Selling a classic car due to health issues is never an easy choice. This is especially true when the vehicle in question has been in the owner’s possession for more than four decades. That is the case with this 1976 Ferrari 308 GTB. It is a one-owner classic, but the time has come for it to go to a new home. If an Italian sports car has been high on your Wish List, this could be the perfect candidate to consider. Located in Orange, California, you will find the Ferrari listed for sale here on eBay. The owner has set his BIN at $89,000, although there is the option to make an offer.
Disregarding individual models, I have often wondered whether any car brand has been as readily identifiable with a particular color as Ferrari is with red. The company offered the 308 GTB in nineteen shades during the 1976 model year, but it seems the majority of them wear traditional Rosso Red. That is what we find gracing the panels of our feature car, and its condition is impressive. There is no evidence of any flaws or defects while the panels are laser straight. The gaps are as tight as you might expect from any premium hand-built classic, and the glass appears flawless. The Ferrari has spent its life garage-kept in California, so it’s no surprise that it remains rust-free. If the paint color and styling aren’t already iconic enough, the original 14″ five-spoke Campagnolo alloy wheels probably seal the deal. The owner has recently wrapped these in a new set of Vredestein Sport Classic tires.
By American standards of the time, the V8 that occupies the engine bay of this Ferrari could be considered minuscule. It is a 2,927cc mid-mounted quad-cam unit that pumps out an impressive 240hp. The power finds its way to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual transaxle. Pointed at a ¼ mile, this Ferrari should devour the distance in 14.8 seconds before winding its way to 149mph. There will always be a question mark hanging over cars like this Ferrari for potential buyers. If they have been driven hard or improperly maintained, they can be a time bomb waiting to go off. That doesn’t appear to be the case with this 308 GTB. The owner indicates that it has always been correctly maintained and recently received all new belts and maintenance as per Ferrari requirements. The listing indicates that it has 20,000 miles showing on its odometer, and its overall condition would appear to support that. It runs and drives well and eagerly awaits a new enthusiast to slip behind the wheel.
This Ferrari’s interior wins me over with a single feature. I have always found it difficult to ignore any classic car with a gated shifter, which was standard on the GTB. When you consider this classic’s age, its original and unrestored interior is in excellent condition. The seats are upholstered in hand-stitched leather, and while there is some stretching on the driver’s seat, this is minimal and acceptable for a survivor. The remaining leather trim is in excellent condition, and genuine Ferrari mats have protected the carpet since Day One. The beautiful leather-wrapped three-spoke wheel is another feature of these Ferraris that wins my heart. The one on this classic appears perfect, with no visible wear. The dash and console are excellent, and there have been no aftermarket additions. The owner ordered this classic with air conditioning and a Blaupunkt stereo with the funky equalizer stick. Everything works as it should, while the original Owner’s Manual, leather Owner’s Folder, tool roll, and service records are included.
Buying an Italian supercar is always going to require a leap of faith. Their very nature encourages spirited driving, and if this hasn’t been combined with appropriate maintenance, it is a recipe for disaster. The overall condition of this 1976 Ferrari 308 GTB suggests that the owner has treated it with respect throughout its life. Further aiding its cause is the fact that the owner has had it maintained by a Ferrari specialist throughout his ownership. This car will not appeal to everybody, but if you’ve often dreamed of slipping behind the wheel of an Italian classic, this one could require a closer look.
And it’s a GTB.
Rarer and better than a GTS.
How much rarer is the GTB? I rarely see them, they are always the GTS model.
As mentioned, I’m sure that has a lot to do with Magnum P.I.
Why do these almost always have really low miles
on them? These are great (almost) daily drivers that should
be used as such.
I had a friend who had a near-perfect 308 Quattrovalve
who only drove it a few times,& sold it a few years later for
around $30,000.
ANSWER?
Simple;
Ask any Ferrari owner how much the “suggested/manditory” oil changes are. “every 2K miles”, AND -OR – EVERY 3-4 MONTHS, depending of course on local climate trends. Voila!!
