Dino Ferrari 208 / 308 GT4

Author
Discussion

P5BNij

15,875 posts

112 months

Monday 2nd October 2023
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dinkel said:

Red leather in a silver coloured car: yummy.
When I lived in West London from 1983 to 85 I used to walk to work past one in the same colour combination regularly, it looked very exotic compared to everything else around at the time. Still a great looking car today, one of Gandini's best I'd say.

GTRene

17,651 posts

230 months

Monday 2nd October 2023
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dinkel said:

Gerard had the drone out but unlike the 208, which did not miss a beat, the tech would not move...
Nice one, seem to drive better then the 308 'magnum pi' models? but prices not that cheap anymore.

dinkel

Original Poster:

27,157 posts

264 months

Tuesday 3rd October 2023
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They look great: I love 'em since I was a boy.

Indeed, one of Gandini's finest hours.

Rene, any sportscar can't be run cheap... They are 45 years old!

More to come.

4rephill

5,062 posts

184 months

Saturday 7th October 2023
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GTRene said:
dinkel said:

Gerard had the drone out but unlike the 208, which did not miss a beat, the tech would not move...
Nice one, seem to drive better then the 308 'magnum pi' models? but prices not that cheap anymore.
The 308 GT4 has a longer wheelbase than the 308 GTB/GTS (2550mm Vs 2340mm), which makes it more settled on the roads than the GTB/GTS (it's not night and day different, the GTB/GTS has a very good chassis, it's just that the GT4's chassis being slightly longer, makes it slightly better)

For decades, the 308 GT4 was the most unloved Ferrari of all, in part because of it's angular styling, which despite being the fashion at the time in the 70's, was seen as not being "right" for a Ferrari, especially after the super-curvy 206/246 cars, and in part because it was a 2+2 Ferrari, which are never as popular as the 2 seaters.

It also didn't help that the car was initially badged as a "Dino" rather than as a "Ferrari" - For many Ferrari owners, that simply wouldn't do (back in the day, despite their fabulous looks, even the 246 GT/GTS wouldn't do, because it wasn't a "real Ferrari" [some still think that way to this day!] )

So once upon a time, you could buy a 308 GT4 for less than a Ford Mondeo (as demonstrated in the old Top Gear episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuCff8nCxBU) . In fact, there was a time you could by a GT4 (albeit a tired one), for half the price of a Mondeo.

Due to the low prices, these cars fell into the hands of people who tried to run the cars on the cheap, neglected them, and let them slowly rot away, because the cost of servicing and repairing them was more than they were worth (308 GT4's, as with all 70's Italian cars, like to rust, and develop electrical faults due to poor earth connections, when neglected)

Fast forward to today, and the 70's wedge designs have become retro-cool. A big part of the reason for that, is because today's cars are so rounded, so large, and starting to look the same, that the 70's wedges really stand out as being different.

People started looking for 70's wedge cars that could be bought for little money, repaired/restored for a reasonable price, and then sold on for a profit, and the 308 GT4 fitted the bill perfectly.

In addition, whilst everyone knows the Ferrari 308 GTB/GTS due to Magnum p.i, and other TV and Movie appearances, the 308 GT4 is less known about, so generates it's own interest - It's owning a Ferrari without resorting to an obvious model.

So the 308 GT4 has "come of age", and whilst not quite at 308 GTB/GTS prices levels, isn't far behind them, and the 308 GT4 is no longer the "bargain basement" Ferrari.

dinkel

Original Poster:

27,157 posts

264 months

Friday 27th October 2023
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Take another good look at that 911:

This early 911 3.2 Carrera, dated autumn 1983, is a gem and pretty hardcore machinerie.


Quick shifter and sports exhaust and in perfect nick: the best I ever saw and drove.


Back to the GT4: perfect 70s wedge style and fantastic handling dominate this 208.


Front looks a bit like another Gandini highlight: Maserati Khamsin.


We're in the process of organising a follow up Dino Day, somewhere in spring 2024.

dinkel

Original Poster:

27,157 posts

264 months

Friday 26th January
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Can't get enough of the GT4 Ferrari Dino:

The silver 208GT4 is for sale at EUR 58k


This early (002) 3.2 Carrera has to be the very best 911 G I ever drove: phew!


Four in a row and organising Dino Day #2 as we speak.

biggbn

24,838 posts

226 months

Friday 26th January
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I love these, and the later Mondial. I bet a 2 litre v8 screams!

