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Ferrari and its devotees have a reputation for being unaccommodating to certain modifications made to their vehicles. To the extent that Maranello has taken legal action by suing customers who have customized their cars in ways it disapproves. Interestingly, the Ferrari community is buzzing with excitement over a 1983 Ferrari 308 “rebel” renovation that disregards all the norms about what can and cannot be done to a Prancing Horse.
This daring exotic creation is the brainchild of Scott Barron, a Ferrari aficionado who, a few years ago, stumbled upon what might have been the most rundown 308 on the market. It was merely a bare chassis with body panels from various cars, an incomplete Chevy 4.9-liter (305-cubic inch) V8 engine swap, and signs of more issues lurking beneath. Moreover, the owner was asking for $9,500, but Barron bargained with an offer of $5,000. Although the initial offer was rejected, the owner passed away, and the estate eventually sold it to Barron for his proposed price.
That was the moment Barron discovered the magnitude of what he had gotten himself into.
The 308 had a turbulent past, with damage evident on every panel, subpar repairs, and further issues hidden beneath the surface. Its front suspension was notably irregular, and both rear knuckles were damaged. Furthermore, being an Italian car from the 1980s, the Ferrari 308 was manufactured by individuals who might have had three glasses of wine during lunch. (Eds note: Lunchtime in Italy lasts four hours, so three glasses is a conservative estimate.) The chassis was held together by rivets and copious seam sealer, while the panel gaps were disguised with a generous application of lead. This 308 was never destined to be a Concours car. Consequently, Barron had the perfect rationale to steer his project in the complete opposite direction.
Barron revitalized the 308’s frame by stripping it down to bare metal in certain areas and resealing it. Using steel tubing and reinforced sections, he crafted chassis bracing and new supports for an expanded body, shaping the body panels manually over several years.
Instead of retaining the subpar aftermarket wheels that came with the car, he commissioned a unique set of forged wheels inspired by the two-piece wheels used by Ferrari on the 308 and F40. This occurred at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the manufacturer situated just a town away from Wuhan when lockdown orders were issued, as Barron recounts. According to him, someone had to surreptitiously return to the factory to finalize the production of his wheels and deliver them.
