- All
- Exterior
- Loading...
- Chassis # ZFFFG35A9L0086388
- Finished In Grigio Metallic Over Grey Leather
- Just Over 37,000 Miles From New
- Over $31,000 In Recent Service Records
- Clean CarFax And Detailed Ownership From New
- Complete With Books, Tools, Extra Key, And Available Service Records
The Overview
By the 1980s the mid-engine V-8 powered platform had already proved itself in the Ferrari lineup. This winning mixture had been used since 1975 in the both the 308 and the very similar 328 platforms but by the late 80’s the recycled design was badly in need of a refresh. First introduced at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 1989, the Ferrari 348 was designed from a blank slate and borrowed design cues from its bigger V-12 engined stablemate, the Ferrari Testarossa, such as the aggressive side strakes. The design of the car was overseen by chief stylist Leonardo Fioravanti, who was responsible for the F40 and was the last V8 model developed under the direction of Enzo Ferrari. Initially offered in both a coupe and Targa versions, the 348 was fitted with the 3.4-liter Tipo F119 V8 engine, which featured quad-cams, and four-valves-per-cylinder. Shifting was accomplished solely through a 5-speed gated manual transmission. The 348 would see a slight redesign in 1993 with the introduction of the GTB, GTS, and the new convertible “Spyder” models. Over an almost 7-year production span, Ferrari would produce around 8,844 348 models for export across the world.
The example on offer here, chassis # ZFFFG35A9L0086388 is a 1990 Ferrari 348 TB finished in Grigio Metallic with Grey Leather interior. It is said that this is the only 348 finished in Grigio Metallic imported into the US for 1990 although we cannot officially confirm this. The car currently shows 37,447 miles from new and was repainted once in its lifetime in the factory-correct color. Other than the one repaint this 348 remains in stock and original condition. The history of the car is well known from new, showing a clean CarFax and 4 total owners, although some names have been omitted in the following outline. This 348 was first owned by the importer for Ferrari in Switzerland and Germany who drove the car under his dealership for the first 4,000 miles on MSO. The first titled owner, who lived in Los Angeles California, purchased the car for $82,000 from Hollywood Sports Cars with 4,000 miles on the odometer. He had a number of normal modifications done such as metal cleats to reinforce the front bumper and installation of a Tubi exhaust. He drove the car regularly and had it serviced properly by both Hollywood Sports Cars and Thoroughbred Motorcars. During this first ownership, a recall was done on one of the drive belts, which subsequently led to the heads being rebuilt as well. The car was sold to its second owner in 1996 with 21,500 miles on the odometer, who traded his 1993 Lotus Esprit towards the purchase of the car from Ferrari of Atlanta. The car was sold again at the end of 1999 to Auto Sales Group Inc. in Pompano Beach, Florida. The car was next sold to a Mr. Morehead of Florida with 27,000 miles on the odometer. He was a 50-year SCCA governor for Florida, a true gear head and enthusiast, and would go on to become a very active member of the Ferrari Club of America. Throughout his ownership, Mr. Morehead maintained and cared for the car thoroughly, performing the first major 30k miles service at 28,400 miles and completed by Autocraft. In 2007 with 33,200 on the odometer, another 30k mile service was performed with the addition of a new clutch and throw-out bearing. In 2010 the entire AC system was rebuilt at a cost of over $2,000. The current owner purchased the car in 2017 from The Barn Miami and has only added approximately 1000 miles during their ownership. Since purchasing this 348 in 2017, the current owner has invested over $31,000 into service items, leaving this example free from any excuses and ready to be thoroughly enjoyed. Items attended to under this servicing include a new battery, full fluids change, fuel system sorting, suspension sorting, water pump, and many more items. To see a detailed breakdown of service items please click on the service documents tab located above. As it sits today, this car represents the ideal driver’s car, with cosmetics in nice condition and the mechanical systems having been thoroughly gone through. This 348 would be the perfect car to thoroughly drive and enjoy and could make an excellent first foray into the world of classic Ferraris or, given its interesting colors, a perfect addition to any Ferrari collection.
Included with the sale of this vehicle are books, tools, extra key, and included service documents.