P5BNij

15,875 posts

112 months

Friday 26th January
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The draw of these wedge shaped wonders is really, really strong, I love Gandini's lines and proportions, is a well tweaked version of his first Urraco prototype of 1970 with added Stratos thrown in around the rear window area. Genius.




dinkel

Original Poster:

27,157 posts

264 months

Saturday 27th January
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Genius cars indeed.

And yes: the 208 is a riot to drive and even more of an event compared to the torquey 308.

The silver one is a steal basically: 58k is 105-series GTV money!

GTRene

17,651 posts

230 months

Saturday 27th January
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dinkel said:
Genius cars indeed.

And yes: the 208 is a riot to drive and even more of an event compared to the torquey 308.

The silver one is a steal basically: 58k is 105-series GTV money!
price is good indeed, but if I was looking for one I would choose one with the Dino badge like say this example.


4rephill

5,062 posts

184 months

Sunday 28th January
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GTRene said:
dinkel said:
Genius cars indeed.

And yes: the 208 is a riot to drive and even more of an event compared to the torquey 308.

The silver one is a steal basically: 58k is 105-series GTV money!
price is good indeed, but if I was looking for one I would choose one with the Dino badge like say this example.

"Back in the day", a lot of early 208/308 GT4's had their Dino nose badges swapped out for Ferrari badges.

Some simply had the Dino badge removed, the recess filled with filler, and then a Ferrari badge parked on top.

Some had the Dino badge recess cut out, and then had a Ferrari badge recess patched into place.

And in the USA, some early 308 GT4's came supplied from the factory with the Dino nose badge, and then the dealerships added a Ferrari nose badge just above the Dino badge, so the car had two badges on the nose (Ferrari actually had a service bulletin that gave the position dimensions, to add a Ferrari nose badge above the dino nose badge ).

Today, because factory originality is so important to many owners, a lot of the early 208/308 GT4's that had their Dino badges replaced with Ferrari badges, are now going through the reverse process, and having their Ferrari badges replaced with Dino badges.

GTRene

17,651 posts

230 months

Sunday 28th January
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4rephill said:
"Back in the day", a lot of early 208/308 GT4's had their Dino nose badges swapped out for Ferrari badges.

Some simply had the Dino badge removed, the recess filled with filler, and then a Ferrari badge parked on top.

Some had the Dino badge recess cut out, and then had a Ferrari badge recess patched into place.

And in the USA, some early 308 GT4's came supplied from the factory with the Dino nose badge, and then the dealerships added a Ferrari nose badge just above the Dino badge, so the car had two badges on the nose (Ferrari actually had a service bulletin that gave the position dimensions, to add a Ferrari nose badge above the dino nose badge ).

Today, because factory originality is so important to many owners, a lot of the early 208/308 GT4's that had their Dino badges replaced with Ferrari badges, are now going through the reverse process, and having their Ferrari badges replaced with Dino badges.
indeed, (not knew about the US double option lol)a bit like the Corvette C2 split window, they wanted the later look and saw it out and then later some reversed it again.

dinkel

Original Poster:

27,157 posts

264 months

Monday 29th January
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Today every - every - 40 year and older car looks different.

dinkel

Original Poster:

27,157 posts

264 months

dinkel

Original Poster:

27,157 posts

264 months

Monday 25th March
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BTW: there's a Dino Day 2 in May, in case anyone is interested. Dino owners only. The Netherlands.

A handful of UK owners come over.

sideways man

1,390 posts

143 months

Monday 25th March
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What date is dino day? I’m in Leiden from 21 May onwards…

dinkel

Original Poster:

27,157 posts

264 months

Tuesday 26th March
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Meetup with the UK team and dinner 24th of May

Dino Day 2 is 25th: full day with tours and a museum and lunch and all that > should be good

Join us? PM and let's go from there

Best!

dinkel

Original Poster:

27,157 posts

264 months

Friday 29th March
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More Dino... And 8 weeks to go to Dino Day 2!

After a brief stint we bumped into this shed. Appropriate, because the area has seen some earthquakes due to gas drillings...


This 208 is a pretty good driver and a riot to attack roads with. It's for sale.


All lined up: 308 GTS has a plate problem...


Compared to this Carrera a GT4 is more of a handful to haul around.

dinkel

Original Poster:

27,157 posts

264 months

Friday 17th May
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Dino Day 2 is next weekend: should be good this time with a dozen cars > some coming from the UK!

All lined up in front of a farmhouse touched by the mining earthquakes...


Caruso

7,461 posts

262 months

Friday 17th May
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I'd look forward to the photos from that.