Any love for a 328?

[rat rod]

4rephill said:

911gone said:

FezSpider said:

If you are under 6 foot you will fit
Had a problem fitting the GTS roof behind my seat and driving, not much room.
Gear stick constantly sticking into your leg to.
Other than that, there a beautiful classic ferrari.

This could be a problem then, I'm 6' 3"!

Tom Selleck is 6' 4", and when he made Magnum P.I back in the day, to fit him in the 308 GTS, they had to take the runners off the underside of the driver's seat, bolt the seat directly to the floor, and remove some of the padding from the seat base.

Even with all of that done, his head still sat above the top of the windscreen!

Handy being a 5ft 5" short ass sometimes, don't have those problems you lanky guys have especially in Italian cars..

[Fessia fancier]

FezSpider said:

You did read the bit were I said I owned a GTS right? Loved the thing to, but being a big guy it was tight and uncomfortable.
The guy is 6ft 3. Not a chance in hell putting that roof behind his seat and driving comfortably. That roof will stay at home, good idea really because he wont fit in it with the roof on either. So its roof off stay off on sunny days only
On a side note and on the other hand, if I had the chance of owning a little 246 Dino. I would grease my self with wale fat and have my self squeezed into it and would swear i I fit

Edited by FezSpider on Wednesday 16th September 23:29

Sorry I missed that.
In the scenario you mention I too would be looking for the whale fat....

[911gone]

FezSpider said:

You did read the bit were I said I owned a GTS right? Loved the thing to, but being a big guy it was tight and uncomfortable.
The guy is 6ft 3. Not a chance in hell putting that roof behind his seat and driving comfortably. That roof will stay at home, good idea really because he wont fit in it with the roof on either. So its roof off stay off on sunny days only
On a side note and on the other hand, if I had the chance of owning a little 246 Dino. I would grease my self with wale fat and have my self squeezed into it and would swear i I fit

I'm based south of Bergerac in France, so if I buy one the roof can hopefully stay in the barn! Are some of the later cars any better for us tall buggers?

[67Dino]

Hate to kill a dream but at 6’3” I think you may just be too tall to drive a 328 comfortably. I’m 6’ and it was at the limit of what I could drive. eg my right knee could select the indicator, my left knee took blocked the air con.

If it’s any consolation they are beautiful but not soooo great. Power is less than a decent Gti, build quality and switch gear is basically Fiat, and the drive is engaging but pretty rattly. Back when I bought mine they were 30k and good value for a bit of fun but really not sure they’re worth twice as much.

How about a Mondiale? More room, ageing well, and half the price. Or an F355, which IMO is a massively better car, more room inside, and even prettier.

[Wombat3]

browngt3 said:

PurpleTurtle said:

328s featued in Autocar' s 'Top 30 Modern Classics To Buy While You Can' this week

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/top-30...

That's a st article from Autocar. A 'lazy state of tune' for the 328? I call it lazy journalism..

That bit is harsh but fair, its not exactly a firecracker of an engine. They left a lot of power on the table with the design of the heads & the cams they used.

Doesn't have a hydraulic clutch though , that bit is indeed very wrong!

[Bo_apex]

4rephill said:

Tom Selleck is 6' 4", and when he made Magnum P.I back in the day, to fit him in the 308 GTS, they had to take the runners off the underside of the driver's seat, bolt the seat directly to the floor, and remove some of the padding from the seat base.

Even with all of that done, his head still sat above the top of the windscreen!

TV producers originally wanted the 928 for Thomas Magnum, but Porsche wouldn't chop the roof off. Cue the 308 GTS

[browngt3]

Wombat3 said:

browngt3 said:

PurpleTurtle said:

328s featued in Autocar' s 'Top 30 Modern Classics To Buy While You Can' this week

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/top-30...

That's a st article from Autocar. A 'lazy state of tune' for the 328? I call it lazy journalism..

That bit is harsh but fair, its not exactly a firecracker of an engine. They left a lot of power on the table with the design of the heads & the cams they used.

Doesn't have a hydraulic clutch though , that bit is indeed very wrong!

Yet if you compare with it's contemporaries it fares very well:

Ferrari 328: 84bhp/litre

Lamborghini Jalpa: 72bhp/litre

Porsche 911: 73bhp/litre

BMW M635: 82bhp/litre

Granted none are firecrackers by modern standards and Italian stallions are often a little less strong than their German counterpart but 270bhp was pretty decent for 1986. By the way in the same issue of Motor Magazine where I got these figures there's a group test of cheap hatches. Three of the cars don't even make 40bhp!!

[4rephill]

Bo_apex said:

4rephill said:

Tom Selleck is 6' 4", and when he made Magnum P.I back in the day, to fit him in the 308 GTS, they had to take the runners off the underside of the driver's seat, bolt the seat directly to the floor, and remove some of the padding from the seat base.

Even with all of that done, his head still sat above the top of the windscreen!

