| Author |
Message |
Steven J. Solomon (Solly)
| | Posted on Thursday, October 18, 2001 - 4:48 pm: | |
NY dealer is Nick Soprano at Motor Classic in White Plains.
Website at www.motorclassiccorp.com |
DBP (Dilly)
| | Posted on Friday, October 12, 2001 - 10:30 pm: | |
Sorry Perry my list says "History Unknown" but I have an old list. Contact Denny at [email protected] |
Steven J. Solomon (Solly)
| | Posted on Friday, October 12, 2001 - 9:01 pm: | |
Dino Register at:http://www.angelfire.com/ca2/dinoregister/
Run by Denny Schue. He may be able to trace history on your car. |
PerryTishgart (Perrytishgart)
| | Posted on Friday, October 12, 2001 - 7:13 pm: | |
Dilly.
Can you tell me anything about # 06462..also, how can i get in touch with the Dino Registry ? Perry |
PerryTishgart (Perrytishgart)
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 09, 2001 - 7:39 pm: | |
Thanks to both of you for your insight. The car I'm looking at is in California, supposedly all original with 22K miles, and with chairs and flares as the original package. I realize that the car will not be a speed demon, but with 195 hp in a relatively light weight body, it should be a blast to drive. i have a newer 911 to satisfy my need for speed, this one is to satisfy my need for sheer beauty. As a wise man once said, a man can only have one great wife (at least at a time) in his life, but as many great cars as he can afford.
Solly, I'd be very interested in the NY dealer, as I am in Philly. Thanks again. Perry |
Steven J. Solomon (Solly)
| | Posted on Monday, October 08, 2001 - 8:07 pm: | |
I own a '74 246 GTS. Huge fun to drive, and the sexiest Ferrari ever made IMHO. Be aware that the "chairs and flares" edition is very popular due to the wider tires, but also be aware that there were only about 125 factory "chairs and flares" ever made, and there now seem to be hundreds and hundreds of them. Any fool with a blowtorch can weld a flare onto a wheel well. I personally think that the squarish factory flares destroy the beautiful lines of the car, although I've seen several flares added later that looked pretty good. These models will command a premium.
Parts fairly easy to come by, but, as with all Ferraris, not cheap. Neither is labor.
Low end power and torque are less than what you'd expect from a Ferrari (listed at 195 bhp, but more like 175 with air pump, convertor, a/c etc.), but this model makes its peak bhp at very high revs. Driving it at 4,000 RPM and above extracts this available power, but takes some getting used to. It is by no means slow, and there all sorts of things to be done to the engine now that emissions testing is waived (car >25 years old). Even basic modifications like removal of emissions equipment, optical/magnetic ignitions, can give you back some power. A Lancia Stratos engine conversion can bump it to 275 bhp, serious power in a car this light.
Rust is definitely something to watch for. So are earlier poor restorations. The engines are extremely strong and will take a lot of abuse providing they have been maintained. Try to get the service records if possible. A compression test with leak-down is mandatory. Be prepared to convert to an updated ignition system as I understand that points/condensers may not be available in the future (a cheap, easy effective and reversible upgrade). Tires for 14" wheels are also getting scarce, so be prepared to upgrade the wheels.
Best bet is to find a model already well-restored by a previous owner. Remember that these cars went as high as $250,000 in the early 90's when the Japanese began seriously collecting them during the craze. There were only 1200 or so GTS models ever made, and many underwent very high quality restorations by these collectors in the early 90's. You can probably buy one now for less than the cost of the restoration it went through ($90-100,000). This is what I did. I have had ZERO problems with it, and perform only the ususal maintenance. I drive it a lot and find it very reliable. Look for a late model (73-74, serial number 0800 or higher). These have had most of the bugs worked out that early cars suffered from. You MUST have a qualified mechanic check the car from top to bottom.
BTW I happen to know of a very good Dino for sale at the same dealer I bought mine from, in White Plains, New York. Let me know if you want his number.
I have owned many high end sports cars and this is the best purchase I have ever made in terms of sheer fun. I would definitely buy another as long as I could get one in this condition.
Let me know if you need any more help. |
DBP (Dilly)
| | Posted on Monday, October 08, 2001 - 3:53 pm: | |
I own a 74 246GTS and the best advice I can give you is to check VERY closely for rust - on the
body as well as in the engine compartment. A good
Dino is a rare find but I love mine. They are very easy to drive but if you are power hungry then it is not the car for you. Also make sure that 2nd gear is in good shape. This is the weak link,as it is in many older cars. I show my car a lot so there are no Ferrari badges on my car you will find that many owners feel the need to add these badges. Don't forget that the Dino was an entry level car and many people did not take care of these cars like they may have cared for a Daytona. As a result it may take some time for you to find a good solid car. I would recommend getting a 1973 or 74 car. You may want to contact Denny Shue at the Dino register to checkout the history of a car. I have an old copy of the Dino register and would be happy to look up a car for you. Good Luck! |
PerryTishgart (Perrytishgart)
| | Posted on Monday, October 08, 2001 - 1:58 pm: | |
I am giving serious consideration to picking up a '73 246 GTS. I was wondering if anyone can share any experiences..good,bad or ugly. I have admired it, but have never driven one, and I'm curious as to driveablity, and relative reliability. Thanks in advance. Perry |
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