Stock #1576 VIN: 28xxx** 70,800 Miles Oro Chiaro Metallizzato (Light Gold Metallic) Sand with Black Accents Connolly Leather 5-Speed Gated Manual Transmission 1 Owner for 45 Years Clean California Title Most History and Service Records from New Original Window Sticker Original Paint
The 308 was introduced in 1975. By 1977, the GTS model with the removable roof panel was introduced. 3,219 GTS cars were built until 1980. These sub 2,700lb cars came with a 4 dual throat Weber carbureted 3.0L V8 engine that produced 234hp.
This Ferrari was built in July of 1979 and sold new on March 6th, 1980 by Mesa Porsche + Audi + Ferrari of La Mesa, California. It was ordered with the following factory/dealer options:
- California Emissions
- Metallic Paint
- AM/FM Blaupunkt Stereo
- Plush Floor Mats
- Body Glow
- Auxiliary Fuel Pump
The MSRP with dealer additions was $45,995, which is approximately $220k in today’s dollars.
The first owners were Mr. & Mrs. Tucker from El Cajon, California. The husband, Tom, bought it for his wife as he was too big to fit in it. However, the clutch was too difficult for her to use so they only drove it for less than a couple hundred miles. In fact, they didn’t even drive it past one tank of fuel. They sold it to the current Orange County owner shortly after they bought it. The current owner was acquaintances with the Tuckers and jumped at the opportunity to purchase it. He officially bought the car on February 20th, 1981 with sub 300 miles for $39k.
For the past 44 years, this owner has obsessively cared for it and always garaged it. It has become an integral part of his family. Besides showing it at local car events, it was featured recently in a magazine as well as a couple Ferrari reference books. This owner kept track in a 3-ring binder of nearly all services, smog inspections and any other maintenance the car needed, including services he performed himself. Highlights of significant and recent services include:
- Timing belt service and water pump (5/86 @ 10,530 miles)
- Rear shocks and bushings (2/91)
- All new fuel lines (8/91 @18,745 miles)
- Clutch kit and cable, rear main seal (8/94 @ 24,437 miles)
- Install newer Blaupunkt radio/speakers (3/95 @ 26,783 miles)
- Timing belt/water pump service and major service (5/98 @ 32,976 miles)
- New Vitaloni “Californian” driver door mirror (6/03)
- Timing belt/water pump service and major service (10/03 @ 42,199 miles)
- New oil line to oil cooler and oil service (8/04)
- Rebuild steering rack (10/04 @ 43,731 miles)
- Timing belt, rebuild water pump, cam covers, and routine service (6/08 @ 50,665 miles)
- Steering rack/pinion boots and end plate. Cleaned radiator fan (9/08 @ 51,606 miles)
- Timing belt/water pump and major service (1/12 @ 58,374 miles)
- Refinish front fender vents, wheels, and headlight buckets (8/12)
- Suspension repairs and services (2/13 @ 60,320 miles)
- Upper and lower front control arm bushings
- Swaybar bushings
- All brake hoses
- Brake fluid flush
- Oil service
- Fuel tank seals (left)
- Carburetor service (clean, gaskets, o-rings, vacuum hoses, tune/set
- Front brake pads
- Ignition coils and condensers
- Fuel filter
- Motor mounts
- Spark plugs
- Rebuild radiator, A/C service, new horn compressor (10/15 @ 64,403 miles)
- Point set, distributor point cam, dist. seal and gasket (6/16 @ 65,501 miles)
- Major service and other repairs (1/18 @ 65,987 miles)
- Ignition condenser
- Spark plugs
- Rear bank distributor rotor
- Clean carburetor jets
- Hood shocks
- Oil service
- Gear box oil service
- Brake flush
- Inspect/retorque suspension
- Balanced tires
- Cambelt service w/tensioner bearings
- Timing and drive belts
- Water pump, thermostat, and gaskets
- Replace air pump assembly
- Air pump belts
- Service total – $5,958
- A/C work and service (6/18 @ 66,543 miles)
- Rebuild compressor
- Receiver drier and expansion valve
- Replace A/C line
- Brake reservoir level sensors
- Brake master cylinder level sensors
- Service total – $2,955
