2927cc V8
5 speed Manual
Mid Engined Rear Wheel Drive
Hydraulic Discs
237 bhp 209 ft-lb
Exterior Grigio Ferro Interior Red
The Ferrari 308 GTB was introduced in 1975, based on a tubular chassis, fitted with a separate body, originally in fiberglass (vetroresina), but later changed to steel, though there is still a fair amount of fiberglass in the steel bodied cars. The change increased the weight of the car by about 150 kg (331 lbs). Based on the transverse V8 drivetrain and fully independent suspension of the Ferrari Dino 308 GT/4, but reduced to 2 seats rather than the GT/4’s 2+2 configuration, the 308 GTB became Ferrari’s second mid-engined V8 car, continuing the line of non-V12 Ferraris targeted at a more entry-level market, first started and marketed under the Dino name with the Dino 206 GT. The “B” in GTB designated the car as a “berlina” identifying it as having a fixed roof. In 1977, however, a targa topped “Spider” version was introduced as the 308 GTS. There were numerous changes made to the engine of the 308, many in the North American spec to allow for emissions, which for the most part also hurt the power output. Fuel Injection was added in 1980, but it wasn’t until 1982 with the introduction of the 4 valve-per-cylinder quattrovalvole version that horsepower came up to equal that of the early carburetted cars. Variants of the 308 design with a variety of small changes remained in production until 1989, with the most significant change being in 1985 with the introduction of the 328 GTB and GTS, with a larger displacement of 3.2 liters and numerous small changes to the body.
My Ferrari 308 GTB was purchased locally and had been in the area for quite some time. At the time I bought it, it was a mechanically excellent car, but had been modified extensively with the front bumper completely removed, fog lights and the turn signals fitted behind a modified front grille, all badges but the front Ferrari emblem removed and some non-standard, poorly angled bullet-style mirrors fitted to both doors. The car had already been repainted, though there were visible flaws in the paintwork. The interior was original and black, but worn with some splitting happening at the seams in the seats. After purchasing the car, I have since had it repainted in its original Grigio Ferro (Steel Grey) colour and completely reupholstered the interior in red rather than the original black, which I think personally suits the car better. In the process I returned the car to a more original appearance, fitting a European spec front bumper and reinstalled the badges and more proper and useable mirrors than what were fitted to the car when I bought it. Other more subtle details to the work carried out was the recovering and reinstallation of the zip-up spare tire cover in the front. This car, when I purchased it, was fitted with a Blaupunkt Berlin radio, with a the controls mounted on a separate stalk a cassette tape deck in 1976, and microphone if you wished to record dictation while in the car. This radio was an incredibly expensive option at the time with prices around $1300 in 1976 for just the radio. Unfortunately it didn’t function correctly and would be difficult to have repaired, so in the retrofit, I replaced it.
