HOLY COW !! that is the car and WOW its got so much worse, it was really quite bad at the time but was on the verge of potentially being saved. This though is crazy how much more its rotten out since.
Plenty to salvage on this car...gauges, wheels, probably brake calipers, trim, seats, console, dash, shifter, switch gear, door handles, door cards, quite a few items. door glass, quarter glass, windshield.
Back in the 1970s, the joke here in Canada used to be that the British invented rust, and then licensed the process to the Italians, which was where the Japanese copied it from. 😆
I recon at some point that car has been in a damp shed near the coast (with salt in the air), condensation can wreak havoc. I pulled a Jag XJ6 out a garage years ago, been in there 30 odd years, drove in fine in the 70's and was just left (death in the family from memory ?), then the garage roof started leaking and was never fixed, it was so rotten it nearly broke in two when we tried to pull it out, the garage held the damp in the car even on dry days for decades, was a real shame, had been a lovely pale blue series 1 car with a manual box : (
According to the Ferrari owner's club register, third edition, (1987), chassis number14574 was not listed. There is a section for 308 GT/4's with unknown chassis numbers, but I would need the name or number plate with that. There is '14572' & '14578', which were 'T' registrations, there is a '15474' with a 'V' reg.
Hi Jack. Love this video. I'm from West Lancashire originally, a few miles inland from Southport. I remember a white 308GT4 being around Southport in the mid 80s. From what I remember I'd see it all year round and it was very often parked on the promenade. Back then we all used to say, "Never buy a Southport car, it'll turn into a teabag!"
This looks like a vehicle that's been under water at some point in its life. Being indoors in a damp environment can be worse than being outside. A 246 Dino, the earlier shape one, was found in a similar condition up here in Fife a few years back. The story with it went, the old boy who owned it had been getting chased by the police one night so had hidden the car at the back of his garage under blankets and tarps and it had been forgotten about and left for decades until the place was sold and the kids had to clear it out.
Another great video Jack and what a fantastic story! A basket case example of the 'unloved' Ferrari, but the 308GT4 has always been my favourite. Back in the early '80s I used to walk past a silver one with a red interior on my way to work, I loved it's Bertone styling and I always stopped to have a look at it, even as the Ferrari you weren't supposed to like it still looked exotic next to the Fiestas and Sierras that surrounded it. One of Gandini's best with elements of his own Stratos design, particularly around the C pillars and air intakes, and it's often forgotten that it was a tweaked version of the first Lamborghini Urraco prototype of 1970 which Ferruccio Lamborghini rejected, the design was picked off the shelf at Bertone as the basis for the 246's replacement in 1973. I'm certainly biased but for me there isn't a bad line, angle or proportion on it anywhere. Let's hope with this one someone manages to salvage the interior and put it to good use.... ;-)
I'd like to solve the puzzle. From the mid 1970's through the early 80's, there was a steel shortage from Italy's usual suppliers, Sheffield England and USA. They started having to buy bad steel from Turkey which mostly went on their foreign shipped cars. Many (but not all) Ferraris, Fiats and Alfa's were made of this low quality Turkish steel which rusted out fast.
I was born and brought up in Istanbul which has a climate similar to that of new York and never ever saw Turkish cars rot like this and I am assuming they too were made from the same steel, and it is also common knowledge that Italians were buying steel from the Russians and it was rumoured that they were being extracted from sunken ww2 wrecks!
@@turistomer3702 It wasn't about the climate. It was a particular period of poorly manufactured steel that Fiat, Alfa, Ferrari etc. purchased. A well documented issue. The markets deemed "lesser" got those cars, the markets they deemed more important, British steel.
I have one. Wasn’t it Soviet steel they were buying at that time? For Fiats. I have no idea if mine has the steel in it. But it’s still looking good today. Kept wrapped up and undercover. Really interesting video to see what can happen if left in the elements. Mine is same colour interior. Blue and black, didn’t know blue if faded. Looks the same as this one’s.
Lots of people here wondering how a Ferrari could have ended up in this condition, but in the early 1990s these, the Mondial and 400 weren't sought after at all. They were still very expensive to maintain and could be had relatively cheaply... as a result, they were generally laid up a lot and had very low mileage. I remember being offered a 400 in reasonable condition for around £3,500 back then and thinking it wasn't worth the money because of the expense baggage that would come with it (!)
I can vouch for that, after living on the North Wales coast for 14 years (just before emigrating to the States) my cars and motorbikes would rust so bloody quickly. I swear in the winter with the added salt on the road, you could actually see the rust creeping along destroying my poor cars and bikes. Now I have to worry about the heat fading the paint and cracking the dash, not to mention the insects and rodents eating wiring etc and making homes in air boxes etc.
Interesting video Jack and as people's comments, some value in the wheels and interior worth salvation. The reason why the Ratarossa BB survived, is because that most of it's body panels are aluminum...
