This was one of those vehicular discoveries you just never expect to see; and when you do see them, you don’t expect things to work out so well that you get to chat cars with the owner for a half-hour or so. But nevertheless, that’s how it all turned out.
Coming home the other day, I heard a signature exhaust note. The fact that I was able to hear it over my own rumbly exhaust should give a good indication of how enthusiastic the tone was, and it was of that sort of note that immediately makes a car-guy’s ears perk up and take notice. Sure enough, ripping through the empty parking lot I was crossing was the bright red silhouette of a Ferrari.
Now, let’s be honest, Ferraris don’t usually interest me too much. New ones are rarely owned by people interested in cars. They’re more of a status symbol, a look-at-me piece of jewelry designed to attract attention and/or buxom blondes. This, however… this was a bit different.
Any car guy knows that an older Ferrari requires a great deal of time and attention. They truly were like Italian supermodels. Temperamental, expensive, and pretty to look at, but all-too-seldom willing to let you drive them. So for someone to own one of theses, and in such good condition, was a clear sign that they were not your typical Ferrari owner.
And after talking with the owner, I was proven correct; but not in the way I expected.
The owner, who asked to remain anonymous, admitted freely that he is not a huge car-guy. But all his friends were, and it always made him curious. He liked cars, he appreciated their beauty, but he never truly loved them. And it was the pestering of one of these friends — whose beautiful Viper ACR happened to sneak into a few shots — that finally got him to dive in.
His friends pestered him and asked what it would take to get him interested. Was there a car that really pushed his buttons? Was there anything that would really get him excited. And instinctively he knew there was only one answer, and this was it.
Car guys and Ferraristi will doubtless click their tongues. We all know the 308 was not the finest of Ferraris ever made. They’re great cars, sure, but there were better Ferraris. There were sexier Ferraris. There were faster Ferraris. But none of this matters in the slightest, because this is the Ferrari that fans the owner’s flames.
This was the car that inspired his imagination; and let’s be honest, we all have that car. For some, it’s a gutless old Rambler. For others, a god-awful ugly Corvette. For still others, an old Chevy pickup. This was this man’s Eleanor.
So he and his friends set out to find one. And the one they found was a work of art. A 1984 Ferrari 308 Quattrovalve. I think. I got so caught up in his excitement, I cant remember the details.
Every service had been completed not only diligently, but with a level of attention that surpasses Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. If any routine maintenance had to be done, it was done along with anything else that could be done at the same time. Have to change a belt? Why not rebuild a few things at the same time? Rad flush? Why not rebuild the radiator and install a new rad cap while you’re at it? The paint finish, legendarily uneven due simply to the hand-built nature of the car, was reworked completely to give it a mirror shine. Purists will likely recoil in horror, but it truly made the car look better. Everything was done with care and attention… and a very obvious and sincere love.
But all that is immaterial. The true story is the enthusiasm of its new owner. I caught him on the day he took delivery of his new car, and the excitement on his face, and as he told me about it, was infectious. I remembered how exciting cars could be, and how much fun it was to finally get to spend time alone with your dream car.
Like it or not, this man and his car are the embodiment of Hooniverse. Welcome them to our fold, I’m sure they’ll be reading it.
And maybe, if we ask nicely, he’ll let me do a road-test review on it. Because anything that makes a man that excited is clearly something we want to know more about.
(The owner kindly sent me all the photos he used to make his decision to purchase the car. What do you think? Would you have made the same decision? I gotta admit, I think I probably would have.)
V.I.S.I.T. – Don't See That Every Day Edition
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26 responses to “V.I.S.I.T. – Don't See That Every Day Edition”
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I welcome anyone in to the Hooniverse family that has a love for cars, or a car. We have quite a cross section of people here. Everything from Scroggszilla and Mike the Dog, who can name a car by just glancing at it, to people like me that sometimes struggle to identify even a mundane car. Hooniverse is not an exclusive club, but more of an open fraternity that appeals to automotive misfits of all kinds.
