Not many coming up in the auction houses as far as I am aware but there are some really nice examples for sale at the moment. Depends what you want ie concours or a good runner & moreover your budget? Tony
I'm in the UK where trade advertised asking prices on Ferrari seem to be 20/25% higher than auction results over last few months.
It is if you want a left hand drive model and numerous detailing errors that could be expensive to put right. Auction prices may be lower but some of them are poorly presented, some dealers are as guilty too. After 20 years of Dino ownership I would buy the best one you can for the money you have, if you can afford to get a good well restored one for a higher price it may actually work out cheaper in the long run and most of the hard work has been done for you, however if you like the challenge of restoring one yourself then choose accordingly.
Yes, for various reasons I usually buy LHD. Although I've had a few Ferraris I am no Dino expert. As a matter of interest what are the detailing errors on that car? As an F owner I have vested interest in prices staying firm. But it seems to me that the spread between dealer advertised and auction prices is much wider than 18 months ago.
There are many things that are wrong. The list is long. Then, not only the expense of substituting the wrong / missing parts, but locating them. At times, it takes years, if ever, to locate parts. How is the body, I am aware it was painted, but was it reseamed, or... "extensive refurbishment" is a very wide statement. Roy, please don't forget, these cars were kept under the rain while waiting to be assembled (unpainted). Are you ready for this? Dino prices are extremely relative to condition, thus the low estimate, Bonham's know their products, and are realistic (most of the time...) Regards, Alberto
From a very quick glance through the photo's some of the incorrect details are - Incorrect reversing light Reproduction steering wheel and horn push Missing rubber seals beneath the front indicator lenses Badly fitting passenger door Satin blacking missing around shut areas on front bonnet, engine lid and rear trunk Incorrect Pininfarina side body badge Wrong tool kit Radio mounting box incorrect Cigarette lighter incorrect Airbox lid fastenings incorrect Various incorrect hoses in engine bay Incorrect repro Dino nose badge (it is flat whilst originals were convex) Headlights are not the correct original Carrello units Repro Dino hubcap badges (not the high quality items remade by Paul and Rob) Lower body blacking line on side sills painted to wrong height I'm sure others will spot more items. It looks to be a tidy example from the photo's.
Here's two coming up 1974 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS | Gooding & Company 1973 Ferrari 246 GT | Gooding & Company
Thanks ISUK. Quite a list, but the cost would still mean the purchase price is a bargain versus the dealer ask prices of £400k.
LHD cars are more plentiful so RHD will always command a premium in the UK. There are a number of cars on sale in the UK for strong advertised prices that are far from perfect examples which are distorting perceptions of where prices should be. If you saw a properly restored car alongside one of these examples you'd easily see where the value is. It takes a considerable amount of time, research and effort to track down original items and find restorers who know what they are doing with a car like the Dino. I have had quite a few people contact me over the last two or three years for help and advice after being dissatisfied with work done to their cars. Several have ended up having body restorations/paintwork carried out a second time at considerable expense to resolve the problems. With this in mind I'd want to see that GTS in person before automatically assuming it has been done to a high standard. Looking at the photo's again in more detail I noticed that the front grille is misshapen and the surrounding body aperture is similarly poor. That means the area was not properly attended to during the restoration and suggests there will likely be other issues. It takes real skill to shape that area properly.
Just to illustrate the point regarding the bodywork shaping here is a comparison of the Bonham car against my GTS. You will see a considerable difference in the shape and fit of the grille. There is a subtle crease line on the nose that runs around the front of the car just above the grille and there should be an even distance beneath this line and the upper edge of the grille across the full width of the grille. This is a very difficult area to shape due to the differing angles involved. That line is misshapen on the Bonham car and the grille itself has not been disassembled and correctly reshaped either. The aluminium outer surround is bent across the top and bottom and the horizontal slats are bent out of shape. You will also see that the front bonnet on the Bonhams car does not sit flush on the near side. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Roygarth, in Dinoland, nothing is a bargain. You really ought to find the best you can afford, and capitalize on someone else's nickel. Look at my avatar, that is the sheet metal I found under a nice coat of paint...a butchery, and there are never guarantees unless superbly documented. Good luck in your quest! Regards, Alberto
I had a similar situation to Alberto with one of my Dinos. Hidden under the paintwork was a patchwork of bodged metal work repairs created by a previous restorer who clearly knew little about the art of panel beating. If you want to see the sort of horrors that can lurk under shiny paint have a quick skim through this thread on a 275 short nose that was bought via a reputable auction house http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/vintage-thru-365-gtc4/280041-restoration-starts-here-275gtb-shortnose-07333-a.htmll The real horrors start on page 3. Here are a few photo's of the horrors that lay beneath the paint on my car. Badly bodged repair panels that had been hammered into a rough approximation of the original shape then all the hammer dents covered with body filler and some shiny paint applied to cover it all up. The third photo is a rugby ball shaped dent that was found above the o/s/r wheel arch. It had been filled and painted over instead of being properly repaired. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Two more coming up 1969 Ferrari Dino 206 GT by Scaglietti | Monterey 2017 | RM Sotheby's http://www.rmsothebys.com/mo17/monterey/lots/1969-ferrari-dino-246-gt-l-series/1704255
There will be a really nice 246 GT Coupé, from long term ownership, coming up for sale at Bonhams Quail auction Friday 18th August 2017. Marcel Massini
I have no financial or other interest in this, but I am familiar with the 1973 gt at Gooding. Despite the appearance of the interior, this could be a great deal. Car is very sound mechanically.