Those are 1976 recommendations – when oil & filters were nowhere near as good as they are today. I would think one could go 1 or 2 YEARS on an oil change, if say < 1000 miles are put on the car.
& the filter is right on top of the motor! – isn't it ez as pie to change the oil & filter YOURSELF on these cars?
I would not worry about lower zinc either – what oil would a Ferrari dealer these days use on a car this old?
Oddly, Wix does not make a filter for this car – but Bosch does …
https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/ferrari,1976,308+gtb,3.0l+v8,1295748,engine,oil+filter,5340
Maintenance! Parts and labor are expensive. Scheduled maintenance sometimes requires a clutch change. If you buy one make sure ALL the scheduled maintenance and fluids are up to date. Some owners sell the vehicle just before the big money scheduled maintenance is due. Just like the BMW 10 and 12 cylinder owners did.
Considering it was designed and built during the initial bulge bumper era it’s one of best looking cars Ferrari ever built. Just the right amount of everything properly put together.
Odd that too many complain about the 1st year well integrated/body color front bumper on the ’73 corvette, but no complaints on the one on these Ferraris! – imagine, tho, if the ’73 vette had this type ferrari bumper on front.
Perfect example of an absolute classic, but that equalizer stick looks like something suited for the KITT car from Knight Rider. How odd!
Can you elaborate? Equalizer stick? Serious question.
Euromoto it is to the right of the stereo in the interior pic. I Note how it’s mounted. Weird, eh? I’ve never seen one before. EDIT -Adam called it an ‘equalizer stick’ but zooming in I see that it is actually the radio station tuner and perhaps more. Still really weird! But hey! The passenger can use it too!
I had the Blaupunkt stereo with the funky stick in my Euro Porsche Turbo I had years ago. This is the first one I’ve seen in years. My radio had a weather band. You push the buttons on the top to select which band/channel you want. The real benefit was I had the stalk beside the shift lever instead of reaching to change a channel at the radio head. It was a big conversation piece. It was always in the European models.
Very fair deal for an iconic ride
Shouldn’t this be a fiberglass 308. If it is that makes it more valuable and of course less rust.
my car is 19775 about 824 cars earlier then this example. Mine is a Vetroresina car. To my understanding they began doing the steel bodies mid year 76 however some unsold cars were retrofitted back with steel bodies leaving no defining line as to where they stopped. My research has shown its all over the board mixed steel and fiberglass cars. I even seen a few 75 cars in steel.
It is a steel car. I did a few checks and it had the characteristics of a steel car. Mainly the rear backup lights.
You are fortunate to own one. I also heard and is probably written somewhere about a fire at Ferrari and some of the Vetroresina models were destroyed. In the early 80’s they were not on the Ferrari’s Hotlist just like the Dino and GT4. I recall having Lancia Stratos Alitalia Rally car at my friend’s restoration shop along with a Dino,400i, and a Mondial all belonging to the same customer.
The very first 308’s were more fiberglass than metal in 1975 with Weber carbs. Those cars are over $100k today and rare. Then around 1981, Ferrari went to Bosch Injection and the Italian model had KKK turbochargers on them.
Selling a car like this after a long stewardship is like putting down the family pet. You know it is the right thing to do but you never truly get over it…
It doesnt say but I assume its not a vetro by the price. Cant quite make our the A piler where the tell tail vetroresina seem is.
Please reread the ad. The serial number is near 20,000. The mileage is close to 40,000.
And yes, this car falls within the serial number range for fiberglas-bodied cars.
If it was Glass the owner would surely state it and would be gone at this price. Like the wind!
The Targas sell better because your average American needs the head room. Italians fit in these, we do not.
GTS’s sell better because more of them were made and are available. Magnum PI made the 308GTS as famous as Burt Reynolds did with the Pontiac Trans Am and Smoky and the Bandit. Actually, I’ve seen the B model selling for more than an S model. All things being equal.