- Mount/balance new Vredestein Sprint Classic tires (7/20)
- Oil leaks, brakes, and other repairs at RMT in Yorba Linda, CA (8/20 @ 68,308 miles)
- Engine front main seals
- Drive belts
- Oil service
- Flush coolant
- Brake flush
- Retorque suspension
- Front and rear brake hoses
- Spark plugs
- Rebuilt carbs
- Fuel hose
- Air filter
- Service total $5,550
- Replace hoses at liquid separator & tank (11/21)
- Oil service and misc. repairs (11/21 @ 69,316 miles)
- Oil service
- Repair distributor
- Clean/adjust carb
- Coolant tank supports
- Service total – $1,970
- A/C system R134 upgrade by Ital Meccanica in HB, CA (6/23)
- Rotary compressor kit
- New A/C fittings for R134 conversion
- A/C belt
- R134A Freon (2lbs)
- Adjust carb for idle with new compressor
- Recondition and retrofit catalytic converter to pass smog
- Service total – $4,802
- Rebuild and clean clock and lens (8/23)
- Most recent timing belt service by Ital Meccanica in HB, CA (11/24 @ 70,628 miles)
- Timing belt
- Tensioner bearing
- Oil service
- Recharge/service A/C system (R134)
- Reset carb mixture and sync.
- Readjust acceleration and fast idle linkage
- Replace vacuum hoses
R&R radiator, boil, and clean up coolant - Check/test thermostat
- Coolant system flush
- Service total – $5,200
*At the service at RMT in 2020, the shop noted on the receipt that the compression was low on #4. I checked with the current mechanic, Ital Meccanica, who just did a major service as well as several other services since and he said that the compression was done wrong and the engine is fine with good compression.
This 308 GTS is an original SoCal survivor example with mostly 1 owner. The exterior is very straight with correct body gaps. The paint is believed to be original as verified by a paint meter and a Ferrari paint expert. The original paint clear coat has checking throughout all the horizontal surfaces, especially around the engine bay. There are minor paint chips, nicks, and cracks here and there from over 45 years of use. All the exterior lights work. The glass appears to be all original, including the windshield and wearing the proper factory stampings as well as the original California Emissions Compliance decal. The factory Cromodora wheels were repainted some time ago and show minimal signs of use. They are wrapped in Vredestein tires that were installed 5 years/2k miles ago. The tires have near full tread with no signs of age.
The interior is equally as nice and original, especially for the age, miles, and light color. The owner kept the factory canvas seat covers installed always while using. As a result, the leather is in great shape with minimal signs of wear. There is some very light cracking on the driver exit bolsters. The carpeted rear fire wall is in good shape as is the vinyl cover for the Targa top. The top headliner looks great with no stains or other issues. The top rubber is in good shape and fits nicely. The sun visors are in good shape as are the door panels and carpet. The dash has no cracks. All the gauges work, including the clock. The radio works as do the power windows. The A/C blows cold.
The engine compartment, underside, and frunk are all in good shape and original. The rear trunk vinyl cover has no tears and the zipper works. The engine bay as well as the underside is very dry with no signs of any prior damage or repairs. The front trunk looks tidy and the hood struts work.
This Ferrari operates properly. It starts easily with the proper starting sequence. It quickly holds an even idle as it reaches operating temperature. The power delivery is strong throughout the rev range with no hesitation. It pulls hard all the way to redline. The clutch is firm, which is typical of this unassisted era. It engages properly with no slipping. The gated shifter shifts smoothly through the gears with no grinding. The handling is quite good as it easily absorbs road inconsistencies on uneven surfaces while providing confidence in the corners. The brakes have a good bite with no fading or pulling.
