Unscratchable Lever Bezel Labels for Dinos

Looks great, but I have never seen "CHOKE" before.... normally it is just the blue and red point, or is it a US-model thing?

 

Yes, the US models have the word CHOKE spelled out on the plate. It was most likely a requirement. Regulations said all controls must be clearly labeled.

I have checked several photos of US interiors. They all seem to be labeled. Euros apparently not.

 

very interesting Lars, thanks a lot
regards Matthias

 

Matthias, I just found these two recent photos to illustrate this point. Both are taken at the 2012 auctions in Scottsdale, AZ.

The first one is the US Dino #04404 at the RM Auction. The second one is the Euro Dino #03908 at Russo & Steele. It may be difficult to see on the web photos, but I have confirmed by zooming in on the originals that the word CHOKE can be clearly seen on the first one, and that no writing exists on the second.

I am so used to seeing the CHOKE label in my car that I had not even noticed that the Euro Dinos did not have them. Another little detail about these cars.

Lars
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yes, it`s just the same as the temperature plat

 

The left one should be the cold air inlet, from a manual which shows both LH and RH marked as defrost as you said, but I don't own this model. I did notice this lever on the RHS in the second photo Lars posted earlier... probably should be on the left according to the descriptions in the manual.

 

You are not the only one who is confused, Verell. Welcome to the club!

My guess is that your customer's plates are from an M-series car. At that time, the left intake air hose provided only cold air. The lever on the left was in effect the cold air intake control, just as Andrew stated. The lever on the right directed the flow between the defrost and foot well outlets. The symbols in your photo makes sense then. (See: Service Manual, Varianti dal no. 01118, fig. 112, page 14)

After S/N 02132, a second heater element was added in the left air hose as well. The left and right levers now performed the same function: They controlled the air flow between the defrost and foot well outlets on each respective side of the cabin. The later symbols, marked with defrost and arrows on both sides, makes sense for these later Dinos. (See: Service manual, Varianti dal No.02132, fig. 112, page 25)

 

A picture of the correct choke lever/placement on a 1972 Euro Dino would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks.

 

can we have the chassis no. please, I have never seen this one before...
but I have seen a blank plate on some M-series...
can please all M-series owner post pictures of their levers with chassis no`s please
interesting stuff

regards Matthias

 

just a red and a blue point...

 

Where is the correct location of the choke lever on a Euro 1972? I think my lever got messed up when the engine rebuild was done.. I have a hole with some wires coming out of it between the seats next to the rear firewall. No cable just some electrical wires. I think the lever is under the console but don't want to dig for it out right now. There is no lever next to the cig lighter as shown in the photos. Is the back location period correct?

My left/right console levers have the DEF on them. Both do.

 

Matthias, I hope Björn does not mind, but here is picture of his #01248. The left plate appears to be blank.
Lars
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I just checked, my tags have DEF on the left and an up/down arrow (single double headed) on the right in the center.

 

On mine both right and left are like the pic. in the previous message (#20) on the right side.

 

Verell,
I was only quoting the service manual when I wrote S/N 02132. No guarantee that it was actually changed at that number! There are many other examples of strange inconsistencies in implementing production changes, so nothing is surprising anymore.

Another possibility is of course that the plates are not original to that car. Most Dinos have been refurbished several times over, often by people who were not Dino specialists, so nothing is surprising there either. It should be fairly easy for your customer to verify if his Dino has the single heater system, though.


On S/N 03908: Your eyes are not deceiving you (see blow-up below). It just has been fitted with the wrong plate in the wrong location, I believe - for the reasons mentioned above! Even in the unlikely event that it had been a single heater version, the "0 & arrow" plate should have been placed on the left side only. That car had a very chequered history. It was probably not such a good car to use as an example. Untouched, unmodified and unrestored Dinos to use as examples are very hard to find, though. Not many of them left.

The plates on 03908 should probably look as on the second photo below. It is from S/N 04082.
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