S/N 51665 · 308 GTS Quattrovalvole · 1984
Forty years to the day.
Built for America on 4 May 1984, in black with tan leather. Mitchel DeFrancis has had it since at least 2003, when Ferrari North America confirmed its details in writing. Its first books and tools are still with it, and on 4 May 2024, forty years to the day, it got a birthday cake.
- Model year
- 1984
- Exterior recorded
- Nero · Vernice 901 Nera, Ferrari North America
- Configuration
- Left-hand drive · US specification
Selected public storyOwner’s account · 2026
The record at a glance
- 4 May 1984 · Built for America · Documented
- 7 April 2003 · A reply from Ferrari North America · Documented
- 27 June 2015 · Everything that came with it · Supported
- 8–9 October 2016 · Best of Class at Atlanta’s first concours · Stated
- 4 May 2024 · Forty years to the day · Supported
5 entries · 2 documented · 2 supported · 1 stated. Each mark is one dated entry; point at one to read it.
Open the journey map42 years · 5 moments- The build4 May 1984Ferrari North America’s letter gives the build date and the original Nero and Tabacco.
- The papersBooks, wallet and toolsThe owner’s manual, warranty booklet, book wallet and tool roll are still with the car.
- The dayForty years to the dayA birthday cake on 4 May 2024, exactly forty years after the build date.
The car
The VIN is quoted in Ferrari North America’s letter of 7 April 2003. The stamps and plates on the car have not been examined for this edition.
- VIN · Ferrari North America
- ZFFUA13A6E0051665
- Model
- 308 GTS Quattrovalvole · US specification
- Date of manufacture · letter
- 4 May 1984
- Exterior · letter
- Vernice 901 Nera
- Interior · letter
- Pelle 846 Tabacco
- Keeper
- Mitchel DeFrancis · since at least 2003
The specification comes from Ferrari North America’s 2003 letter. The car’s own numbers and stamps have not been examined for this edition.
Registrations
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Its history
1984
Nero over Tabacco
Built on 4 May 1984 for the American market, in black with tan leather.
4 May 1984
Built for America
DocumentedFerrari North America’s letter gives the date of manufacture as 4 May 1984 and calls the car a US specification vehicle: a 308 GTS Quattrovalvole, VIN ZFFUA13A6E0051665, painted Vernice 901 Nera with Pelle 846 Tabacco leather. Black over tan, the colours it still wears.1
Still to check The letter answers three questions: the date, the paint and the leather. It doesn’t name the dealer or the first owner. The original US sales papers or a dealer record
Nineteen years Between the build in May 1984 and Ferrari North America’s letter in April 2003, the file holds no dealer, owner, plate or service record.
2003–2024
Kept, shown and celebrated
A letter from Ferrari North America, the original books and tools, a concours class and a fortieth birthday.
7 April 2003
A reply from Ferrari North America
DocumentedBy 2003 the car belonged to Mitchel DeFrancis in Atlanta, who still has it. He faxed Ferrari North America about its VIN, and its vice president of technical services wrote back with the build date and the original colours. The letter hangs in a frame.1
The letter · 1 photograph
7 April 2003
The letter
Ferrari North America confirms a US specification car, built on 4 May 1984 in Vernice 901 Nera with Pelle 846 Tabacco. Addressed to Mitchel DeFrancis; his street address is hidden here.
Document photographed by Mitchel DeFrancis
Supplied archiveStill to check The letter is photographed in its frame; the original wasn’t examined for this edition.
27 June 2015
Everything that came with it
SupportedIn 2015 Mitch laid out the car’s papers and photographed them: the Ferrari book wallet, the US-version owner’s manual, the warranty booklet for 1984 models with a key, the 1985 maintenance and lubrication chart, the consumer information and safety booklets, Agip’s lubricants chart and the card for the Veglia Borletti clock. The tool roll still holds its spanners, screwdrivers and inspection lamp.2
The books and tools · 4 photographs
27 June 2015
The papers, laid out
The books, the framed letter, the warranty booklet with its key and the book wallet, as Mitch photographed them.
Photograph supplied by Mitchel DeFrancis
Supplied archive
27 June 2015
U.S. version
The 308 Quattrovalvole owner’s manual for the US version, beside the 1985 maintenance and lubrication chart.
Photograph supplied by Mitchel DeFrancis
Supplied archive
27 June 2015
The book wallet
The Ferrari wallet the books are kept in, in its prancing-horse houndstooth with a brown leather tab.