I recall seeing a white gt4 around the Twickenham area in the early 1980s. There were only 547 UK cars and I don't know how many were white. Not my favourite colour but I think these look best in metallic colours anyway. The 308gt4 was the first mid engine V8 Ferrari - so the granddaddy of the 288GTO, F40 and all the modern mid engined cars.
I share your interest in decay and dereliction. As a teenager in the 1980s I regularly did the train journey from Wolverhampton to Birmingham. It was a fascinating picture of large, rusty disused sidings, overgrown canals and huge factory buildings with broken windows etc. There's an eery beauty in that kind of thing.
Ah, Jack... Actually, the air box could possibly be repaired, as the rotten bits seemed to be on the flat parts. A good fabricator might be able to replace those, if the surrounding areas were thick enough to take a weld. Well, maybe not... But somewhere in England there are some well-fed metal termites!
A good thing it has so much rust otherwise there would be nothing to hold the holes together 🤗😁. Thanks Jack for such an entertaining and enjoyable channel. Regards, Bob M. South Wales
It’s a 70’s Italian car that was clearly made out of that cheap Russian steel that the Italian’s had done deal on. Lancia’s rusted away in few years at the time. The same with Alfa’s.
We did actually own this Ferrari GT4 for a year. We had a call in 2014 from a chap who knew we would buy any old Ferrari 308s at the time. He had picked up an old scrap 308 GT4. He told us it was in a really bad way as the previous owner had gone through a divorce and had to hide the car so his wife could not claim it. He had stored it in a barn covered in straw but the straw had been damp and this is what it was like when he eventually went back for it. Anyway we struck a deal and had to forklift the car onto our trailer as even the suspension arms were rusted through so it wouldn't roll. We bought it with the plan to use all the running gear in a 246 replica but none of it was useable and it was not worth the effort and cost to rebuild any of the parts as we had plenty of other cars and parts to use. Over the year we owned it, the prices of anything Ferrari went through the roof so we just sold it on. We have had a few Ferrari 308s and still have one laying in the yard now which is in an even worse state than this one. Just had a look at the pictures from when we collected it and it does look a little worse although the car is sitting a lot straighter in this video so must have patched up the suspension arms.
up north in the states because of salt...etc...it's called the rust belt for more than the manufacturing leaving. you can witness see-through metal on many cars but few look that bad to be sure.
I live a few miles from Rothley where Coopers used to be. It ended up being a BMW dealer but is now long gone and a Co op was built in its place. I think they used to sell some exotic stuff as my dads mate test drove an e type there back in the day.
Great video, I share your love of glorious patina. Sealed in a vacuum filled Perspex container, to stop it completely rusting away, this would be a thing of beauty.
I can relate to the enthusiasm you mention as I feel the same way about things that show the passage of time. As to this car, I am not surprised, and expect there may be more of this model around the world in similarly poor states, as these for many years were worth very little, but still cost as much to maintain as a more collectible model.
Wow, both horrified and fascinated and at the same time admiring the car. Very good report on it. Amazing how it has its own history and that the story is known about it more or less, albeit a very sad one. Are there any chances of perspective for this car or what is the owner planning to do with it? I never really liked this particular car, but always liked still the fact that it has a V8. Cheers from rainy Belgium.
Im guessing it must have been recovered from the sea, or a lake/river at some point in it's life. Left on a slipway with the handbrake not fully on, or conked out in a deep ford, perhaps. In any case, it's quite amazing.
The 512 was on tarmac/concrete. The GT4 is on dirt/gravel. Maybe that's the difference? The one got night dew and rain on the top surface, whereas the other got significant moisture from underneath as well.
Can never understand how somebody can let a car like this deteriorate. Reminds me when I spoke to a car park attendant at a underground car park in Mayfair. He showed me Ferraris from the 70s (under canvas) that rich Arabs had just left there - they still pay the parking fees - but it means nothing to them to leave such cars there for decades.
Don't be too quick to judge! Museums like the Peterson have iconic cars just sitting doing nothing. The few 'Arab' owned cars will be sold eventually, unlike the museum sad ones...
If this is '77 or '78 this is the era of Russian high carbon rubbish steel which the Italians were buying very cheaply. It killed the Alfa Sud for example. The rest of Europe suffered too and VW were also a victim. I had a '77 Sirocco which had major rust issues due to this same steel. It seemed to rust from the inside out in huge flakes as can be seen here. Ferrari at this time also rather banged the bodywork of their cars together in a very much home spun way. I guess there is still £2k's worth of spares there even so. Wheels, instruments, etc.
Can we stop with this rubbish about Russian steel. The steel used in many of the Fiat, Alfa Lancia cars, came from the big plant in Taranto, southern Italy.
