Moustache news: Tom Selleck–driven Ferrari 308 to be auctioned

17 January, 2017

Magnum, P.I. fans, pack your bags and hop on the first flight to Scottsdale, Arizona — a genuine 1984 Ferrari 308 GTS Quattrovalvole that appeared on the show will go under the hammer at Bonham’s auctions on January 19 (in America). 

Certified by Ferrari North America to have been driven by Tom Selleck in all of his moustachioed ’80s glory, the auction house states this example was one of the later models used for filming in 1984 and 1985.

Throughout the series, Selleck’s famous co-star was the Ferrari 308 GTS. The first season saw him drive a carburetted 1978 308 GTS before switching to a 1980 308 GTSi the following year, which was subsequently used for the second, third, and the beginning of the fourth season.

Halfway through the fourth season, the show began using the 1984 308 GTS QV, and it served until the end of the show’s production. It is believed that five cars in total were used and served one of two purposes; either action shots, or light action and close-ups — the latter were kept in pristine condition.

The vehicles were provided by Ferrari North America, and once their run on the show was over, they were sent back to be given a fresh lick of paint, serviced, and sold to their ‘first’ owner.

Such an iconic car, particularly this example, the 308 has been maintained meticulously and remains in excellent shape. With only two owners under its belt since appearing on the show, with the second of which owning the car since 1989, it’s nearly 100-per-cent stock. The only change was to a Tubi exhaust, but includes the original piping with the sale.

A find like this won’t come cheap, however, and Bonhams estimates the car will sell for between US$150,000 and US$250,000 (NZ$210,000–350,000).

For a wealthy Magnum, P.I. fan, you can’t do much better than a Ferrari driven by Magnum himself, so it will be interesting to see just how much it fetches.

Specs:
2,926cc DOHC V8 Engine
Bosch K-Jetronic Injection
232bhp at 7,000rpm
5-Speed Manual Transaxle
4-Wheel Independent Suspension
4-Wheel Disc Brakes

Fraser Cars – low flying into the fourth decade

With almost three and a half decades under its belt, Fraser Cars is one of New Zealand’s longest-surviving car manufacturers. The company first opened its doors for business in 1988, during the boom time for kit manufacturers. During the ’80s, around 40 different companies were building kits and turnkey cars for this niche market. Of those, only Fraser and Almac Cars (established 1981) are still in business today.
Most of the new kit car companies were killed off in the cradle by the threat of new legislation that never eventuated and definitively by the sudden availability of high-performance Japanese cars when the floodgates to second-hand imports were opened. The now long-retired founder of the company, Neil Fraser, first came across Lotus Seven replicas while racing Lotus Cortinas in the early ’80s. He regularly found himself racing against a little Caterham, a Lotus Seven–styled car built in England. He was very impressed by its simplicity and handling. In 1986 Fraser built his own Lotus Seven–type car, using the knowledge he had gained from several close looks at the Caterham.

2027 Star Insure Calendar Competition Terms and Conditions

2027 Star Insure Calendar Competition
We’ve partnered up with Star Insure in search for 13 outstanding classic cars to feature across the 2027 Star Insure Calendar and the December issue of NZ Classic Car Magazine. One standout entry wins the ultimate honour: cover placement on both the calendar and the magazine, with the remaining 12 featured across the monthly pages.
Email your photo to [email protected] and include your full name, postal address, phone number and vehicle details (year, make and model). Entries close Friday, 31 July 2026. *T’s & C’s apply.
Read more to find out the full details >>