So, I hope Dearthair's new friend does drop by and visit us from time to time. Most of all, I'm happy for him for finding and obtaining his Eleanor. -
The start of a new trend? Exotic car owners who actually love cars? I so approve of this. I hope he has a long and wonderful relationship with his "new" Ferrari.
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Few things make me happier than inducting someone new into this lunatics club.
The end goal of Hooniverse is for everyone to buy a car that's simultaneously awesome and a terrible idea.-
I *knew* I should have grabbed that Opel GT when I had the chance!
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Yes, yes you should have.
Seriously, all you people out there:
We want to hear about your project cars and what you're doing on them. If you do some work that's kinda interesting (or maddening), take some pictures and write some words and we'll run them.
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"The end goal of Hooniverse is for everyone to buy a car that's simultaneously awesome and a terrible idea."
You sir should be a poet! Never have truer words been written…and I say this as I am taking a break from trying to adjust the timing chain on my Russian/Canadian 4×4 whose nearest parts warehouse is probably located somewhere in Tolyatti, Russia.-
Pictures!
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Actually, that is where my computer skills take a big dump. I have tried to figure out how to post pics on here, and I just can't seem to find the right code. But I will see what I can do.
*edit* Here is an even better idea. My Facebook profile is littered with pics of the old beast, and I have it linked to my profile page here on the 'verse.-
Hey Citroen67, your facebook link is inoperable. I am, as I am sure all of we Hoons are, dieing to see a Russian/Canadian 4×4. Please fix soon, Pretty please.
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That's messed up! I will investigate…
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I don't know why the FB link on here isn't working. Just look up Tim Scott in the search box, and simply look for the profile with a Lada Niva as its profile pic.
And if anyone that looks at it feels compelled to send a friend request to me, go ahead…I am always into being pals with fellow Hoons! -
Since it wouldn't let me send a message of greeting: Sam Rathburn. That is one hell of a Niva.
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Do you have a Lada Niva, and if so, are you looking to adopt?
This guy clearly speaks the same language as the rest of us. Best of luck to him and his new obsession. Quite frankly, I'm envious. What a beautiful ride.
It's very pretty and I completely understand where he's coming from. This, along with another "lesser" Ferrari – the Dino – are on the list of Ferrari road cars I would most like to have.
Wow…just wow! What a beautiful car. I have always loved the 308, and this is truly one of the best that I have seen. Awesome find!
Just be careful with Mr. Masters' car lest he kick you out of the Robins Nest
You know, I'm pretty sure that when the Tifosi express their love of Ferrari, they'd break out words like beauty, sound, soul, all the cliches that come up when talking about an Italian car. The 308 might be lacking in performance, but it's still got those passionate qualities, and at a price where you're less afraid to actually go out and drive it. I'm a fan of that, and I'm glad our new reader appreciates those things too.
My younger (14-yo) sister has a friend who lives in the neighborhood. The family of said friend owns a big Alaskan malamute by the name of Enzo. Unsurprisingly, the father is a Ferrari nut, and in their garage resides a lovely silver 308 (next to a Grand Caravan and an Edge). I've only seen it once or twice, and I don't think I've ever seen it driven. I need to get to know this guy and his Ferrari.
308s are nice, but I prefer the coupe to the targa, and any other color to red. I wouldn't have one, either: too expensive to maintain, and, besides, I'm a Porsche guy.
This is great. A guy on my paper route had one that he used as a daily driver. In Detroit.
I'd prefer a 328 GTS because I can't be bothered to sync the carbs on an old 308, and the 328 is faster.
I am the friend (evil) who convinced him to purchase this 308. It is a 1984 308 GTSi (this was injected rather then carbs). in order to try and replicate the sound of the carbed 308 GTS a Tubi exhaust was added. It truly is an exceptional find. The fellow who now lovingly owns this car is happier and happier each time he gets into it. The best part is watching him become a Tifosi understanding the heritage of this Italian mistress. Now, as for Viper ACRs, well, what can I say. Just don’t call it a Dodge.
