included is the original black shift knob as well as the later Ferrari aluminum shift knob. The steering wheels are as pictured and includes the original style wheel.

MECHANICAL RESTORATION

A full mechanical restoration was performed in November/December of 2015. The entire drivetrain was removed from the car and gone through. There are numerous photos documenting the restoration process and a $14,000 receipt for this work. The work was performed by the top notch Ferrari specialists at Auto Elite in Tenefly New Jersey. That’s why when you look in the engine compartment the drivetrain looks like you can eat off it and the car runs like a top!

WHEEL RESTORATION AND NEW CENTER CAPS

When I purchased the car it had a set of Etoile Wheels. They were very expensive and popular wheels in the 1980s. They are in good condition with tires. However, I wanted to return the car to its original appearance and so I purchased a set of restored wheels and brand new Ferrari centercaps, which is why the wheels and center caps look new.

SUSPENSION AND UNDERCARRIAGE

While this is not a nut and bolt restoration (I know of one in progress now and the car will be for sale for an estimated $250k), I nevertheless wanted to restore this car without disassembling it. To that end the suspension components and undercarriage were all cleaned and detailed.

STEERING, SUSPENSION RIDE AND BRAKES

As the prior owners have noted, and I concur, this is the best driving 308 I’ve driven. Driving home from a car show at the Petersen Museum I had to travel west on Olympic Blvd. Olympic from the Petersen to La Cienega Blvd is absolutely terrible with pot holes and pavement mounds reflecting poor roadway repairs. Remarkably the Ferrari takes these bumps so smoothly and without any rattles. I can honestly say the car drives over these road surfaces more smoothly than my XJR Jaguar (a modern all aluminum luxury sedan). The steering is tight and the brakes stop the car without any pull to either side.

PAINT, BUMPERS, GRILLS AND TARGA TOP

Records show the car had a repaint at some point prior to Jon’s ownership. The paint has held up extremely well as shown in the videos and photos. The car has a deep luster and shine and is suitable for local car shows and concours. The Targa top is in excellent condition while its interior side is in better than new condition thanks to the use of better headlining material. The grills are all in excellent condition. Likewise, the pretty Euro bumpers are also both in excellent show car condition.

EXHAUST

The Ansa exhaust is in excellent condition. In fact, its chrome tips look so good I wonder if it is relatively new.

POWER WINDOWS AND GLASS

Power windows on Ferrari 308s and 328s are notoriously slow. However, the prior owner had the update performed which speeds up the window operation so these windows go up relatively fast by 308/328 standards. All the glass on the car is good.

CLUTCH AND TRANSMISSION

I spoke to the shop that restored the drivetrain in December of 2015 and asked if they replaced the clutch while they had everything apart. They said they did not. They said they inspected the clutch and it was perfectly fine and so they reinstalled it. The transmission works as it should as well.

TOOLKIT, JACK BACK, OWNERS MANUAL, BINDER OF RECEIPTS

Included in the sale are the car’s complete toolkit, jackbag with assorted tools therein, auxiliary light, bulb container, owners manual pouch. The tools in the tool kit and the tools in the jackbag are all in exceptional condition. In fact, they look like they’ve been stored indoors their entire life and never used. Also included is a binder with records covering decades.

SPARE TIRE

Euro 308QVs benefited from handsome lightweight space saving spare tires, as shown in this car’s front compartment. (On the other hand, USA cars had to do with a regular [heavy] wheel and tire.)

BATTERY

A new Interstate battery was recently installed. The Ferrari is also fitted with a trickle charger.

HEADLIGHTS

US cars came with old fashioned sealed beam headlights which resulted in very poor illumination. The Euros had powerful H4 Halogen beams. This car's headlights have been further upgraded and are in fact the brightest headlights I've ever seen on a 308/328 as shown in the photo. (I have more photos so feel free to email me for more pictures.)

