Customer Reviews

Original Ferrari: Restoration Guide for All Models, 1974-1994: 308 GT4, 308/328 GTB/GTS Series, Mondial, 348 Series, 288 GTO and F40 (Original Series)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you're in the market for one of Ferraris covered in this book, you'll find Bluemel's work indispensible. If you want a coffee table book, it's not bad for that either, but ultimately the tables and detail photos overwhelm the pretty car pictures.

The newest 328 is already more than 15 years old, and Bluemel's book will give you a benchmark for how a well-kept, original car ought to look. This is more important than you might think, as the Ferrari owners 'circle' really does care about originality and honest preservation -- if you're a buyer, you'll undoubtedly be more educated after reading Bluemel. Production for the 328GTS, easily the most successful regular production car in this period, was only 6000+ cars over 5 years - paltry compared even to niche companies like Porsche. The Ferrari world is a small world, and an expensive one in which to make mistakes, so consider this your essential desktop reference.

While there is some commentary interspersed regarding aesthetics, there is close to zero information on driving and maintenance, and it is certainly not a buyer's guide listing the weak spots of the various models. Also, even car fanatics are unlikely to read this straight through, as it discusses all aspects of the cars section by section. So unless you plan to go to be reading about the tires and wheels on the 348, for example, it is largely a reference. But at that it is quite a good one, and it gets pulled from my shelf frequently.

The book is very nice and very well done. The best I ever seen so far. I was a bit disappointed because I was expecting more in depth information about the Ferrari 308 GTB 1980 Steel version. The book is really complete about the F40 and the 288 GTO. But with the 308 GTB for example it does not describe what type of exhaust systems were on this particular car, not the optionals that could be chosen for it.

A great sourcebook that focuses on the Ferrari V8 line of cars. The presentation is excellent with top quality photographs. The accompanying text is a pleasure to read and contains a wealth of technical data

This book provides a thorough overview of original equipment and specifications, but it is disappointing in its lack of perspective. It would be more useful if it compared and contrasted models and gave would-be purchasers and restorers an idea of what to look for in a potential purchase.

THE ORIGINAL FERRARI, ITS THE BEST AND MOST DETAIL BOOK I EVER READ ABOUT
FERRARI V8'S.IT GIVES A DETAIL ACCOUNT FROM THE DINO UP TO THE 348 INCLUDING THE 288 GTO & F40. THE AUTHOR HAS ACHIEVED TO PUT IN ORDER THE
VARIOUS IMPROVEMENTS OF EACH MODEL THROUGH ITS PRODUCTION LIFE.
THE PICTURES ARE VERY NICE AND WELL DOCUMENTED.
THIS BOOK IS BEST FOR THOSE WHO ARE PLANNING TO BUY A V8 FERRARI AND WOULD
LIKE TO KNOW BETTER THE DIFFERENT VARIATIONS OF EACH MODEL.
HOWEVER, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RESTORATION OR HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR FERRRARI (IF YOU OWN ONE).

If you're thinking in buying a Ferrari V8 this book will help you and ask your questions every time. It gives you the opportunity to overview all the original equipment and specifications of your dream car. It also will tell you which spares are the most likely to break down and the one needed exactly for your car. Plenty of information (in fact many useless information, true), nice pictures and some restauration techniques, it will help your Ferrari to come again to an "as new look and feeling". Only complain is the lack of information on some "rare" models.

Not a bad book. Was truly hoping for tons of detail regarding problems etc. for restoration or future purchases: better to use the Ferrari Guide to models via PDF for $4-9 at half dot com. Basically a cursory look over different year models and what they should look like. Lacks some commentary on describing the differences. If you are looking for a restoration book, this is NOT it. It is an easy read but d-r-y.
TOO BAD Keith Bluemel is the Ferrari's top guy for details. He is a regular contributor to Cavallino [Ferrari's Offical Magazine] etc. and his price guides are usually near correct every issue. If anyone should be able to inspire a good book on Ferrari, it would be Keith, but he must have dozed during this one [almost made me feel he was just issuing a book for some quick money....].