There are actually the remains of two air cleaner housings there. The top is just an oblong plate with a lip. Yes it did have aircon; you can see the Borletti knobs ahead of the gear lever. Although the grill has gone you can tell it's a Mk2 Ferrari-badged car as the Dino-badged original cars have air vents on the rear edge of the roof. And by the V5 of course. Is it on a SORN??
I was right about the Stratos reference on Insta then ! 😁...part of me was waiting for the "it's a complete wreck.....and that's why I've just bought it"...😁
Don't think I've ever seen such a rusty car, so sad. These are becoming quite sought after now because people have realised that they're actually one of the best driving Ferraris of the era. The Bertone design, like everything they did, has aged really well too.
My Father had one when I was a child (now 57) awesome cars people just didn’t get them which I love, so don’t big them up too much!! One of the best interiors, very cool! I know what you mean about keeping it as art, it’s like a run down stately home beauty in a strange way!! 👍
The whole thing should be dipped in resin to preserve whats left, the worlds biggest paper weight?? Brilliant example of I'm going to around to it!! Sure my step dad would buy this as a 'fixer upper'. Mini cooper in worse condition sold on eBay for £7k in the last 12 months, they're out there!!! Keep it up Jack!!!
You would love my coffee shop in the states. It sits in a 60yr old aluminum warehouse surrounded by all brand new condos and apartments. We tried to keep as much of the original construction as we could.
Great video...it immediately had me wondering how much they wanted for it. But as your story progressed, it was sadly obvious it could never be resurrected...only preserved as is. Very much like a Bugatti pulled from the bottom of a lake after decades of being there. It now resides, unrestored and as found, in the Mullin Museum in Oxnard California. Would be nice if this could find some value somewhere and not just end up in a crusher.
Sad. The body's beyond even Fitzee's Fabrications to recover. It might have been kept in a location with a corrosive atmosphere, e.g. downwind of a coal-burning plant, or an oil refinery. The interior might be a source of parts to someone restoring a well-used specimen.
Have you ever visited the Llanberis Slate Quarries Jack? If you love Industrial History, it's a bit of a must, one shed still has jackets hanging up and teacups where they were left! Great roads on the way there too 👍
Interesting to say the least....Weird that there is mystery how the car of such class and cost was left to decay....Looking forward to more info on the said car...Excellant video again.....
Fab. Helps to explain why values of classics have soared over the past 30 years: it's cost tens of thousands to keep anything vaguely roadworthy. A GT4 when I was a teen was well under £10k rotting, and laughed at. Today's GT4s are £50k and desired. But someone has spent the difference...
It's incredible to see that a ferrari has been left to rot like this, pretty sad! Although I guess there was a point where these dinos weren't worth that much pretty sad none the less! Also what external mic do you use and what editing software if you don't mind me asking?
I can't say I share your enthusiasm for this particular car but can relate to the fascination of old buildings and factories etc. The car just seems sad like a missed opportunity and the only positive thing I can see is the potential to make use of the few parts that can be salvaged in order to preserve another GT4.
Great content, loving this channel. Makes me piss though when you turn Italian to say Bertone, Pininfarina and Stratos yet you say Ferrari 308 GT4 in your normal accent , you might as well go all out and get the hands going as well 🤌🏻🤌🏻 🤣🤣
Get the car on CAR SOS Fuzz would do his nut! Then fix it up like new. Great video Jack, it's hard to believe someone would let a Ferrari get into that kind of state.
These cars not only had zero rust prevention from new, but there were plenty of areas that had virtually no primer/paint on the underside. There are likely zero original GT4's as they started to rust almost immediately, especially if they were on a cargo ship and I have never seen an original rust free one.
Lovely Jubbly video Jack. It was a car built in the 1970s, anyone who was around then like me knows that cars built and designed then were made of steel that was probably the worst steel ever made, have a look at Harry's Garage Lancia which is being restored.
You can see the fiat influence in the ownership of Ferrari. And it's not just the door handles. They use the same under body protection. ( a salt wash over the bare steel). My brother worked for fiat in the UK in the late seventies. The undersides of the cars were visibly rusted when the new cars came off the ships.
No, no, no! You have failed to realize that what you have found is the fabled Ferrari 308 GT4 Ultra-Legerra. They started life as a normal 308 GT4, and then were acid-dipped. Unfortunately this one went into the acid bath late on a Friday, and the workers all p*ssed off for the weekend and forgot about it!
Seeing that phone on a suction cup with the lead dangling down. I really don’t think I could go back to a modern classic now I’ve been spoilt by a built in screen with carplay 😂… Although I guess aftermarket din headunits can do that now.
