[Maranellohouse]

Just wanted to say hello to everyone. Don't know why but only just found the site. Very impressed with the site.

I own a 1980 308 GTSi that came from the US and was supposidly owned by one of the San Fransisco 49ers. Never chased up who though.
I have only recently finished a full body restoration on my car and changed the colour along the way. It was originally Silver but at a show a small boy came up to me and said he liked my De-lorean, It was due a repaint anyway and as I always wanted a red 308 there was no reason not to.

I'm on my 3rd Ferrari (2 Mondials before the 308) and have been a Ferrari follower almost all of my life.

If anyones interested I have my own site with the restoration of my car on it. It has the retorations of my other cars to. If you do visit please do sign my guestbook and place yourself on the guestmap. I love to see how far away from me people are.
Ok I'm away to browse the rest of the forum.
Ta for now, Stuart

 

[Pete04222]

Hi Stuart! Welcome to the site. That's a great story about how you came to change the color of your car.

The car looks fantastic. Nice paint job. A couple of things that stick out to me about your car - To the best of my knowledge the Pininfarina badge is only on the left side of the car and I also notice you are missing the exhaust shield. Is that the stock exhaust?

I tried to visit your site but the link didn't work.

 

[Maranellohouse]

Hi Pete and thank you for your kind words.

The car had 2 Pinin badges on it when I bought it so I kept them on it. (Mind you so did the Mondials).

I took the exhaust sheild off for no other reason than I think they look awfull. I am planning at some stage to make up a little panel to go above the exhaust to give a finished look similar to the Euro cars. It is a Euro exhaust fitted now with four stainless steel tips made by a friend of mine. I have removed all the emmissions stuff as we don't need it overhere, so it flows a little free'er. I do hope at some point to fit a Tubi system to the car if I decide to keep it. (I've took a craving for either a 348 or 355, although I have been offered a friends Testarossa which is tempting.
I'm really proud of the paint job, I'm not one for blowing my own trumpet but it came out really well. No-one believes that I did it myself in a wooden garage.

My Site is www.maranellohouse.com I'll have a look at what is wrong.

 

[Boxer]

Welcome to FL. Great story on the Delorean. What is the address of your site ?

 

[Pete04222]

I took the exhaust sheild off for no other reason than I think they look awfull.

I have to disagree with you on the look of the panel. Refer to this post for some of my thoughts:
http://www.ferrarilife.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4651

Again, I think your car looks fantastic!

 

[Maranellohouse]

Hi Pete. My car did have the cover on it but I prefer the look of it off. To me it gives a more racy look. Your car looks well in that shot though. It does look all hunched up ready to pounce. Oh and thanks for the nice comments and posting on the map, your the furthest away so far. Almost as nice as yours indeed.

Hi Boxer. The link to my site should be working now but if not it's www.maranellohouse.com

 

[fmaderi]

wecome aboard. nice V8. i get a good number of tech questions from from ferrari car owners . wonder if my joan being from dublin has anything to do with it .lol. i answer tech ques for the FOC here in florida. let me know who in your area is a good tech so i ccan foward them some work . cheers frank

 

[Magnum6464]

Hey Stuart, nice 308 and looks great in Red !

Went to your web site…very sweet ! I could not sign your guest book because im at work but will at home….

~

 

[Maranellohouse]

wecome aboard. nice V8. i get a good number of tech questions from from ferrari car owners . wonder if my joan being from dublin has anything to do with it .lol. i answer tech ques for the FOC here in florida. let me know who in your area is a good tech so i ccan foward them some work . cheers frank

Thanks for the welcome. I do almost all my work myself but if it get beyond me I have a guy who is an ex Rolls Royce engine builder who opened his own business here and is a dab hand at specialist suff, He has a Testarossa of his own. I have him listed on my site so if you do come across anyone looking for a good tech over here please do forward them to my site.

Thanks again, Stuart

 

[Maranellohouse]

Hey Stuart, nice 308 and looks great in Red !

Went to your web site…very sweet ! I could not sign your guest book because im at work but will at home….

~

Thanks for that. It started off as somewere to put my pictures but I hope it helps people who are thinking of buying a Ferrari but are to afraid to, to take the plunge. You don't need fortunes to run them.

The sites growing nicely.

Ta again, Stu

 

[Andrew]

Stuart,

Welcome to Ferrari Life. I have a mechanic in the SF Bay area that has worked on lots of Ferraris here over the years. I'll ask him if he knew any 49ers that had a 308.


I enjoyed reading your 308 restoration page. If you find a new project be sure to keep us updated. I'd love to have a section feature these updates as there are tons of technical related information in these updates.

 

[Maranellohouse]

Thanks for that, very kind. I don't if you noticed but on the main page of my site on the left hand side just above thing to do there is a heading "workshop manuals for various Ferraris" it's pdf files various models. I put it up in the hope it might help others who like to tinker on their cars. It may be of use.

I'm currently restoring the little Fiat 127 Sport if that's any interest.

 

[Boxer]

Stuart, If you email Gerald Roush at Ferrari Market Letter with your SN, he might be able to give you the names of the previous US owners of your 308. Gerald has a huge archive covering a large number of Ferraris that have passed across US shores in the last 30 years.

 

[Maranellohouse]

Thanks Boxer, I'll see about doing that. I've sent you email about the other btw.

 

[Boxer]

Got the email. Many thanks for the advice. I will give them a call tomorrow.