The Details
exterior
body and paint
This 348 has been repainted once during its lifetime in the correct Grigio Metallic although we are not sure when it occurred, it was most likely sometime in the early 2000’s. The paint remains in good shape with nice color and proper glint to the metallic finish. The finish is consistent throughout the car however when looking closely in certain areas, the paint does appear a bit splotchy which is a very common problem with metallic type paint jobs. This splotchiness is very hard to notice and more than likely would be missed by the untrained eye. The body itself is straight and free of issues. Panel gaps and bumper fitment is good with all gaps being consistent and acceptable. There is a small spot of cracking on the driver's side c-pillar or buttress where it meets the rear deck of the car. There is also a bit of stone chipping on the rear edges of the wheel wells as well as a few areas on the front bumper all from normal usage.
glass and trim
The glass appears to be all original and contains its correct Ferrari branding. The rear glass above the decklid does display some delimitation around the edges but the rest of the glass around the car is in nice condition. Rubber trim pieces remain supple with good color and show minimal signs of aging. All the lights, front and rear, are in good working condition with clean and crack-free lenses. Both the front and rear grills still retain nice paint which shows smooth and dark.
wheels
The wheels appear to have been refinished at one point, likely when the car was painted. Both front wheels display some chips and scratches from normal use but the back wheels remain clean and tidy. All the center caps retain good color and are free from cracking. Wheel mounting hardware is in good condition with nice shine and no corrosion.
notable flaws
There is a small crack in the paint where the driver's side rear buttress meets the rear deck of the car. There is also some minor but normal delimitation occurring on the rear window above the engine deck lid.
interior
seats and surfaces
The Grey Leather interior compliments the exterior of the car nicely and remains in good condition. Both seats retain clean seating surfaces and solid bolsters. The fitment of the leather has started to get a little loose in areas of the driver's seat causing some very minor bunching but the seats remain in great shape. The carpeting throughout the interior retains good fitment and color and only shows a bit fading in areas of high traffic and where the sun hit it the most. The door sill on the driver's side does show some scuffing but nothing out of the ordinary. There are two little spots of surface corrosion, one on each door sill, but nothing that couldn’t be easily rectified and certainly nothing to worry about. The doors cards fit well and have nice clean leather still although a bit of pulling is evident around the control cluster on the driver's side door. The dash is straight with good color and is free of cracking or pulling. Most importantly, there are no sticky surfaces on the car, all the plastic components retain a clean and consistent finish to them.
functionality and accessories
Everything appears to work as it should on the interior. The doors open and close with ease, the windows move up and down and the emergency brake holds the car in place as it should. The gauges are clean and clear and appear to read their respective functions as they should. All the buttons on the center stack are in good cosmetic condition and appear to function as they should.
engine bay and trunk
engine bay
The engine bay appears clean and well kept, perfectly reflecting the diligent service this car has been treated too. There are normal signs of wear such as some scratched paint on surfaces but nothing out of the ordinary for the mileage. All hoses, wires, clamps etc. appear to be in good shape as one would expect given the thorough servicing this car recently received.
trunk area
The front trunk is in good order with properly fitting, clean black carpeting. Service access panels fit nicely and there is no cracking of plastics etc. There is a CD changer mounted on the floor.
Underside
The underside of the car is perfectly inline with the mileage, showing a bit of road dirt but reflecting the warm and fairly dry climates that this car has spent most of its life in. The front lip does display a bit of scratching and rock chipping but nothing out of the ordinary for the mileage.
mechanicals
engine
This 348 was treated too over $31,000 worth of service in 2017 and as such remains in fantastic mechanical condition. The V8 engine fires to life with ease and settles quickly into a smooth and consistent idle. The engine revs freely and makes fantastic linear power throughout the rev range.
transmission
The transmission shifts smoothly between gears and delivers power to the rear wheels beautifully throughout the rev range. The clutch has good feedback and a nice solid pickup. There are no issues to note with either of these systems.
brakes and suspension
The brakes bring the car to a smooth and controlled stop with no issues or noises. The suspension shows no issues either and displays proper road manners while feeling tight and compliant.
tires
This 348 wears Continental ExtremeContact DWS tires on all four corners with a January of 2016 date code on them. All four tires are in good condition and retain plenty of tread life.
driving experience
Ferrari truly made a giant leap forward in their V8 lineup when they released the 348. While the 328 was a good car, it was beginning to feel tired and cumbersome by the late 1980s. The aggressive and striking design of the 348 brought it squarely into the ’90s and the new 3.4 liter V8 made the power and noise to back up its looks. The 348 was by far a more comfortable car to drive than its predecessors, offering better visibility and seating position. Today, the 348 represents the perfect vehicle to enter the realm of classic and collector Ferrari automobiles. It provides owners with vintage looks while maintaining fairly modern performance figures and usability. This particular 348 represents the ideal situation for someone looking for a vintage Ferrari to drive and enjoy. The recent thorough mechanical servicing and one repaint mean that there really should be nothing to worry about with this car other hitting the road and listening to that intoxicating metal clink as you row through the gears and enjoy the beauty of this mid-engine V8 Ferrari blasting down the road.