COOLING SYSTEM

Another area that the Euro 308 is better than the US Spec cars is regarding its cooling. Euros run much cooler and do not tax their cooling systems the way US cars do. I have had this car sitting in the hot sun mid day here in LA this week with temps around 90 for 20 minutes and the needle never moved past the middle line. The Euros run cooler as they are tuned differently but also, and of critical importance, the US cars are equipped with 1980s catalytic converters that generate a tremendous amount of heat. Consequently, the radiator cooling fans are running far more frequently on the US cars which in turn causes their more rapid wear. This in turn, combined with their running far more often on the US cars, results in fuseblocks melting and needing replacement on the US cars. Of course, another issue is when those Ferrari catalytic converters on US cars fail, and these cars are now more than 30 years old, replacement is very expensive. These are non-issues with the free breathing Euro cars. The Euro cars run much cooler and as such their fans run far less and their fuseblocks do not have to carry the loads of the US cars. Basically, the Euro was the car Ferrari designed and the US car was the car Ferrari designed but then had to modify to try and meet US emissions standards, thereby bogging the US car down.

EURO TRUNK SIZE: If you want to use the Ferrari, e.g, a weekend getaway to Santa Barbara, etc. size does matter and the Euro trunk is roughly 40% LARGER than the USA trunk. This is because the US cars are fitted with huge heavy heat generating exhausts that literally require a much smaller trunk. The Euro does not carry that weight nor that engine killing heat and so its trunk is dramatically larger. For instance, measured from the same points on each car, the Euro trunk was about 14 inches deep. The U.S. car’s trunk is just 10 inches deep. As for the length and width, these are approximate numbers: Length of the Euro trunk is around 54″ and its width is about 19″. I didn’t check but it looked like the Euro width is a tad wider as well.

AIR CONDITIONING: The AC blows cold. I ran it today and the system worked fin. Vintage Ferrari AC is not ice cold like you’ll find on a modern car but it is proper cold for a 308 Ferrari.

OIL AND FILTER CHANGE:

Fresh oil and a new oil filter were installed 8-31-16. (I have saved the prior oil filter if any prospective buyer wishes to see it.)

OWNERSHIP HISTORY: In putting together the Ferrari’s history, I have spoken to two prior owners and learned the history encompassing three prior owners. The Ferrari has lived a charmed live service history wise, having been maintained by two owners at the top Ferrari tuning shop in the United States, Norwood Autocraft. The Ferrari was also regularly serviced during its life at Like Forest Ferrari, a factory authorized Ferrari dealership. The most recent service, including a $14,000 drivetrain restoration, was performed by Auto Elite, a highly respected Ferrari shop in Tenefly, New Jersey (their website shows a great array of classic Ferraris in their shop!)

I purchased the car from an attorney turned entrepreneur. He owned the car for about 5 years and sold it when he sought additional capital to invest in his business. During his ownership period, in November/December of 2015, he had drivetrain removed from the car and restored. I have a couple of dozen photos showing the step-by-step mechanical restoration. The engine compartment reflects the exquisite attention to detail and reflects a restored drivetrain clean enough to eat off.

The gentleman who owned the car before the person I bought the car from was familiar with the car long before he purchased it. He told me how he “loved the car” and how it was “the best driving 308 he’d ever driven.” And he’d be one to know. He used to work at Norwood Autocraft as a Ferrari technician!

Norwood Autocraft, founded by legendary Bob Norwood, had their cars frequently showcased in magazines like Road & Track, including their World’s Fastest Cars special edition, where the Norwood Twin Turbo Testarossa won the shootout with a 210 mph top speed. Norwood also set and still holds the record for the fastest 308 Ferrari at 170 mph. Norwood’s custom built GTO went 292 mph on the Bonneville salt flats! Google Bob Norwood for a fascinating Ferrari history.

The second owner before me told me he was looking for a Ferrari for himself for quite a while and that he bought this one because it was the best one he’d ever driven. He told me he “loved” the car and that it was a “great car.” He said it was faster than any 308 he’d driven. He also stated the ’83 Euro models are the most reliable as he indicated their fuel injection system is simpler to maintain/repair than the other years for the QV.

He the told me how he bought the car from a man named Jon Jr.

Jon Jr. and his father, Jon Senior, loved these cars so much they each purchased one! Records show Jon had the Ferrari serviced at Lake Forest Ferrari and specifically, by Joe Paukner, a Ferrari tech with 20 + at that time, before moving to Texas. When Jon moved to Texas the car would be serviced by Norwood Autocraft. Jon Jr. owned the ’85 US spec car but he preferred his father’s ’83 Euro (the car now up for auction).

