This Beautiful Ferrari 328GTS Personifies Ohio Car Culture

Looking for car culture? Don’t rule out Northeast Ohio.

When you think of American car culture, you’d be forgiven for thinking of Southern California, the Bay Area, or even Detroit. But don’t rule out Northeast Ohio.

The Cleveland/Akron area may evoke images of a rusted-out, post-industrial wasteland. But remember: To be post-industrial, you have to be industrial first. Before World War I, dozens of independent car manufacturers are churning out cars along the shores of Lake Erie. About an hour south, Akron establishes itself as the rubber capital of the world. Soon it’s supplying the burgeoning automotive industry.

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While much of that manufacturing is gone, a love of cars is ingrained in the hearts and souls of Northeast Ohioans. Despite harsh winters and brutal lake-effect snow (to say nothing of the ravages of road salt), Cleveland, Akron, and its surrounding suburbs have plenty of significant cars. carefully locked away during the winter months, owners make the most of the few warm months of Northeastern Ohio sunshine.

Spend enough time in the area and you’ll hear of ex-Le Mans Group C Porsche race cars or right-hand-drive Japanese treasures locked away in nondescript brick buildings. You’ll also come across exotics like this Ferrari 328GTS. A couple phone calls and an introduction is all it takes to discover these hidden gems. Their polite, humble, and typically Midwestern owners are only too happy to share their knowledge and enthusiasm.

This 1987 Ferrari 328GTS for sale on Hemmings is a unique opportunity to take a piece of Ohio car culture with you. Subdued and striking in Marrone Metallic, it’s an unusual and beautiful shade of brown. This Ferrari is understated, like the area in which it currently resides. Of course, the Rust Belt connection makes the hue even more appropriate. Find it for sale on Hemmings, and be sure to give me a call if you buy it. I have some people I’d like you to meet and some cars to show you.

Cameron Vanderhorst

Cam VanDerHorst has been a contributor to Internet Brands' Auto Group sites for over three years, with his byline appearing on Ford Truck Enthusiasts, Corvette Forum, JK Forum, and Harley-Davidson Forums, among others. In that time, he's also contributed to Autoweek, The Drive, and Scale Auto Magazine.

He bought his first car at age 14 -- a 1978 Ford Mustang II -- and since then he’s amassed an impressive and diverse collection of cars, trucks, and motorcycles, including a 1996 Ford Mustang SVT Mystic Cobra (#683) and a classic air-cooled Porsche 911.

In addition to writing about cars and wrenching on them in his spare time, he enjoys playing music (drums and ukulele), building model cars, and tending to his chickens.

You can follow Cam, his cars, his bikes, and his chickens at @camvanderhorst on Instagram.

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