This Ferrari was CA registered to March of 2025. However, to pass CA smog, it would need the catalytic converters reinstalled, which are included with the purchase.
This 308 GTS comes with 2 sets of keys (ignition/lock key and fuel cap key), vintage Ferrari key fob, original owner’s manuals/books with fabric case, original service booklet with selling dealer notes/stamps, original window sticker with dealer additional equipment sales sheet, history/documentation going back to new in a 3-ring binder, most registrations from new, copy of original pink slips, magazine with feature on car, repair/service binders (2), Ferrari book, tool kit with vinyl case, jack with vinyl case, auxiliary lights (2) that powers off the cigarette lighter port, extra fuses/light bulbs case, travel light with case from Italian car show, space saver spare, original Ferrari seat protectors/covers, dash cover, Lloyd front floor mats, original floor mats with Ferrari logo, extra set of sheepskin floor mats, Targa sport top, battery wired to plug in most tenders, extra set of Cromodora 14” wheels with one mounted with tire, 3 extra Californian side mirrors, original A/C compressor, original Blaupunkt radio, fire extinguisher, 2 car covers, fresh set of catalytic converters, original blue California license plates, and a box of extra parts.
**Note: VIN and other numbers withheld to protect against fraud. All numbers including VIN, Engine, and color will be provided to serious buyers.
Scrapbooking in a Ferrari
These vintage cars aren’t always the easiest to own or even drive, but they are a repository of some wonderful memories.
The current local Orange County owner has owned this 308 GTS since nearly new. A San Diego couple special ordered it but couldn’t handle the heavy steering and clutch. The dealer called the current owner, and he bought it.
This owner has created some enjoyable family memories over the past 44 years, including the following:
When first registering the car, the DMV meatbag argued with this owner that it was a 4-cylinder because no one would own a V8 during the gas crisis.
One time, he pulled up to a stoplight, and a woman who was a passenger in the car next to him got out and said she preferred to be a passenger in his car. He politely declined and motored on, hoping she figured out things with the other driver.
His daughters recall entering it into local Concours events, but instead of being part of the Ferrari display, they would enter the Quirky Class, and the whole family would decorate the car with balloons, flowers, and pictures the kids drew.
When his daughters were 7 or 8 years old, they would have him take their school crush for a ride, and he let them both sit in the car.
This Ferrari isn’t parked in a “Garage-Mahal” or some grandiose man-cave but instead sits humbly in their garage next to their Toyota Sequoia family hauler.
This simple Italian sports car has been a touchstone in the lives of this family. Special cars are funny that way.
What is or was the automotive fixture in your life?
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Paul at 714-335-4911 or [email protected].
This vehicle is sold “as-is” with no warranty, written or implied. In some cases, the vehicle does have the remaining factory warranty still in place and will be described above if that is the case. All taxes and fees are the responsibility of the buyer and are not included in the listed price. All vehicle sales will require a $170 administration fee. The vehicle listed is described to the best of our ability. The information is based on our own research and statements made to us by the previous owner(s). To the best of our knowledge, the above information is accurate. We are not responsible for errors in our description of options or any other details. The above-mentioned vehicle is used and can be expected to show some wear and tear. It is not a brand-new vehicle. We do welcome all local pre-purchase inspections on vehicles in order to verify their condition. For payment, we accept bank transfers, cashier’s checks, or cash. Checks take up to 10 business days to clear. The vehicle and title will be held until all funds are cleared and verified. Bank transfers usually only take 24 hours.
Note: For out-of-state buyers, California does not offer temporary tags/registration. Each State typically has a grace period to allow buyers to drive their new out-of-state acquisition to their local DMV for registration. Please check your State’s DMV website for more details. Also, California requires us to surrender standard plates less than 30 years old back to the state and will not be delivered with the vehicle. Personalized plates stay with the seller.