When Jon Jr.’s father passed away he sold the ’83 because his car (a USA spec 1985 308QV) was purchased on his honeymoon and he could never sell that car.

I have a binder filled with receipts and records (shown in one of the photos). In the binder is an email from Jon Jr. to the subsequent owner of the car. In Jon’s email he states of the ’83 Ferrari: “It runs better than any pre-328s I have been in.”

At some point Jon moved to Texas and was going to transport the Ferrari. In the email he describes what happened when his auto transporter broke down: “I took our enclosed racing rig hauler to Florida to pick up the car in late 2004 since it had sat for 2-3 months (and its a Ferrari) I didn’t want to risk the hassle of a break down between Naples and Dallas ~ 1300 miles. Long story short, the race rig had problems after we got down there. We left it and drove the Euro back from Ft. Meyers stopping only for gas and one hotel. It ran great.” He wrote further “I don’t have fluid leaks in my garage. That’s my pet peeve. My ’85 always leaves a drop or two over time. The Euro seems to be dry always.”

I too have noticed this. I park the Ferrari in the same place every day and don’t see a single drip of fluid.

Suffice to say of the owners I’ve spoken to and learned of they all “loved” this Ferrari and it was serviced at top-notch Ferrari dealerships and Ferrari specialists.

Below is a list of significant differences between a “Euro” and “U.S.” spec. Ferrari 308 GTS

• Euro makes 10 horsepower more than U.S. 308
• Different gear ratios for US to aid in emissions.
• Lighter, small front bumper similar to GTO that follows the hood line on Euro vs. heavy U.S. impact bumper that is extended from the hose.
• Lighter, small rear bumper on Euro vs. impact bumper with spacer on U.S. extending bumper further.
• Exposed dual tip muffler on Euro vs. black muffler cover with catalytic converter on U.S.
• Vitaloni style outside mirrors on Euro vs. larger “flag” type mirrors on U.S.
• White and amber front lights / turn signals vs. amber front lights/turn signals on U.S.
• “fasten seat belt” warning light U.S. spec.
• Driving lights in front grill in Euro spec for Flash passing. Look like fog lights. Due to large U.S. bumper there was no room for these lights on the U.S. cars.
• Larger front grill with traditional prancing horse vs. smaller U.S. grill due to oversized bumper and no prancing horse.
• Larger trunk on Euro vs. shallow trunk on U.S. 308
• Space saver spare tire in Euro, full size spare in U.S.
• Rear engine cover top has only a left and right grill vents where U.S. has “U” shaped grill.
• Weight of Euro spec lower by approximately 300 pounds-significant on cars that only make 230-240 hp.
• Length—Euro car is 167” vs. US car 174.2”
• Euros run cooler with less strain on their cooling systems, fans, alternator and fuseblock vs. U.S. cars whose state of tune and emissions equipment causes them to run significantly hotter requiring fans to run for longer resulting in greater fan motor wear and heating of the fuseblock which can result in its melting and failure.

BACKGROUND ON THE 308QV EURO

This 308QV features injection which is far more reliable and easy to maintain then the carb cars. No sticky floats or clogged carburetor jets with this QV injected cars. (Carb cars are far more likely to catch fire as well unlike the modern injected cars.)

Spectacular and rare, this is the highly desirable Euro spec Ferrari 308. According to the Ferrari Market Letter, while there were 3042 308 QVs produced for the world half of which are in the US (and far fewer in existence today) there are only approximately 100 Euro spec 308 QVs in North America.

By comparison, in just five years, Ferrari made 16,000 Ferrari 360 and similar numbers of the 430 and 458. The 308 was truly an “Enzo Era” car from when Ferraris were hand built cars.

The Euro 308 is the car that looks the way the designer, Leo Fioravanti (the designer of the 246 Dino, Boxer and Daytona) intended—aesthetically pure!

First, the Euro 308 weighs, according to Ferrari, 273 pounds LESS than the US cars (2956 lbs. V. 3229 lbs for US cars) so of course it is faster than the US car. But that’s not all. This 308 also makes more horsepower and as a result of its greater power and less weight, is much faster, handles better and stops faster.

The numbers? The Euro 308s were road tested at 0-60 in a mere 5.7 seconds! That’s faster than a US Spec 328! Top speed? 154 mph! Those were pretty impressive numbers back in the early 1980s.

