Unkown Texas Dino

Somebody should go there... Maybe the Chevrolet dealer is still there... Ane the Dino too... With the snakes.

 

I live in Houston and am actually in Conroe as I type this. There are several dealers here, but all have the newer type of dealeeships that tend to be everywhere over the last few decades. There have also been quite a few clasic car dealers and restoration shops in the same area off and on for years. The last Gullwig made is sitting in Conroe with an mechanic who bought it in the 70's.

Having never heard the story of this, I find it impossible to think it is still there.

Paul, do you remember aby other details about where the car lot was? I would guess it had to be just off 45 and on 105. This is where most of the now converted, older dealership buildings were.

 

What fantastic period images and great story. Thank you for sharing.

 

I suspect there would be points deductions at a concours for all that engine compartment straw...

 

Seeing as the deterioration aleeady set in 25 years ago, I doubt it would still be viable today if still sitting in the same place. Most of the stuff in that area has been torn down, but will keep you updated.....

 

Try me.

Regards, Alberto

 

Does this have the steering wheel with the large center boss like the early 206's? I cant quite tell from looking at the pictures. My car spent some time coming through Texas and has the black window trim (which I dont like). The history on my #1832 is a little hazy though..you never know!! It would be interesting to track this one down. I will look at my restoration pics to see if the LH headlight cove has been bumped in like this one has...

 

Looks like a later Euro spec Dino with parallel wipers and front bumpers not curving into grill.

Freeman

 

Allright, after driving around, there is nothing like this in the area that I could think that would have existed years ago. There has been so much change with the widening of I-45 and the old main access road into Conroe, unless you can go to a Google map ad try and find something that looks like what you saw (which I have done from being there ahd searching the Google map), it will be VERY hard to tell. i was hoping to find a picture of similar looking chicken barn that I could photo and say, "look, it is gone (and wishing because it was on a tow-truck behind me)", but that isn't going to happem

Back in 1985, The Woodlands were the true Lands off in the Woods so many miles north of Houston. Conroe was even farther than that. I am guessing this Dino WAS long ago saved when SO MANY historical Ferrari's were flowing in and out of Houston.

After all, there still is a (at least one) significant historical Ferrari hiding out here that hasn't been seen in VERY many years.

 

Paul,

Seeing as you like to walk, you could walk to Willis from Conroe, it is an exit or two up from Conroe on 45. He is definitely in the same area as before

 

Deja vu!! I remember this car from when I was a kid! I hate to burst everyone's bubble, but this car is long gone. My dad wanted to buy this car. I saw this car with him back in about '85ish. My dad had heard the story from someone and wanted to buy the car so he took me out there with him to see it. The dealership would not even discuss selling it for some bureaucratic reason as I recall. Anyway, it was at Buckalew Chevrolet in Conroe. The story we heard is exactly what you have relayed here. The car was apparently being driven by a drug dealer who was not a citizen and he was pulled over arrested/imprisoned/deported. The dealer had the closest tow truck and so they were tasked with picking it up off the highway and so they towed it back to the dealership. The car apparently just fell through the cracks, and just sat and sat and sat outside in the weather for years (it had been there for many years even when we saw it in '85). If I remember correctly, the car was a Euro '73. I can remember to this day my dad lifting the decklid and saying "oh my god there are pine needles coming out of the carbs." The car was very very rough... It might even be a goner at today's prices...and if y'all recall, Dinos weren't worth anything back then like they are today. In fact, they were worth less than 308s back then. Anyway, the car eventually made its way to a shop here in Houston and was parted out. I know for a fact that this car doesn't exist any longer.

 

Buckalew is still around, at least I think they are.

Argento839, do you know who or where it was parted out? Do you know when this was done?

 

I still see Buckalew logos on new cars so they are still around.

The car was parted out by this Czech guy my dad knew (forget his name). It was probably 2 or 3 years after we saw it in Conroe. I literally saw the car in pieces spread over the floor of his shop. My dad had a Dino at the time and so I think we were there looking for a part for his car. I seem to remember he got the skinny spare wheel.

When Dino prices took off, I remember thinking about this car. At the time, Dinos weren't worth anything.. and as I said, this car was rough. The rust was bad and the engine looked really rough... Back then, the only logical thing to do with the car was to part it out. Nobody at the time knew they would be worth $200K someday. Back then, they weren't even considered Ferraris.

 

OK...

So I will give in.....

This car is 05110

Paul, please confirm. Denny had a note about this car from YOU. He thought you owned it, but not the case.

The CZECH mechanic may have disassembled it, but......

I think I know who you are thinking of, and am not posting until we can resolve the questions. The person who's shop you must have gone to was a VERY well known guy for FERN' cars in Houston at the time. Don't know for certain, but......If he did, expect a chime in or at least a PM to me which I will post as appropriate......

The car showed up in CA with a note about being in a bad state in the late 80's, then again in Europe in 2008 looking like a prom queen......

Houston is my back yard, there are cars here like Dino's and even more historical, but the owners have had them for "YEARS". I expect over time many of these cars will come to light, but in the mean time, TX is dead for cool cars......

 

Here: http://www.dinoregister.com/search.php

 

Hmnnn... I just assumed given the condition and the fact that the car was a thousand pieces, and the fact that the guy said that he was going to part it out...that that's what happened.. It must have gone back together...? Unbelievable.. Its hard to believe but ok... Are you sure its not another car you're thinking of? Does the car in Europe have parallel wipers?

 

I just saw the notations in the registry.. 05110 is noted as the Buckalew car..so that's it! It made it to California according to the notes.. I am just blown away... I guess I stand corrected.. I CAN NOT believe it... I remember seeing the car completely apart and it was in awful condition. According to the notes, it sat at Buckalew Chevrolet from'74 to '86..and I believe it!

Anyway, the car that is being reported as being the Buckalew car is right hand drive in the photo...??