Photograph supplied by Mitchel DeFrancis
Supplied archive
27 June 2015
The tool roll
Open-ended spanners, screwdrivers and pliers in the black roll, with the inspection lamp on its cable.
Photograph supplied by Mitchel DeFrancis
Supplied archiveStill to check The photographs show the books and tools, not every page. Whether each item left the factory with this car isn’t recorded.
8–9 October 2016
Best of Class at Atlanta’s first concours
StatedMitch says the car won Best of Class at the first Atlanta Concours d’Elegance, held at Château Élan in Braselton, Georgia, on 8 and 9 October 2016. Reports of the time confirm the event and its Best of Show, a 1909 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost; none we found lists the 308’s class.34
On the grass · 2 photographs
2016 · camera date 14 May
On the show field
Roof panel off, on the grass among other cars. Mitch sent this as the 2016 Atlanta Concours; the camera dates it 14 May 2016.
Photograph supplied by Mitchel DeFrancis
Supplied archive
2016 · camera date 14 May
Black over tan
The same morning from the front quarter: Nero paint, Tabacco leather and silver star wheels.
Photograph supplied by Mitchel DeFrancis
Supplied archiveStill to check No award, entry or class result is in the file yet. The camera dates the show photographs 14 May 2016, months before the concours, so which show they record isn’t settled. The award, the class results or the entry list
4 May 2024
Forty years to the day
SupportedOn 4 May 2024, forty years after the date in Ferrari North America’s letter, the car got a cake: “Happy 40th Birthday #51665!!!”, photographed on its front lid and again on the engine cover, beside the Ferrari script.5
The birthday · 1 photograph
4 May 2024
Happy 40th Birthday #51665
A cake on the front lid, forty years to the day after the build date in Ferrari North America’s letter.
Photograph supplied by Mitchel DeFrancis
Supplied archiveStill to check A celebration, not a record of work or ownership. It shows the car in May 2024, still black over tan.
Sources
A letter from Ferrari North America, Mitch DeFrancis’s photographs of the papers and the car, and published reports of the 2016 Atlanta Concours. Each keeps its evidence and its limits.
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1
Supplied document photograph
Ferrari North America’s letter
A letter from Ferrari North America’s vice president of technical services, dated 7 April 2003, to Mitchel DeFrancis in Atlanta, replying to his fax about VIN ZFFUA13A6E0051665. It gives the date of manufacture and the original paint and leather. Photographed in its frame; his street address is hidden here.
- 4 May 1984Ferrari North America’s letter of 7 April 2003.
- 7 April 2003The framed letter, photographed by Mitch.
Letter · 7 April 2003
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2
Supplied photographs
The books, wallet and tools
Mitch DeFrancis’s photographs, dated 27 June 2015 by the camera: the Ferrari book wallet, the US-version owner’s manual, the warranty booklet for 1984 models with a key, the 1985 maintenance and lubrication chart, the consumer information and safety booklets, Agip’s lubricants chart, the Veglia Borletti clock card and the tool roll.
- 27 June 2015Mitch’s photographs of the books and tools.
Mitch’s photographs · June 2015
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3
Supplied photographs & account
The show photographs and Mitch’s account
Four photographs of the car on a show field, which Mitch sent as the 2016 Atlanta Concours d’Elegance, with his account that it won Best of Class. The camera dates the photographs 14 May 2016.
- 8–9 October 2016Mitch’s account and photographs; reports of the 2016 Atlanta Concours.
Mitch’s email and photographs · October 2026
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4
Published reports
Reports of the first Atlanta Concours
Reports of the time confirm the first Atlanta Concours d’Elegance at Château Élan in Braselton, Georgia, on 8 and 9 October 2016, with more than 170 cars and a 1909 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost as Best of Show. None found lists every class winner.
- 8–9 October 2016Mitch’s account and photographs; reports of the 2016 Atlanta Concours.
Forbes, 30 August 2016 · Supercars.net · Petrolicious
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5
Supplied photographs
The fortieth birthday
Five photographs dated 4 May 2024 by the camera, of a cake reading “Happy 40th Birthday #51665!!!” on the front lid and the engine cover.
- 4 May 2024Mitch’s photographs of 4 May 2024.
Mitch’s photographs · 4 May 2024
Still open
Which dealer sold it in 1984, and who kept it before 2003?
- The first ownerWhich dealer sold the car in 1984, and who kept it before 2003?
- The class winCan the 2016 Atlanta Concours results or the award confirm Best of Class, and which show do the photographs record?
- The service historyDo service invoices or stamped records survive from the car’s forty years?
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