Any Tractor Guys Into Sports Cars Too?

[s219]

In my younger days I had the opportunity to do some maintenance and repairs on a Euro version 308 GTB. Did a clutch in it and cleaned and synchronized the weber carbs. It was a bit of a beast to drive. The American version had hydraulic clutch and fuel injection but the euro version had a mouse trap linkage like and old Harley and weber carbs. I did get to pick my wife up for lunch on a test drive one day.

I have always liked the looks and even to this day it seems beautiful to me and sort of a timeless design. If I ever win the lottery, I would buy one to restore for sure, since I think you need a flexible/infinite/unending budget to be realistic about it.

I hear the belts need to be replaced often, suspension bushings are a frequent issue due to rubber breaking down and no/few grease fittings, and they are ripe for body rust problems in certain areas due to poor design that doesn't let water drain well and the use of raw steel panels with no coating/plating on the inside (so a frequently washed 308 is probably worse than a neglected one). Beginning in 1984 they used galvanized steel which helps a bit.

In general, I think the idea of buying one is about as smart as a self inflicted gunshot wound to the head, but I would still like to try some day.

 

[dfkrug]

In general, I think the idea of buying one is about as smart as a self inflicted gunshot wound to the head, but I would still like to try some day.

And so you should buy one. Yeah, they are a maintenance/repair challenge, but if you can do it yourself, you can pick them up for less than a new pickup.

I had my '83 308GTSi QV for about a dozen years, and it certainly was no Toyota. We also had a BMW M3 for about 10y, and that was a repair disaster, too.

 

[TractorGuy]

I have always liked the looks and even to this day it seems beautiful to me and sort of a timeless design. If I ever win the lottery, I would buy one to restore for sure, since I think you need a flexible/infinite/unending budget to be realistic about it.

I hear the belts need to be replaced often, suspension bushings are a frequent issue due to rubber breaking down and no/few grease fittings, and they are ripe for body rust problems in certain areas due to poor design that doesn't let water drain well and the use of raw steel panels with no coating/plating on the inside (so a frequently washed 308 is probably worse than a neglected one). Beginning in 1984 they used galvanized steel which helps a bit.

In general, I think the idea of buying one is about as smart as a self inflicted gunshot wound to the head, but I would still like to try some day.

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Italian steel has always been very prone to rust. I don't know how Fiat has survived. They were pretty much run out of America in the early days due to reliability and safety. I bought my wife a brand new 131 when we were married. I had to work on that **** car almost every weekend to keep it running. At 2-1/2 years old it was rusting out from the inside and had never left N. FL.

Panteras were one of my bucket list dream cars and they had the same rust problem. I did get to have one of those in the shop for a week around 73-74. It required much test driving. The owner insisted I fit it with a 780 Holly. The 780 required a LOT of tuning to get it to run on a 351 Cleveland. Back in those days the only way to judge fuel mixture was to run at a fixed speed for a ways then shut it down, coast to a stop, and pull some plugs to read.

My absolute top dream is a Ford GT40. I would settle for a later Ford GT. Neither is likely.

 

[tguy]

1966 Corvette 327, Powerglide, Factory Air.

 

[dfkrug]

Panteras were one of my bucket list dream cars and they had the same rust problem.(

Back in the late 80s, I found a 71 or 72 Pantera in giallo in a hoarder's barn. It was buried so deep, you could barely see any part of it. I offered the guy $18K for it, but of course he said no. That was on a rural property in Grass Valley, CA. He died a few years later, and I heard the widow liquidated everything.

 

[dfkrug]

1966 Corvette 327, Powerglide, Factory Air.

63-67 'Vette 4spd. That's what I wanted most in high school. Then the gas crisis hit and prices doubled to 60c/gal!

I could not afford one anyway, so I opted for a Toyota.

 

[TractorGuy]

Back in the late 80s, I found a 71 or 72 Pantera in giallo in a hoarder's barn. It was buried so deep, you could barely see any part of it. I offered the guy $18K for it, but of course he said no. That was on a rural property in Grass Valley, CA. He died a few years later, and I heard the widow liquidated everything.

The one I worked on the guy sold for 7 grand. I asked him if he had lost his mind. He said he knew what others were asking but doubted if they were getting it. I sure would have liked a heads up he was selling it for that.

 

[ultrarunner]

Italian steel has always been very prone to rust. I don't know how Fiat has survived. They were pretty much run out of America in the early days due to reliability and safety. I bought my wife a brand new 131 when we were married. I had to work on that **** car almost every weekend to keep it running. At 2-1/2 years old it was rusting out from the inside and had never left N. FL.

Panteras were one of my bucket list dream cars and they had the same rust problem. I did get to have one of those in the shop for a week around 73-74. It required much test driving. The owner insisted I fit it with a 780 Holly. The 780 required a LOT of tuning to get it to run on a 351 Cleveland. Back in those days the only way to judge fuel mixture was to run at a fixed speed for a ways then shut it down, coast to a stop, and pull some plugs to read.

My absolute top dream is a Ford GT40. I would settle for a later Ford GT. Neither is likely.

Never owned any of these but have driven them... Uncle was into SCCA very heavy when I was growing up... he loved "Retired" Race cars and dabbled in them... AC Bristol... built the Mongoose AC with the aluminum Olds engine featured in Hot Rod and traded small and big block Cobras, several GT 40's, Ford GT, Lola etc... the two cars he drove the most or the longest... Pantera and his racing Lotus Super 7... he said the Lotus was an absolute blast and did very well on the circuit back in day...

He is down to one Cobra... sold the GT a few years back.. said it just wasn't the same as you slow down... bought it showroom new for 160k, owned it 5 years and sold it for 210k... who said domestic iron doesn't hold value?

The only thing I own remotely close is the 62 Corvette... love the way it looks... white with red interior... but the truth be known it is the fastest "Truck" I have ever driven... made some long distance trips in the 68 Mustang Convertible... drove fine and no issues... his wife drove a 62 Corvette for about 5 years and she always took us for rides when she would come for a visit.

With all that said... my lowly 3 series BMW iT is the car that got it right... I can hop in and drive it 12 hours from SF to Olympia WA and still love the way it handles and behaves... also 32 mpg isn't bad.

I've had Hemi Chryslers and Z-28 and Indy Pace Camaro and lots of other muscle cars when they were cheap... read gas going to 70 cents a gallon... but give me a couple of restored tractors and Model A Roadster and life it good...