It must say something about the power of television that all though I have rarely watched it as an adult, I still know things about some of the folks who inhabit that world. Back in the 80's there was a private eye show, the mother of a friend of mine used to refer affectionately to as 'Magnumpi', a private eye who lived in some completely improbable paradise and blagged pretty much everything he needed, including a Ferrari 308 GTS, from some benevolent fellow with a clipped English accent called Higgins.
Even though I never saw an entire episode I do know, but don't ask me how, that Magnumpi decided to trade in his bachelor life style for a family and a regular (?) job in the Navy when the show came to an end. Today's car the 328 GTS is probably the vehicle Magnumpi would have upgraded to if he had not been so rash.
The 328 GTS (GTS meaning Gran Turismo Spider - Targa top as opposed to its sibling the hard top GTB - Gran Turismo Berlinetta) out sold the GTB 5 to 1 between 1985 to 1989. It was powered by a 270 hp, 4 valve per cylinder, 3185 cc / 194 cui V8 good for taking the car to 60 mph in less than six seconds and on to over 160 mph.
328's are considered by Ferrari aficionados to be the most reliable Ferrari's ever built, because the engine does not need to be removed from the vehicle for routine maintenance. Just the kind of convenience a family man might be looking for, shame the 328 only has two seats !
Slightly Off Topic postscript to yesterdays blog I'd like to welcome everyone who has popped in from the Ferrari Chat Forum, and thank Julio Batista whose Dad raced 500 TRC #0698 against Armando Garcia Cifuentes, Julio kindly posted a photograph of 500 TRC #0690, the subject of yesterdays blog, which shows the extent of the damage sustained after its horrendous accident in Havana.
Thanks for popping by, I hope you'll join me for an amazing life is stranger than fiction story about a small but hugely storied car from the United States tomorrow, don't forget to come back now !
Aw, the '80s! Tom Selleck was fantastic in that role (I think you've seen more of it than I as it was on past my bed time!!) ;-)
ReplyDeleteSweet car. Ferraris are a favorite in our home. We own the most of them (in our Matchbox/Hot Wheels collection)out of any make.
On another off topic note, Go Happy!!
Looking forward to tomorrow's post already...
I was told that the tifosi believe that all REAL Ferraris have V12s. Is this true? Are the V8 Ferraris not considered to be true Ferraris?
ReplyDeleteI'll ask next time I am in Italy Racer unless a real tifosi cares to answer the question before I get there :-)
ReplyDeleteGO HAPPY!
ReplyDeleteThe 328 is a true Ferrari. One quick spin with those screaming/prancing horses behind you and you are hooked for life.
Art: How about making Fridays: Ferrari-Friday?
I hope your endorsement is good enough for Racer 187, JC, as to Ferrari Fridays that's not a bad idea, in fact it occurred to me while I was plugging the blog on FB this morning :-)
ReplyDeleteFor now lets just say this will certainly not be the last Ferrari Friday ! :-)
People all over the world will want to read Ferrari Friday! Trust me.
ReplyDeleteI hear you JC but I live in a small not particularly wealthy city, I am not sure there are enough Ferrari's here to keep us going but I'll see what I can come up with :-)
ReplyDeleteThat horizontal line separating upper and lower body panels was a distinctive feature in several cars from back in that day (mid 1980s). The Corvette of that era has this detail.
ReplyDeleteI don't think many manufacturers got there waist lines as low as those on the Ferrari or Corvette :-)
ReplyDelete