A Forty-Year Friendship

Today marks forty years since I took delivery of my first (and now sole) 246 GT, #04808. I first saw it in a showroom in Buffalo, N.Y. next to a quite ratty orange 206 GT. The salesman erroneously stated that the dealer had taken the car in trade for a Maserati. It was actually on consignment, and when I finally was contacted by the owner, and he finally agreed to sell, eight long weeks had passed. I've experienced all the highs and lows of Dino ownership: the sneers about its lowly FIAT provenance; the snapping clutch cables (called "linguini" by my good friend Bob Zambelli, a fellow F-Chatter); the dying Dinoplex; the remarks to the effect that the new 308 made the Dino obsolete; etc., ad infinitum. I waited over ten years from the time I first saw a drawing of the Dino Berlinetta Speciale in an MG Mitten ad in Road & Track (the ad has been posted in this forum several times) until I got my Dino. I carried a small black-and-white magazine photo of Sergio Pininfarina's prototype 206 GT in my wallet for years. For me, finally obtaining a Dino was an automotive dream come true. Forty years on, nothing has changed. I am known in my local community as much for ownership of my Dino as I am for my professional accomplishments. Sadly, I know that I will not have another forty years to enjoy this beautiful machine, but it will be with me until the end, no matter what. I don't know of another automobile that can command this kind of loyalty, and I am extremely grateful to have gotten an excellent example early on. I say to you all: "Carpe Dino!" Fred
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Freeman, the color is Blu Sera. Matthias told me on F-Chat that only 58 Dinos were painted in that color. I'll try to post some single shots. I'm somewhat tech-impaired! Fred

 

Thanks, Bryan! Today feels like a family milestone to me. Fred

 

Freeman, Here is an interior shot. Over the years, I have had the seat cushions and seatbacks re-foamed and re-stitched, and have had the door cards, bulkhead and thresholds re-foamed, along with re-dyeing the steering wheel and mouse hair. Fred
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Freeman, here's a shot from the bad old days when I stored two Dinos and another car in my 2 1/2-car garage for the long northern winter. Fred
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Forza Dino, Pietro! Cent'anni! Fred

 

Thanks, Freeman. I'm quite fond of yours too! Fred

 

Thank you! Fred

 

Thank you, Matthias, and thank you for "keeping the flame" for Dino lovers worldwide! Fred

 

Thanks so much for your kind words. I felt that I owed it to my Dino to recognize the longevity of my stewardship of it. I say stewardship, because I know that it will live on as a work of art long after I have departed. Marking this day is truly a bittersweet experience for me. Fred

 

Senza dubbio! Grazie mille, Coop! Fredo

 

Thank you, Fred, Mike and Lars. The Dino and I are ageing together, though I'm quite sure the Dino is doing it much more gracefully than I. Maybe it's the new suspension bushings from its 40th birthday renovation at Algar three years ago. They told me at the time that there was nothing they could do about MY suspension bushings! Life with these cars just keeps getting better. I took a young friend out in the car last weekend, and his first remark upon start-up was: "It smells like a car!" I told him that anything kept in the trunk for any period of time winds up smelling like a car, as well! Regards, Fred