As mentioned, appearance wise this 308 is far prettier and more stunning than the run of the mill 308. Directly from Ferrari this 308QV features GTO Euro style bumpers, GTO style white and amber turns signals and running lights and a more aesthetically appearing rear end as it does not have a rear diaper to cover the unsightly exhaust system featured on the US cars.

The Euro bumpers which are smaller also permit the traditional Ferrari grille with the Prancing Horse in the front grill. (The US cars large ugly black bumpers which leave no space for the Prancing Horse in the grill, hence its absence from the American market cars.) The Euro cars also have the pretty and aerodynamic mirrors with their Enamel Ferrari badges. (The US cars have large square “flag” mirrors.)

Finally, unlike the US 308, this car features 288GTO style passing/fog lights set inside the grill under the front bumper.

A Ferrari shop here in LA is currently doing a nut and bolt restoration on a Ferrari 308 and they expect it will bring around $250k when finished. They may know what they are talking about as they did the Dino restoration that many say helped trigger the explosion in Dino values as it sold for nearly $500k several years back.

The 308 was not only designed by the same designer as the Dino but underneath, suspension, brakes, drivetrain, it is also very similar (but with two extra cylinders).

The 308 was designed by artists; cars today are designed by artists and then dramatically altered in the wind tunnel and to meet stringent government regulations. The 308 was the last pure Ferrari whose lines are pure magic. The last “Dino” series car built when Enzo ran Ferrari.

Classic & Sports Car Magazine put it simply: “the sublime purity of this ‘70s design icon still enraptures, whereas the intrigue of latter day Ferraris is expressed with extraneous styling gimmicks, few will ever mature as favorably as the 308.”

Maintenance on the 308 is nothing compared to the 355, 360 or any of the other later Ferraris. The 308 is simple and rugged and parts are plentiful and not very expensive.

Compared to the 328, the 308 is a far purer and classic design. In the July 2002 issue of Classic & Sports Car, the well-respected British publication stated that the 308 styling was “corrupted” into the 328 while others say the 328 was “fiatized” (the 328 features a Fiat X1/9 style interior and gauges and plastic panels bolted to the car in the front and rear.)

The 308QV is truly a classic. Can you imagine what one of these babies would cost if its production numbers were as limited as a California Spider?

As noted by author Beki Adam: “Pininfarina had relished the job, and excelled themselves: The look remains timeless, even today. The mix between the original Dino styling (those side-scoops and the recessed rear concave window)and the 365 GT4 Berlinetta Boxer (that spliced from bumper to tail bodywork, that wonderful nose and equally delightful rear-end with its sail panels extending from the roofline down to the whisper of a spoiler) was styling perfection. The lines are faultless.”

Germany’s Auto Motor Und Sport called it “bella macchina.”

England’s Car Magazine called it “poetry in motion” and “the doyen of exotic car shapes”.

Forza Magazine noted: “the four valves were easily the best performers of the 308 series, noting Road and Track’s test of 308QV, Corvette and two Porsche’s ‘Ferrari fixed the criticism that its 3.0 V8 did not produce quite enough horsepower to match the car’s racy good looks.” England’s Motor Car magazine clocked a 308QV’s 0 to 60 in 5.7 seconds!

Forza’s tested a 308 QV and noted: “what was most impressive about the 308s was their reliability. When we tested the two Ferraris, Northern California was in the midst of a heat wave with temperatures in the triple digits. Not once did either car hiccup, overheat, or act temperamental in any way. They simply shrugged off the 100 degree heat as easily as they would your favorite twisty road. In short, these are Ferraris that you can truly use every day.”

I have used a 308QV as a daily driver…for several years. On a drive to Monterey I averaged around 20 mpg while cruising 75-80 mph.

In the same Forza article Ferrari expert Tom Shaughnessy noted: “A good 308, when properly serviced, will easily last 100,000 miles or more.” Shaughnessy also noted that parts for the 308 are affordable while parts for the 348 or 355 are “absolutely ridiculous.” He went on to state of the 308: “It is the only Ferrari I would recommend as a daily driver. The V8 engine is virtually indestructible and the model line has been around for a decade. This is Ferrari’s utility car.”