TV producers originally wanted the 928 for Thomas Magnum, but Porsche wouldn't chop the roof off. Cue the 308 GTS

Not quite correct:

The producers wanted to use a Porsche 928 (and Tom Selleck was very keen on the 928), but when they did a test shoot, they couldn't see the driver clearly enough, so they asked Porsche if a 928 could be made with a large lift out roof panel (not a full convertible or true targa roof), so that Tom Selleck could be seen more easily

Porsche said no, because they did not see any benefit in going to the expense of re-engineering a car, and having a special, one-off, non-standard roof made, because they didn't think having a 928 in a TV show would generate a large number of additional sales.

Production was due to start shortly, so the producers needed to find an alternative pretty quickly, and they wanted something that looked like an exotic, high end car that a multi-Millionaire would own (which ruled out a 911 targa, as it wasn't deemed exotic enough).

They decided the 308 GTS fitted the bill perfectly, but then found it didn't fit Tom Selleck perfectly, so had to modify the driver's seat, to get him comfortable (as much as he could be, being 6' 4" and quite broad shouldered)

Around the World, a whole generation suddenly became aware of the Ferrari 308 GTS, and it became one of the most coveted, best selling Ferrari's of all time (in the USA, it's pretty much known as: "The Magnum Ferrari" to this day)

Porsche's 928 sales suffered to some degree from a backlash from traditional Porsche buyers, due to the fact that it was not a 911 shape (the 928 was supposed to replace the 911 - Eventually, the 928 died the death, and the 911 lived on).

The 928 still sold pretty well, but many question if the sales would have been a lot better if the car had been in Magnum PI, as Ferrari 308 GTS sales took off just after Magnum PI went on air and became popular.

It's generally thought that Porsche got it wrong, and the benefits of supplying a modified car for the series would have outweighed the costs (Some have even suggested that a production version of the suggested large lift out roof panel could have been a big seller).

The general consensus though, is that by accident/fate/ Porsche's error or whatever, the Ferrari played a big part in Magnum PI's success, and that a Porsche 928 wouldn't have generated as much interest as the Ferrari did.

[67Dino]

4rephill said:

Bo_apex said:

4rephill said:

Tom Selleck is 6' 4", and when he made Magnum P.I back in the day, to fit him in the 308 GTS, they had to take the runners off the underside of the driver's seat, bolt the seat directly to the floor, and remove some of the padding from the seat base.

Even with all of that done, his head still sat above the top of the windscreen!

TV producers originally wanted the 928 for Thomas Magnum, but Porsche wouldn't chop the roof off. Cue the 308 GTS

Not quite correct:

The producers wanted to use a Porsche 928 (and Tom Selleck was very keen on the 928), but when they did a test shoot, they couldn't see the driver clearly enough, so they asked Porsche if a 928 could be made with a large lift out roof panel (not a full convertible or true targa roof), so that Tom Selleck could be seen more easily

.....

The general consensus though, is that by accident/fate/ Porsche's error or whatever, the Ferrari played a big part in Magnum PI's success, and that a Porsche 928 wouldn't have generated as much interest as the Ferrari did.

Gather both Porsche and Ferrari turned down a placement in Pretty Woman, because they didn’t want to be associated with prostitution. So in steps Lotus with the Esprit and scores an uplift in sales. Shame, as it might have done the underloved 348 wonders to have featured in the film.

[BMW A6]

67Dino said:

Gather both Porsche and Ferrari turned down a placement in Pretty Woman, because they didn’t want to be associated with prostitution. So in steps Lotus with the Esprit and scores an uplift in sales. Shame, as it might have done the underloved 348 wonders to have featured in the film.

Pardon my ignorance here, but if the makers of Pretty Woman decided to cast a Porsche or Ferrari, would Porsche or Ferrari have any say in the matter?

[Wombat3]

BMW A6 said:

67Dino said:

Gather both Porsche and Ferrari turned down a placement in Pretty Woman, because they didn’t want to be associated with prostitution. So in steps Lotus with the Esprit and scores an uplift in sales. Shame, as it might have done the underloved 348 wonders to have featured in the film.

Pardon my ignorance here, but if the makers of Pretty Woman decided to cast a Porsche or Ferrari, would Porsche or Ferrari have any say in the matter?

Somehow I dont think film makers expect to have to pay for these things.....( I.e. Porsche/Ferrari turned down the opportunity to provide a free car!)

[cgt2]

And there were two Esprit's in 'Basic Instinct'

[cgt2]

Wombat3 said:

Somehow I dont think film makers expect to have to pay for these things.....( I.e. Porsche/Ferrari turned down the opportunity to provide a free car!)

Ferrari provided two Testarossas from Series 3 of Miami Vice as they were upset at a replica Daytona being used initially.

[4rephill]

67Dino said:

Gather both Porsche and Ferrari turned down a placement in Pretty Woman, because they didn’t want to be associated with prostitution. So in steps Lotus with the Esprit and scores an uplift in sales. Shame, as it might have done the underloved 348 wonders to have featured in the film.