I think the radio is a Blaupunkt Berlin, the most expensive car stereo you could buy at the time ($1100 in 1977). The stalk had the control head; the in-dash unit contained only the cassette deck.
Really? Nobody? For shame, unless I missed it, then forget the shame, not one Magnum reference? We can always forgive Adam, who may not have had the TV shows we had, but for most human beings that weren’t born wealthy, Magnum was our only connection to a 308. Again, TV was huge, and Magnum, like Kojak, was kind of the 1st serious P.I. shows, with plausible events, how many times Selleck got knocked out for being where he wasn’t supposed to be unlike say, Rockford Files, that was just entertainment. I can’t believe I’m saying this, and just bolsters what I say about TV auctions, what a load they are( that “phone bidder” crap is pure shill) but these routinely,,,allegedly sell for 6 figures,,,cripes, they START at 6 figures, so to see one for a paltry $89 grand,and no bidders,,well, you decide.
Kojak was a police detective Lieutenant and not a PI. Kojak arrested bad guys. Magnum drove a Ferrari chased skirts and rode around on TCs chopper.
I just made that reference! The reason being, I’m older!
I am 6’2″ will I fit in this car?
Hi Ed, i am also 6′ 2″, when i had my Ferrari and Lotus i would fit, but the problem was my size 12 shoe, hitting the gas and not hitting the brake was tough, i had to wear special shoes to drive them and then change to my regular shoes all the time, it got to be a bit of a pain. Had my fun and sold them.
Very nice, i hope it sells.
Surprised to see that Ferrari in the mid-1970s was using German door latches.
Kojak was a police detective Lieutenant and not a PI. Kojak arrested bad guys. Magnum drove a Ferrari chased skirts and rode around on TCs chopper.
Why did some have the gated shifter? What was the rationale?
My personal opinion, for a positive engagement into that gear. I had the gated shift plate in my 72 Pantera. I was told by the many owners when I first purchased mine not to look down just shift. Which I thought was strange just like the sitting position in a Pantera.
Since it is a non-catalyst model, I assume it would not pass emissions in CA? However, it has been in CA its entire life. All cars 1976 and newer need to be smogged…..
308 is not a “supercar”.
Just sayin’
Not back then. But there were only a few and a 308 was not one of them.
89k and it will get sucked off the road by a Chrysler minivan. Can’t knock their good looks though.
not on a canyon road!
That’s a very poor defense of a very poor performaning Ferrari that costs 89k. You were better suited to say ya they are very slow.
A buddy bought a brown GTS at Auburn auction back around 1999 or so, it blew a radiator hose going up to the auction ramp, the seller said push it up and sell it, steal at $16k. I got to take it for a spin, a month later he said some guy chased him down and wanted to buy it, he reluctantly said $26k, and the guy took it.
22 years ago, I was freshly divorced and looking for a new ride. A guy in town was selling one of these for the same price as a brand spanking new Chrysler 300m. Yeah, you know which decision I took…
In fairness, the 300 stayed in the family for 20 years going from relative to relative serving as a first car for 3 different cousins and my own child. After an electrical system meltdown, I sold the hulk to a scrap yard two years ago for $140.
$140 vs $90,000. Yeah, my life in a nutshell. :)
I did hear something about a fire at Ferrari. Now I have ot research that story. I have owned some GTS 308s but the GTB vetroresina sure feels a lot stronger. not sure if its the loss of the steel body weight or the webers but its fun to drive. I often wonder wht the future holds for these vetroresina examples. Sadly my kids could care less about cars so the passion dies with me.
Always liked these, had encounters with two,
Coming back from a camping tripnin my 1971 Celica ST i had a prugna colored 308 pass me on the 4 lane
I only knew of them from car magazines
Later in a company car gassing up early one morning there was a yellow 308 GTB at the next pump over, a guy and his teenage son, if I remember right it had Texas plates
Years later a used car lot had one sitting and seen running around town for 30k$
It had 100k plus miles on it
Ended: Jan 15, 2022
Sold for:US $89,000.00