1977 Ferrari 308 GTB ‘Vetroresina’


Details

At the 1975 Paris Motor Show, Ferrari introduced its new model, the Pininfarina designed 308 GTB. The 308 GTB was introduced as a supplement to the Bertone shaped 308 GT4 2+2 and a direct replacement for the Dino 246 GT. The 308 GTB received rave reviews from the motoring press and it was an instant success. The Dino 246 GT fans were pleased to see some of the design elements from the Dino carried across, such as the scalloped air intakes on the side panels, the twin tail lights and the recessed curved window glass. At the same time, it was definitely a modern design.

Carrozzeria Scaglietti was responsible for the bodywork, however there was a slight difference compared to previous models. The 308 GTB was the first production Ferrari to be produced with a fibreglass body (or glass-reinforced plastic, GRP), except for the front bonnet, which was made out of aluminium. There are various arguments as to why Ferrari chose fibreglass for its new model but the general consensus is Ferrari was disappointed with the sales results of the Dino 308 GT4 and wanted to speed up the production of the new car to offset lost sales to competitors such as Porsche, Maserati, Lamborghini and Lotus. It was also quicker and easier to make moulds for fibreglass construction than dies for metal pressings. Using fibreglass also helped to keep the weight down. In fact, the 308 GTB only weighs 1,050kg. It’s debatable exactly how many fibreglass Ferrari 308 GTB’s were built. The most often stated numbers are 712 and 808, of which perhaps 150 were right hand drive. It is understood that Ferrari switched to steel bodies (in June 1977) for commercial reasons.

The first 308 GTB’s were powered by a three litre V8 engine with a dry sump. Countries that had more stringent emission control standards at the time, such as the USA and Australia, received wet sump cars only. Later on, all 308 GTB’s had wet sump engines.

In 1977 Ferrari introduced the 308 GTS, which was essentially the same car with a targa roof. The car was made famous through its appearance in the TV show Magnum PI. The model evolved into the 308 GTBi / 308 GTSi in 1980 when Bosch K-Jetronic mechanical fuel injection replaced the traditional Weber carburettors. Two years later the four valves per cylinder “Quattrovalvole” or “QV” was introduced. The 308 was an incredible success and circa 12,000 cars were built from 1975 to 1985 before the 328 was introduced.

Oldtimer Australia is delighted to offer for sale a fully ‘matching numbers’ 1977 Ferrari 308 GTB Vetroresina.

This particular car is an Australian delivered, factory right hand drive example (it has an Australian compliance plate stamped July 1977), that has books, including the original warranty card, tools and a jack kit.

The car was sold new through Maranello Concessionaires (Australia) Pty Ltd and was delivered to its new owner, Mr Kevin Robinson from Kidman Park in South Australia, on 12th July 1977. The car was delivered in ‘rosso chiaro’ with a beige leather (VM3234) interior.

The car was actually a tourist delivery through Maranello Concessionaires Ltd in Surrey, UK which also executed the first and second service. The warranty card is stamped continuously through until 1984 and again in 1987, 1991, 1993 and 2018. The second owner purchased the car in 1984. At that time the odometer reading was approximately 55,000km. The current owner purchased the car in March 2017 when the odometer read circa 92,371km. It had an engine rebuild done by Ferrari specialist Enzotech, in 2015-2016 at circa 90,000km and was repainted around the same time, still in its original colour, ‘rosso chiaro’.

The documentation on file suggests the car has had five owners from new.

Today this Ferrari 308 GTB ‘Vetroresina’ presents beautifully. The paintwork is vibrant and it has a good depth of colour. Its overall condition is excellent and one has to look really hard to find any blemishes or stone chips. All of the external trim, badges, bumpers and the glass are also in excellent condition.

The car is fitted with 16” wheels running Bridgestone Potenza tyres. The wheels do show a few paint chips and some light kerb rash. They would benefit from a repaint. Alternatively, the car’s new owner may choose to source and fit a set of the original Cromodora 14″ wheels to take the car back to how it would have left the factory. The car is incredibly original apart from the wheels.

Open the door and the interior is like new. We believe the seats have been reupholstered at some stage and they appear to have hardly been used since. The carpets are also in good condition. After getting comfortable behind the wheel, it’s time to bring that V8 engine to life. Turn the ignition on and let the fuel pump do its work, then turn the key and with a short blip of the accelerator pedal the V8 bursts to life. The car starts easily and quickly settles into a smooth idle. The stainless-steel exhaust gives this car a ‘sporting’ exhaust note. After waiting (impatiently!) for a few minutes for the car to warm up, it’s time to take it out on the road. This 308 GTB does not disappoint. In fact, it is absolutely fabulous to drive!

The engine feels strong and it pulls like a train, revving freely throughout the rev range. The gated shifter is a feature on these 308’s and it lets you move the gear-lever through the gears with great precision. The gearbox is smooth and shifting up and down is easy. Out on the open road this 308 is a real pleasure to drive. Its handling is exactly what you expect from a Ferrari 308 GTB. It is nimble and precise. It simply goes where you want it to go and it stops when you want it to stop.

You get used to this car very quickly. It is very easy to drive, and that exhaust note . . . there’s no need for a radio in this 308! It just begs to be driven. All the instruments appear to be in good working order, though we found out the hard way that the fuel gauge is not accurate! The air conditioning works and it provided adequate cooling on what was a warm Brisbane afternoon for our test drive and photo shoot.

Highlights:

  • An Australian delivered, factory right hand drive Ferrari 308 GTB ‘Vetroresina’.
  • A ‘matching numbers’ example (many in Australia are not).
  • Finished in its original colour scheme of ‘rosso chiaro’ with a beige interior.
  • The car had a recent engine rebuild by marque specialists and a repaint.
  • Accompanied by books, including the original warranty card, tools and a jack kit.
  • It is a fully sorted car ready to be enjoyed by its next owner.

These fibreglass bodied Ferrari 308 GTB’s were built in relatively small numbers and they are now highly sought after by collectors and enthusiasts the world over.

This is a unique opportunity for someone to own a rare, well sorted fibreglass bodied Ferrari 308 GTB.

 


Specification

  • -
  • Ferrari 308 GTB Vetroresina
  • 1977
  • Coupe
  • Manual
  • 95,689 km
  • 2927 cc

SOLD

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