I’m pretty sure that car was caught on the beach and the ride came in. The salt water just ate it up. Btw, in the 70’s they were shipped by boat and many cars arrived with rust already starting on the frames and bumpers. Good luck sir✌🏻
The reason you adore this Ferrari is the same reason I adore the Firebird I bought in January, it’s a limited edition and it is the highest mileage, worst condition, and least documented example in existence. The rest are owned by a private owners club and are all under 75k miles in pristine condition. Something about seeing a car that’s usually in mint showcase condition in a completely dilapidated state is sad but also curiously satisfying
@@Number27 i know exactly where ur 'coming from' - "when a car isnt perfect when its clearly been through time...it just tells a story" - its been owned driven looked after or not & the wrecking yard looms large as its next port of call. i also dont fall in luv with new cars i fall completely for cars with a history be it dark or lite & i too have scored sum beauties though not as exotic as urs. But its clearly obvious by the intense joy you exhibit where ur luv lies.!!! Thats fantastic Yes i am in luv with cars & so keep em coming Jack Im amazed by the excellent condition of Le Tomato its amazing it shouldnt really be here but for u rescuing it ::))
why would you care about the history of this car at all? they are not that special and its beyond repair! i kmow about one in a warehouse / private collection (sitting for 30 years), that is in bad condition as well, but nowhere close as bad as this one!
Let me guess the owner has had it for years but wouldn’t sell it as he’s restoring it next week 😂😂
Nice wheels
Don't lowball him, he knows what he has got!
@@slasher9883 GONNA DO IT UP ONE DAY M8
How many times have I heard that? Too damn many: VW Type 181, Series II Land Rover, 1953 Chevy pickup, MGA. Etc.
@@graham6229 To me, the only suitable wheels on a Ferrari. Yes, I'm an old, conservative geezer. So what, right ?
You should trailer it to a Ferrari dealer and ask for a health check. The reaction would be worth the journey 😂😂😂
That would soooo funny?? Maybe even book it in for a Classiche Certification?
🤌🤌🤌
HOLY COW !! that is the car and WOW its got so much worse, it was really quite bad at the time but was on the verge of potentially being saved. This though is crazy how much more its rotten out since.
Plenty to salvage on this car...gauges, wheels, probably brake calipers, trim, seats, console, dash, shifter, switch gear, door handles, door cards, quite a few items. door glass, quarter glass, windshield.
Back in the 1970s, the joke here in Canada used to be that the British invented rust, and then licensed the process to the Italians, which was where the Japanese copied it from. 😆
And Lucas electrics invented darkness.
I recon at some point that car has been in a damp shed near the coast (with salt in the air), condensation can wreak havoc. I pulled a Jag XJ6 out a garage years ago, been in there 30 odd years, drove in fine in the 70's and was just left (death in the family from memory ?), then the garage roof started leaking and was never fixed, it was so rotten it nearly broke in two when we tried to pull it out, the garage held the damp in the car even on dry days for decades, was a real shame, had been a lovely pale blue series 1 car with a manual box : (
According to the Ferrari owner's club register, third edition, (1987), chassis number14574 was not listed. There is a section for 308 GT/4's with unknown chassis numbers, but I would need the name or number plate with that. There is '14572' & '14578', which were 'T' registrations, there is a '15474' with a 'V' reg.
Hi Jack. Love this video. I'm from West Lancashire originally, a few miles inland from Southport. I remember a white 308GT4 being around Southport in the mid 80s. From what I remember I'd see it all year round and it was very often parked on the promenade. Back then we all used to say, "Never buy a Southport car, it'll turn into a teabag!"
That is what Harrys Fulvia would have looked like before it was covered in filler :-)
You mean Harrys Morris Marina
@@aneilpatel2423 th-cam.com/video/KJ12ZqReMBw/w-d-xo.html
My first thought when I saw this car!
This looks like a vehicle that's been under water at some point in its life. Being indoors in a damp environment can be worse than being outside. A 246 Dino, the earlier shape one, was found in a similar condition up here in Fife a few years back. The story with it went, the old boy who owned it had been getting chased by the police one night so had hidden the car at the back of his garage under blankets and tarps and it had been forgotten about and left for decades until the place was sold and the kids had to clear it out.
Totally get the Grandeur in decay thing! And have a similar fascination with it, especially the Titanic. Really enjoyed this episode Jack!
Thanks dude and good to see others share my passions!!
If I owned this car I'd do exactly as you said, put it in a glass box and sell it as an art installation, it'd probably fetch 100k!
Sad to see but we still are lucky to have people like you, Harry, Tyrell and his artists, and some Rustortoasta guy.
Jack, your entire channel is a not only a story, but it's also a journey. Love it. Cheers!:)
"If the rust doesn't get you, the wiring surely will"...which means that Ferrari must've had really good wiring
The wiring might be holding what's left together!
