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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Fred,

Looks stunning!!!! I like the look of the 308 wheels on a Dino. I have a set that I'm considering putting on. What color blue is that? More shots?

Freeman

 

Well done, Fred! I love long-term ownership stories. She is just as breathtaking today as the day she rolled out.

 

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

 

Fred - congratulations!!! Getting ready to celebrate 40 years with 01296 on June 10th.... I was 12 years old in '76... Will never forget the day my Father brought her home.

Cheers

Pietro

 

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

 

Fred,

Your Dino and colors are gorgeous!!!

Freeman

 

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

 

Ummm....that appears to be a little more than a "friendship"!
Congratulations, you have a wonderful car.

 

Thank you! Fred

 

40 years... lovely.....

 

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

 

A beautiful car and a terrific story!

 

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

 

Fred and Friend,
Dopo quaranta anni, siete ancora inseparabili!
Coop

 

Senza dubbio! Grazie mille, Coop! Fredo

 

+40...

I wish you many, many more years of enjoyment.

 

Great story. Pretty car. Congrats to you and here's hoping for lots more good memories to come.

 

Your Dino looks as good as ever, Fred!
The color is terrific and those wheels really add something refreshing to the overall impression of the car.

Your long-term ownership also means that you have something very rare in the world of Dinos: An original and unrestored car in excellent condition. I think it was wise to just re-dye the steering wheel and the mousehair dashboard. That probably helped to maintain the original look of the interior. Very nice.

Happy 40th anniversary! Wish you many more years to come!

Lars

 

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

 

Thanks for sharing the story and pictures of the car. It looks spectacular in blue. I think blue is becoming the new "red". I was fortunate to acquire a Dino a few years ago also and it is a car that is hard to part with once you have one.

Auguri e un altro cento anni.

 

Congrats!!!, GORGEOUS car...always wanted one...that ship has sailed