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And we Hoons are glad you did! Thanks for spending so much time talking with me and being so awesome while I asked questions and investigated the new purchase. I’m sorry I ran out of time and light so I couldn’t chat with you about the Viper, but any time you guys want to meet for a coffee and talk cars, you know I’ll be there!
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Awesome. Glad you brought him to the dark side of the force. Wonderful looking ACR also, you should be proud!
YES, I am the victim of "The Evil Friend". HOONIVERSE – your article was great and accurate; I'm not into cars. My Evil Friend and I were out for a bite to eat this winter when the topic of cars came up; since I'm not into cars I humored him and listened about his interest and years of experience with cars. The Evil man has had em all, German made right through to North American made. While we were discussing cars we swore an oath to a "Bucket List" that would see us to the grave; adventures and good memorable times. I've seen all kinds of luxury and sports cars but would never have thought of ever buying one. He interrogated me until I confessed that I wouldn't put a penny into a sports car, but that in 1984 I began reading about the new 308; I bought the DuPont Registry and gazed at pictures of Ferrari cars and did so until years later. The 308 was the one that had always caught my eye; never watched Magnum but was thrilled by the sound of the 308 that Brinkley drove in "Vacation". The Evil Friend had brought the topic up numerous times and each time I declined the idea of setting out on an adventure to find pristine and mint condition 308s for sale.
Much like a broker, the Evil Friend did all the groundwork and presented me with a 308 that was for sale in Eastern Canada. "You need to live a little….call the dealer" he ordered, and so I called Jeff Seigel at Segal Motorcar Co. in Vaughn, Ontario. Too good to be true; Jeff himself had been the owner of this car for 20 plus years; he sent me 35 pages of records and a full explanation about this car. He spent a lot of time answering my questions over the phone – again and again and again. With the professionalism and knowledge that Jeff had, I knew that a true pristine gem was in my hands for the taking. I offered a deposit on the car and Jeff wouldn't accept; "Tell me you're interested and your word is the deposit." Because I wasn't into cars I made a wasted trip out east to see the car that I wasn't going to buy. I really never needed to make the trip to confirm the quality of the car and the perfection in maintenance etc; Jeff's word was solid. The car was incredible. That day at Segal Motorcar I became a born again "Ferrari Fan". I drove the 308 and was speechless with the solid handling and performance of something 25 years old. Jeff's upkeep of the car was almost beyond normal (in a very good way); he has replaced the rad cap every second oil change to ensure the seal was always "like new". We talked and the deal was done….suddenly I was into cars….well at least the 308. Jeff Seigel's dealership had an indoor car lot consisting of Mercedes, Porsche and a few other great names; all much newer than the 308; all were pristine and mint. I also had the pleasure of dealing with Jeff's mom, Mrs. Sandra Seigel; a sharp and tactful lady who was equally as kind and helpful as her son – a memorable pair.
My Evil Friend did me a favor by directing me to Jeff Segal in Vaughn, Ontario for a step back into 1984. Driving the Italian Mistress is one thing; the hours spent shining, buffing, researching and tinkering is equally fulfilling. I never realized how relaxing it is to wax a car, condition the leather, apply glass treatment and simply sit there and listen to the harmonic music of the engine. I giggle like a grade four school boy every time I start the car and let it warm a few minutes before pressing down the clutch to go for a cruise. Item #1 on the Bucket List is fulfilled; my Evil Friend who got me into this “mess” has been upgraded to a "Great Friend" who gave me the nudge to live a little.
I’m still content not being into cars……well perhaps I am now, but only a tad.
Jeff Seigel at Segal Motorcar Co. the car is an incredible gem; the upkeep and maintenance truly shows.
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Congratulations on your Ferrari. It is a beautiful car. Nice to see you are now a car guy, even if it is just a tad. Hoon, you have that status for sure. Just from your story I can tell you truly enjoy the car.
Hi Scott !!!
Jeffrey Seigel here…..thank you for your kind words, and, please, as we discussed, keep this gorgeous prancing horse in the condition it is acustomed….Thank you again….and Enjoy !!
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