Another great video Jack and what a fantastic story! A basket case example of the 'unloved' Ferrari, but the 308GT4 has always been my favourite. Back in the early '80s I used to walk past a silver one with a red interior on my way to work, I loved it's Bertone styling and I always stopped to have a look at it, even as the Ferrari you weren't supposed to like it still looked exotic next to the Fiestas and Sierras that surrounded it. One of Gandini's best with elements of his own Stratos design, particularly around the C pillars and air intakes, and it's often forgotten that it was a tweaked version of the first Lamborghini Urraco prototype of 1970 which Ferruccio Lamborghini rejected, the design was picked off the shelf at Bertone as the basis for the 246's replacement in 1973. I'm certainly biased but for me there isn't a bad line, angle or proportion on it anywhere. Let's hope with this one someone manages to salvage the interior and put it to good use.... ;-)
I Love the Urraco ,so similar kind of car...
I'd like to solve the puzzle. From the mid 1970's through the early 80's, there was a steel shortage from Italy's usual suppliers, Sheffield England and USA. They started having to buy bad steel from Turkey which mostly went on their foreign shipped cars. Many (but not all) Ferraris, Fiats and Alfa's were made of this low quality Turkish steel which rusted out fast.
I was born and brought up in Istanbul which has a climate similar to that of new York and never ever saw Turkish cars rot like this and I am assuming they too were made from the same steel, and it is also common knowledge that Italians were buying steel from the Russians and it was rumoured that they were being extracted from sunken ww2 wrecks!
@@turistomer3702 It wasn't about the climate. It was a particular period of poorly manufactured steel that Fiat, Alfa, Ferrari etc. purchased. A well documented issue. The markets deemed "lesser" got those cars, the markets they deemed more important, British steel.
I have one. Wasn’t it Soviet steel they were buying at that time? For Fiats. I have no idea if mine has the steel in it. But it’s still looking good today. Kept wrapped up and undercover. Really interesting video to see what can happen if left in the elements. Mine is same colour interior. Blue and black, didn’t know blue if faded. Looks the same as this one’s.
@@lewis040 Blue brings the green. All shades of blue are the top performers at auctions these days.
@@lewis040 I heard it was Russian, they swapped tractors for it. I had an '82 308 which would rust at the sight of water.
Lots of people here wondering how a Ferrari could have ended up in this condition, but in the early 1990s these, the Mondial and 400 weren't sought after at all. They were still very expensive to maintain and could be had relatively cheaply... as a result, they were generally laid up a lot and had very low mileage. I remember being offered a 400 in reasonable condition for around £3,500 back then and thinking it wasn't worth the money because of the expense baggage that would come with it (!)
The Mondial is one of my fave Ferraris. Even today it’s frowned upon by many, which gives me hope…
I've seen several cars that have been kept at coastal locations which have looked worse than that after even ten years.
I can vouch for that, after living on the North Wales coast for 14 years (just before emigrating to the States) my cars and motorbikes would rust so bloody quickly. I swear in the winter with the added salt on the road, you could actually see the rust creeping along destroying my poor cars and bikes. Now I have to worry about the heat fading the paint and cracking the dash, not to mention the insects and rodents eating wiring etc and making homes in air boxes etc.
Interesting video Jack and as people's comments, some value in the wheels and interior worth salvation. The reason why the Ratarossa BB survived, is because that most of it's body panels are aluminum...
The worst rust I have ever seen and yet it's still worth more than my best vehicle. lol
😄😄😄😄😄
I would think a full keyset an locks would be worth a bit.
Same. Worth more than my last five added together.
@Dominick The two cars are from the pen of the same man, Gandini, and both are wonderful.
@Dominick Harsh. Those Citroen’s are very interesting. I think this hulk could become an art exhibit.
Me: It's a complete shed!
Seller: Nah, lovely bit of genuine patina - nothing to worry about!
Like an old pair of shoes
Lol, yes & one owner from new & dry stored
@@nathansealey6270 One lady owner, Miss Daisey, the other 20 owners were lunatics
Duct tape
It’ll buff out. Just give it a T-cut and it’ll come out lovely
Jack. I think you'll find a lot of that will buff out leaving some beautiful patina.
ERR no leaving a beautiful pile of rust & 4 wheels
I recall seeing a white gt4 around the Twickenham area in the early 1980s. There were only 547 UK cars and I don't know how many were white. Not my favourite colour but I think these look best in metallic colours anyway. The 308gt4 was the first mid engine V8 Ferrari - so the granddaddy of the 288GTO, F40 and all the modern mid engined cars.
Def best in metallics!! Darker ones!
I share your interest in decay and dereliction. As a teenager in the 1980s I regularly did the train journey from Wolverhampton to Birmingham. It was a fascinating picture of large, rusty disused sidings, overgrown canals and huge factory buildings with broken windows etc. There's an eery beauty in that kind of thing.
Beyond saving.............................Arther Tussik enters the building
Ah, Jack...
Actually, the air box could possibly be repaired, as the rotten bits seemed to be on the flat parts. A good fabricator might be able to replace those, if the surrounding areas were thick enough to take a weld. Well, maybe not... But somewhere in England there are some well-fed metal termites!
