Inspired by the posting by Patrick (rip) searching for the history of his Dino, i had to post the tracking of one of my Dino's. I posted this thread in the Texas section some time ago: http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=127048 Basically, I bought the Dino form the owner who had owned the car since 1983. Actually, as part of the sale, I agreed to pop the car from it's current location. JRV was in the process of rebuilding the engine and gearbox when he fell ill. I had been in the process of negotiating to buy it when it had a valve drop. I decided on another car, but stayed in touch with the owner. When the time came to finally throw the towel in, he called me. Regardless, The history suddenly became more important to me. I new the owners name prior, but phone calls didn't seem to work so it was mail time. It took a mailed letter with "RE: 1972 FERRARI DINO" scrawled in black magic marker across the outside. Within two days, the phone rang. I now had more info. I realised a connection to a loacl, but deceased socialite. When he bought the car, he was told of the prior ownership. A couple of fun searches on Google lead me to confirm the first part of the story. But then again, it sent me down the path of a new search, for a "doctor". At the keels and wheels auction, i happened to encounter a mechanic who longed for when he worked on Ferrari's in the mid 70's. He mentioned a story of a doctor he had as a client that had received the Dino as a gift. HOLY SH*T!!!!!!!, finally, a new lead. His info matched the info i had little info about. The time lines were exact and the doctor was quickly located. I have now verified the time sequence. All i am looking for is 100% confirmation from the doctor. Fortunately, he is still here in Houston and practising. Whether this story is worth much or not, isn't really the point. Rather, it is an inspiration for older car owners, Dino or not, that have the patience to track and trace history. 1 1/2 years later, all the questions have paid off. Lead soften run dry, but sometimes, with persistence, they pay off. Afterall, how often can you trace one of your cars to a famous socialite that was charged with murder for killing her first husband, and then when her second husband is in a precarious position makes an agreement with the doctor overseeing his recovery? It always amazes me when such stories surface.
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an update on the story of my dino: i was finally able to track down the doctor that owned the dino when new. it turns out the story is pretty much accurate, except for a few small details. candice mosler did buy the car new. she bought it from orange motors in miami (her other home base) and brought the dino here to houston. the blue spyder was also bought with a sister car, a green coupe. at her annual christmas party in 1972, she bestowed gifts upon the people she appreciated the most for the year. the blue spyder went to the doctor i was looking for in the start of this thread, the green coupe went to dr. debakey, of heart medicine fame. now that i have found the first owner, i have a new twist. Dr. Reul owned the car for around two years when he traded it to a local "car pool", basically a dealer that flipped through the same cars since there was such a small group of buyers here in houston, run by a guy named kurt mocher (sp?) who ran at the time a shop called italian motors on shepard. the shop later became known as monza motors. at this point the car "dissapears" for a couple of years. if anyone happens to know any of the following from houston's past, please let me know: kurt mocher, italian motors or monza motors other than that, i'll keep searching. i know patrick has found a lot more info on his car since this was first posted, and that is part of the fun. i have finally found "the famous fashion designer" of the 08468 dino thread - it only took two years (almost to the date) of looking.
Ruel's Dino was blue, not red. But Dr. Cooley had a red one from Mosler. They were given as gifts for saving husband two.
W.S. - I use to hang out at Orange Motors in the early 60s, and then again in the early 70s. Candice Mosler is a familiar name - perhaps I went to high school with her. Where was she from? Miami or Houston? What is the serial number of your car? This must be an early spider, as it has clapper windshield wipers. Haven't seen many GTSs with clapper wipers. I likely drooled over this car at Orange Motors - I use to spend my few hours off from Medical School (early 70s) planting palm and nose prints on the glass window of Orange Motors. Jim S.
ruel's dino was blue. this dino (04274) was delivered in blue. it was bought from orange motor cars by mosler along with a green dino coupe. the blue gts was given to ruel and the green gt was given to dr. debakey on 12/20/1973 at her cristmas party at her home. dr. ruel has confirmed that this is the case and this is his car the dino was repainted around 1980 by steve foristall when he was trying to sell it, seems red was a more desireable color at that time too. after steve repainted it red, it was promptly bought by david rowan, and the history goes on from there....... what do you know about the car during it's early years?
jim, it is 04274. it was purchased with a green coupe (03968) by candy mosler. both cars were delivered to houston by orange. both cars show the owner as the person that received the gift, not mosler. mosler name rings a bell because of the publicity she received from being acquitted for the murder of her husband jacques mosler. she and her nephew were supposedly having an affair and offed the hubby to share the fortune. it was all over the news in 1964. she became a well known socialite in both houston and miami shortly there after. i do have a question for you, my dino coupe (03930) was also delievered through orange. it was a maroon coupe with tan interior and a late 72 model. the original owner was "liebelman", who i can't track down. does the car or owner name ring a bell?
At my age, all names sound familiar...even ones that I met yesterday. Car 04274 must be one of the last with clapper wipers. All of the clappers I have seen are earlier than the mid-03500s. "Liebelman" does not ring a bell. Miami Beach was a small town in those days. Everyone new each other...both a good thing and a bad thing...if you know what I mean. I remember watching them build the Eden Rock and Fountainbleu from across Indian Creek, where I grew up. For those that know Miami Beach, I went to North Beach Elementary School, which is on 41st street (Now Arthur Godfrey Road). In my day, that was "North Beach." Jim S.
