Winter Delivery or How to Not Freeze to Death

    I’ve told stories before about some of my trips picking up or delivering Ferraris.

    Some were uneventful and others border on insanity. This is a story of one of the non-boring trips, but also not one of the more crazy ones.

    I started independently towing cars for FAF Motorcars in 1975, using their open trailer and my Ford van.

    Shortly after I was hired to work in the parts department, FAF bought their own van and trailer.

    A new white Chevy panel van was adorned with a large FAF logo and Italian stripes. Very classy for its time.

    The trailer was enclosed and had a large FAF logo with stripes to match the van.

    It was quite a sight moving up the road with bright red, white and green colors splashed down the sides and large FAF MOTORCARS FERRARI printed on both the van and trailer.

    Security wasn’t quite the same as today. The was no mistaking an expensive car might be inside.

    Our customer in Louisville, Kentucky, had bought a new 308 GTS. Red with tan. In 1979 it was a carbureted version.

    It was wintertime, probably after Christmas, and the good doctor was trading his 330 GTS for the 308.

    I wasn’t privy to all the details, but I seem to remember I had to drop off the new 308, pick up the 330 GTS and a check for the difference.

    Oh, if we only knew then what we know now!

    It was probably a Friday when I left. More than likely after working all day.

    Drive to Louisville, swap cars, and be back in the morning. Easy, right?

    The plan worked well until it started snowing. Driving this rig, loaded through the mountains of Kentucky at night, in the snow, keeps you on edge.

    I finally arrive. There is about six inches of snow on the ground and the temperature is about twenty-five degrees.

    Doctor Peter greets me, and we open the trailer to let him see his new car. It’s still perfect, sitting cozily in its traveling cocoon.

    This Georgia boy is ill-equipped to handle the cold, so we go inside to warm up.

    The phone rings and Doctor Peter is called to the hospital to set a broken arm. He won’t be long and invites me to join him. We go to the hospital.

    A couple hours later we return; it’s now about one o’clock in the morning. He can’t wait to get his car. It is now down to 20 degrees outside.

    I climb into trailer to release the rear straps. It is all I can do before the cold overtakes me. We sit and have a glass of wine to warm up.

    This begins a routine we follow until both cars are traded out. Five minutes outside turns into twenty minutes inside and another glass of wine.

    Remove the front straps. Wine.

    Strip completely out of all my outer garments so I can climb through the window and start the 308. Roll it out the door and put my shoes and clothes back on. More wine.

    Drive it into the garage and see the 330 GTS for the first time. Another glass.

    Start the 330 and position it in the trailer. More wine and conversation.

    Strap the front of the Ferrari down. Yes, more wine.

    Strap the back down and close the door. All secure and ready to travel. One last glass is lifted.

    It is now about 4 o’clock in the morning and we are both feeling no pain. I crash in the guest room; FAF will have to wait.

    By early morning Peter makes breakfast and I’m ready to make the drive back.

    The snow had stopped falling and the roads seemed clear so it should be an easy drive back to Atlanta.

    The rest of the trip must have been uneventful because I don’t remember anything significant that happened on the way home. It may have been the wine.

 

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    Memories are interesting things. I wrote this story which piqued my interest in whether I could find all the revelant Ferraris in the story. I also wanted to determine if the timing was correct.

    Using the database, the 330 GTS was easy. S/N 9765, of course, lives today. At the time it was painted red and had black interior. It had a fire early in its life and had been rebuilt with a special engine-turned metal dash and firewall.

    It has since been restored to original glory; today is black with red interior and Classiche certified.

    It was advertised in the FML under Doctor Peter’s name in the November 1979 issue.

 

 

    FAF advertised the 330 GTS for the first time in the February 1980 issue.

    My memory of being so cold matches deep winter weather.

 

 

    I was able to go through some FAF sales records to find the 308 GTS.

    S/N 29839 was sold to Peter in February 1980. It was red with cream interior.

    This confirms the timing of the trip.

    The 308 GTS was recorded several times through the years with the last sighting at the 1990 FCA Annual Meet in Watkins Glen. It earned a 2nd in class and was owned at that time by a gentleman in Ohio.

    I’m sure the 308 is still around and looking good.

    Life is a journey; enjoy the trip and make it memorable. I certainly have tried many times. This is just one adventure with a Ferrari, what’s yours?