A good thing it has so much rust otherwise there would be nothing to hold the holes together 🤗😁. Thanks Jack for such an entertaining and enjoyable channel. Regards, Bob M. South Wales
It’s a 70’s Italian car that was clearly made out of that cheap Russian steel that the Italian’s had done deal on. Lancia’s rusted away in few years at the time. The same with Alfa’s.
And Lancia Betas. They fizzed with rust on the delivery trucks to the dealers..........
If you watch Number 27's videos you will see that the whole russian steel saga was just a myth. The rust was down to other factors.
Loving the content Jack, really interesting to see cars like this with a story. And what a bonus that Scott knew a bit about it too.
We did actually own this Ferrari GT4 for a year. We had a call in 2014 from a chap who knew we would buy any old Ferrari 308s at the time. He had picked up an old scrap 308 GT4. He told us it was in a really bad way as the previous owner had gone through a divorce and had to hide the car so his wife could not claim it. He had stored it in a barn covered in straw but the straw had been damp and this is what it was like when he eventually went back for it. Anyway we struck a deal and had to forklift the car onto our trailer as even the suspension arms were rusted through so it wouldn't roll. We bought it with the plan to use all the running gear in a 246 replica but none of it was useable and it was not worth the effort and cost to rebuild any of the parts as we had plenty of other cars and parts to use. Over the year we owned it, the prices of anything Ferrari went through the roof so we just sold it on. We have had a few Ferrari 308s and still have one laying in the yard now which is in an even worse state than this one. Just had a look at the pictures from when we collected it and it does look a little worse although the car is sitting a lot straighter in this video so must have patched up the suspension arms.
That is great to hear... the car is dry stored these days, So hopefully it won’t get any worse! Very interesting to hear what caused the rot..
up north in the states because of salt...etc...it's called the rust belt for more than the manufacturing leaving. you can witness see-through metal on many cars but few look that bad to be sure.
Same here.. salt is the killer!
Gr8 video Jack. My October 1978 magazine has the new book price at £16,500. Only things close are the XJs (V12) at £15,150 and Merc SLC 450 at £18,250
WoW.. the SLC was more expensive!! Crazy!!
...so, we buyin' it? Jack, your passion and enthusiasm is just the greatest!
I live a few miles from Rothley where Coopers used to be. It ended up being a BMW dealer but is now long gone and a Co op was built in its place. I think they used to sell some exotic stuff as my dads mate test drove an e type there back in the day.
Great video, I share your love of glorious patina. Sealed in a vacuum filled Perspex container, to stop it completely rusting away, this would be a thing of beauty.
I can relate to the enthusiasm you mention as I feel the same way about things that show the passage of time. As to this car, I am not surprised, and expect there may be more of this model around the world in similarly poor states, as these for many years were worth very little, but still cost as much to maintain as a more collectible model.
‘Show the passage of time’ perfect way to express this!
I’m sure this Ferrari was for sale on eBay some 5-6 years ago and the price was £10000. Great video I like the content 👍
Thank you!!
A parts-car??
IF you only need wheels, glass and a couple of badges!
What a crying shame!
Wow, both horrified and fascinated and at the same time admiring the car. Very good report on it. Amazing how it has its own history and that the story is known about it more or less, albeit a very sad one.
Are there any chances of perspective for this car or what is the owner planning to do with it?
I never really liked this particular car, but always liked still the fact that it has a V8.
Cheers from rainy Belgium.
Im guessing it must have been recovered from the sea, or a lake/river at some point in it's life. Left on a slipway with the handbrake not fully on, or conked out in a deep ford, perhaps. In any case, it's quite amazing.
The death penalty should be immediately brought back for whomever allowed this to happen
The 512 was on tarmac/concrete. The GT4 is on dirt/gravel. Maybe that's the difference? The one got night dew and rain on the top surface, whereas the other got significant moisture from underneath as well.
Can never understand how somebody can let a car like this deteriorate. Reminds me when I spoke to a car park attendant at a underground car park in Mayfair. He showed me Ferraris from the 70s (under canvas) that rich Arabs had just left there - they still pay the parking fees - but it means nothing to them to leave such cars there for decades.
Yea it’s weird how the really rich live!!
I’d guess that when you can afford anything you want, yet it doesn’t significantly affect your wealth, value loses its meaning.
Don't be too quick to judge! Museums like the Peterson have iconic cars just sitting doing nothing. The few 'Arab' owned cars will be sold eventually, unlike the museum sad ones...
"The rear seats look really good!" Yeah, the most useless part of this car. Sad to see the state of this 308. One of my favourite cars.
Saddest car I ever saw but you never disclosed why this happened ?