Ferrari sold all the "underloved" 348's they could make, so being in Pretty Woman would have made no difference at all to their sales figures.

(Ferrari were deliberately making a limited number of cars per year, and had no plans to increase their production numbers)

[Bo_apex]

4rephill said:

Bo_apex said:

4rephill said:

Tom Selleck is 6' 4", and when he made Magnum P.I back in the day, to fit him in the 308 GTS, they had to take the runners off the underside of the driver's seat, bolt the seat directly to the floor, and remove some of the padding from the seat base.

Even with all of that done, his head still sat above the top of the windscreen!

TV producers originally wanted the 928 for Thomas Magnum, but Porsche wouldn't chop the roof off. Cue the 308 GTS

Not quite correct:

The producers wanted to use a Porsche 928 (and Tom Selleck was very keen on the 928), but when they did a test shoot, they couldn't see the driver clearly enough, so they asked Porsche if a 928 could be made with a large lift out roof panel (not a full convertible or true targa roof), so that Tom Selleck could be seen more easily

Porsche said no, because they did not see any benefit in going to the expense of re-engineering a car, and having a special, one-off, non-standard roof made, because they didn't think having a 928 in a TV show would generate a large number of additional sales.

Production was due to start shortly, so the producers needed to find an alternative pretty quickly, and they wanted something that looked like an exotic, high end car that a multi-Millionaire would own (which ruled out a 911 targa, as it wasn't deemed exotic enough).

They decided the 308 GTS fitted the bill perfectly, but then found it didn't fit Tom Selleck perfectly, so had to modify the driver's seat, to get him comfortable (as much as he could be, being 6' 4" and quite broad shouldered)

Around the World, a whole generation suddenly became aware of the Ferrari 308 GTS, and it became one of the most coveted, best selling Ferrari's of all time (in the USA, it's pretty much known as: "The Magnum Ferrari" to this day)

Porsche's 928 sales suffered to some degree from a backlash from traditional Porsche buyers, due to the fact that it was not a 911 shape (the 928 was supposed to replace the 911 - Eventually, the 928 died the death, and the 911 lived on).

The 928 still sold pretty well, but many question if the sales would have been a lot better if the car had been in Magnum PI, as Ferrari 308 GTS sales took off just after Magnum PI went on air and became popular.

It's generally thought that Porsche got it wrong, and the benefits of supplying a modified car for the series would have outweighed the costs (Some have even suggested that a production version of the suggested large lift out roof panel could have been a big seller).

The general consensus though, is that by accident/fate/ Porsche's error or whatever, the Ferrari played a big part in Magnum PI's success, and that a Porsche 928 wouldn't have generated as much interest as the Ferrari did.

A long winded version of my snippet

Porsche made the right call as the GTS was better for a TV series in Hawaii.
Unmolested 928 was better for Scarface and Risky Business movies.
Both great cars and enjoy mine regularly.

[rdbrooksie]

I owned two in Hong Kong when I was working there. Superb fun (and being a HK Police officer at the time it did raise some eyebrows!) and despite having owned newer marquees since, I am now looking for one. Incidentally, I emailed two dealers who are on this site advertising one to enquire about their car but neither bothered to reply and both are still available......

[rat rod]

rdbrooksie said:

I owned two in Hong Kong when I was working there. Superb fun (and being a HK Police officer at the time it did raise some eyebrows!) and despite having owned newer marquees since, I am now looking for one. Incidentally, I emailed two dealers who are on this site advertising one to enquire about their car but neither bothered to reply and both are still available......

Why does that not surprised me, called three main dealerships yesterday and only one has returned my call,a very efficient young lady who was very helpful.

Generally they are all the same ,If they are either busy or not there and the receptionist asked can they call you back ,i always say no i'll call them back because i know i will otherwise i'm sitting there waiting for a call that probably won't ever come.

Most not all the sales staff are prima Donnas and talk down rather than too you unless you look the part which i don't.
Ok when you get a relationship going ,when they realise you are serious about buying and not wasting their time.

Phoned a leading Auction house to enter a classic car that i know from their previous auction that they had sold a similar car very well,
hence my call, Was told that they would be very interested and someone will be returning my call,
Still waiting and the Auction was three weeks ago.
Sold the car myself to the first caller from my ad with no entry fee or commission and didn't have to wait a mouth for payment.

Edited by rat rod on Saturday 31st October 11:34

[Bo_apex]

rdbrooksie said:

I owned two in Hong Kong when I was working there. Superb fun (and being a HK Police officer at the time it did raise some eyebrows!) and despite having owned newer marquees since, I am now looking for one.

Were you an undercover officer in a 308 ?

[rdbrooksie]

Funnily enough I was in a vice team in a place called Kok.
Happy days!
Still interested in a 308/328GTS if anyone is selling....as still no reply to my emails to the two dealers!

[rdbrooksie]