If this is '77 or '78 this is the era of Russian high carbon rubbish steel which the Italians were buying very cheaply. It killed the Alfa Sud for example. The rest of Europe suffered too and VW were also a victim. I had a '77 Sirocco which had major rust issues due to this same steel. It seemed to rust from the inside out in huge flakes as can be seen here. Ferrari at this time also rather banged the bodywork of their cars together in a very much home spun way. I guess there is still £2k's worth of spares there even so. Wheels, instruments, etc.
Can we stop with this rubbish about Russian steel. The steel used in many of the Fiat, Alfa Lancia cars, came from the big plant in Taranto, southern Italy.
@@roby72s Yes but a lot of the raw metal was scrap steel of all kinds which came from Russia which was melted down and re rolled.
@@delukxy All bollocks. You believe that 2+2=5, and a man with a dick is woman. Anything can be thrown at you, at you will accept it. Really sad.
I bet Fitzee's Fabrications could rebuild this 😀
Yep that's what I was thinking as I was seeing this thing.
@@pgtmr2713 I love watching that guy work.
Not that we'd want to torture him unnecessarily. Passion projects like this require the passion.
There are actually the remains of two air cleaner housings there. The top is just an oblong plate with a lip. Yes it did have aircon; you can see the Borletti knobs ahead of the gear lever. Although the grill has gone you can tell it's a Mk2 Ferrari-badged car as the Dino-badged original cars have air vents on the rear edge of the roof. And by the V5 of course.
Is it on a SORN??
Some manufacturers do a cutaway drawing, the Italians used to go one better.
Brings back memories of when I owned one. Mine did suffer from rust but not as bad as that.
Great video Jack, I was at Paul Matty Lotus yesterday, some nice Mk1's, what's happened to yours?
I was right about the Stratos reference on Insta then ! 😁...part of me was waiting for the "it's a complete wreck.....and that's why I've just bought it"...😁
Don't think I've ever seen such a rusty car, so sad. These are becoming quite sought after now because people have realised that they're actually one of the best driving Ferraris of the era. The Bertone design, like everything they did, has aged really well too.
Wow and I thought my Lancia beta was bad
Amazing stuff
My Father had one when I was a child (now 57) awesome cars people just didn’t get them which I love, so don’t big them up too much!!
One of the best interiors, very cool!
I know what you mean about keeping it as art, it’s like a run down stately home beauty in a strange way!! 👍
The whole thing should be dipped in resin to preserve whats left, the worlds biggest paper weight?? Brilliant example of I'm going to around to it!! Sure my step dad would buy this as a 'fixer upper'. Mini cooper in worse condition sold on eBay for £7k in the last 12 months, they're out there!!! Keep it up Jack!!!
I've wanted a fully sorted 308GT4 for some time...😊
You would love my coffee shop in the states. It sits in a 60yr old aluminum warehouse surrounded by all brand new condos and apartments. We tried to keep as much of the original construction as we could.
Sounds awesome Pete, thanks for sharing!!
Great video...it immediately had me wondering how much they wanted for it. But as your story progressed, it was sadly obvious it could never be resurrected...only preserved as is. Very much like a Bugatti pulled from the bottom of a lake after decades of being there. It now resides, unrestored and as found, in the Mullin Museum in Oxnard California. Would be nice if this could find some value somewhere and not just end up in a crusher.
Im sure it won’t end up on the crusher!!
Sad. The body's beyond even Fitzee's Fabrications to recover. It might have been kept in a location with a corrosive atmosphere, e.g. downwind of a coal-burning plant, or an oil refinery.
The interior might be a source of parts to someone restoring a well-used specimen.
So, are you buying it? Tomato needs a friend, like Asparagus. She may need a bit of TLC.
Oh no… the InfluEnzo is enough!!
Thank you Jack for the great video.
Father Ted could sort that with his wee hammer, lol.
Yes!
Have you ever visited the Llanberis Slate Quarries Jack? If you love Industrial History, it's a bit of a must, one shed still has jackets hanging up and teacups where they were left! Great roads on the way there too 👍
Ill look into it thanks Mike !!
Interesting to say the least....Weird that there is mystery how the car of such class and cost was left to decay....Looking forward to more info on the said car...Excellant video again.....
Thanks chap!!’
It begs the question, 'when is a car no longer a car?'
Really enjoying new frequency and content of vids, very good release times, perfect for stopping me before i start the seasonal shit jobs ;)
Ha, thats great to hear buddy, thanks!
Fab. Helps to explain why values of classics have soared over the past 30 years: it's cost tens of thousands to keep anything vaguely roadworthy. A GT4 when I was a teen was well under £10k rotting, and laughed at. Today's GT4s are £50k and desired. But someone has spent the difference...
It's incredible to see that a ferrari has been left to rot like this, pretty sad! Although I guess there was a point where these dinos weren't worth that much pretty sad none the less!
Also what external mic do you use and what editing software if you don't mind me asking?
I can't say I share your enthusiasm for this particular car but can relate to the fascination of old buildings and factories etc. The car just seems sad like a missed opportunity and the only positive thing I can see is the potential to make use of the few parts that can be salvaged in order to preserve another GT4.
"Rustoration project"😂
Great content, loving this channel.
Makes me piss though when you turn Italian to say Bertone, Pininfarina and Stratos yet you say Ferrari 308 GT4 in your normal accent , you might as well go all out and get the hands going as well 🤌🏻🤌🏻 🤣🤣
This FERRARI was made with a surplus of russian steel, also used to make the ALFASUD first series
*I am amazed the door didn’t fall, when you opened it*
Get the car on CAR SOS Fuzz would do his nut! Then fix it up like new. Great video Jack, it's hard to believe someone would let a Ferrari get into that kind of state.
New definition of the word ‘preserved’.
Don’t buy it, the big blue skip at the side of it is in better condition, and worth more, just stick the wheels on that, interesting video Jack, 👍👍.
Was Fertiliser stored near it..? Apparently that can eat through steel pretty quick
If it was in a barn, that could be quite possible actually.
Your still in the S class i wondered what had happened to it , thank you, cheshire UK
Ah yes using it regularly and update on that coming soon also!
Jack. Brilliant video. Fascinating story of the demise of a unloved Ferrari.
These cars not only had zero rust prevention from new, but there were plenty of areas that had virtually no primer/paint on the underside. There are likely zero original GT4's as they started to rust almost immediately, especially if they were on a cargo ship and I have never seen an original rust free one.
I can imagine it spend a lot of time being parked or driven near the sea
Lovely Jubbly video Jack. It was a car built in the 1970s, anyone who was around then like me knows that cars built and designed then were made of steel that was probably the worst steel ever made, have a look at Harry's Garage Lancia which is being restored.
You can see the fiat influence in the ownership of Ferrari.
And it's not just the door handles. They use the same under body protection. ( a salt wash over the bare steel).
My brother worked for fiat in the UK in the late seventies.
The undersides of the cars were visibly rusted when the new cars came off the ships.
Oh yeah, the door handles strongly remind me of my Lancia Beta which has the same door handles as the Fiat 132/Argenta ;)
Sorry Jack I’m not sure I share your enthusiasm for this particular Ferrari but enjoyed the video regardless
That’s cool! As long as you enjoyed it Phil!
Perfect material for Halloween 🎃😊
No, no, no! You have failed to realize that what you have found is the fabled Ferrari 308 GT4 Ultra-Legerra. They started life as a normal 308 GT4, and then were acid-dipped. Unfortunately this one went into the acid bath late on a Friday, and the workers all p*ssed off for the weekend and forgot about it!
I’m sure a lot of that will come out with some T Cut 🤣 what a shame it’s been left to rot, great vid Jack
The blue one behind it looks fresher
1:54 Are we sure it's crossplane?
I think I know the previous owner……. A mr sponge Bob square pants, address Bikini Bottom 😂😂😂😂
For sure Ryan!! 😄
What car were you driving in to see the rust bucket
Seeing that phone on a suction cup with the lead dangling down. I really don’t think I could go back to a modern classic now I’ve been spoilt by a built in screen with carplay 😂… Although I guess aftermarket din headunits can do that now.
I’m pretty sure that car was caught on the beach and the ride came in. The salt water just ate it up. Btw, in the 70’s they were shipped by boat and many cars arrived with rust already starting on the frames and bumpers.
Good luck sir✌🏻
Save it!
It's calling to you
It has the keys
It's registered
You have the catalog
Please save it
Nope.. not me!! It’s too far gone!
The reason you adore this Ferrari is the same reason I adore the Firebird I bought in January, it’s a limited edition and it is the highest mileage, worst condition, and least documented example in existence. The rest are owned by a private owners club and are all under 75k miles in pristine condition. Something about seeing a car that’s usually in mint showcase condition in a completely dilapidated state is sad but also curiously satisfying
Totally agree! Good luck with your Firebird!!
Found this absolutely fascinating, thanx for sharing
Thanks for watching buddy!!
@@Number27 i know exactly where ur 'coming from' - "when a car isnt perfect when its clearly been through time...it just tells a story" - its been owned driven looked after or not & the wrecking yard looms large as its next port of call.
i also dont fall in luv with new cars i fall completely for cars with a history be it dark or lite & i too have scored sum beauties though not as exotic as urs. But its clearly obvious by the intense joy you exhibit where ur luv lies.!!! Thats fantastic
Yes i am in luv with cars & so keep em coming Jack
Im amazed by the excellent condition of Le Tomato its amazing it shouldnt really be here but for u rescuing it ::))
why would you care about the history of this car at all? they are not that special and its beyond repair! i kmow about one in a warehouse / private collection (sitting for 30 years), that is in bad condition as well, but nowhere close as bad as this one!
Most 1979 Alfas were like that after 10 years!