Doesn't look bad. Some details to work on. Running condition is unknown and it doesn't look like 4k miles to me. I guess we'll have a clearer picture of the market after this. edit: reading through the comments makes me wonder...
E-series front end, E-series engine, E-series license plate light, E-series style steering column switch and cover. As they say, if it looks like a duck and it quacks like a duck, then it's probably a duck. This ain't no M-series Dino, especially an early one. Some of those incorrect items are `possible' in a very, very late M-series, but certainly not in an early one.
Very close to my old car #00908. I had spinner knock offs. Mine had the clear flush blinkers and yellow rear blinkers. But where the plate light is on this I had a trunk button. The plate light was by the rear plate. Mine had electric windows and no cranks.
01208: The welding of the metal plate with the chassis number stamping looks very very strange to me. Marcel Massini
Nothing about that car is consistent with a 01200 range of serial number Dino. It totally looks like a later E series that has had its serial number changed. BaT should pull this auction
Marcel, what do you think of the sellers comments in trying to back up the "6 or so" different chassis plate configurations on these ? (paraphrasing, as I am by no means any type of expert on 246's, yet his defense of it's strangeness made me ponder...)
I suspect the seller was unaware that the ID plate of their car had been tampered with and now is left with an expensive problem on their hands. If they did know then trying to sell the car on BAT is about as dumb a move as possible. Too many eyeballs with the ability to comment.
The data plate and the VIN plate with stamping look original from an M-Series. The VIN plate looks like it was forcibly welded on top of the original VIN plate. I would be curious to see what’s under that plate! X-Ray? With all the production numbers, engine/gearbox numbers, wheel date codes it would be possible to really narrow down a VIN range. It would also be interesting to contact DOT with the M number to see if it was imported through DOT. It would give the importers name, where imported and date when arrived in the U.S.. If it was, they’ll share the info. Dick Merritt, if he’s still there, is who to contact. He’s one of the founders of FCA. Note: Not all Euro spec Dinos were imported to the U.S. via DOT. https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/contact-for-dick-merritt.229550/
At this point, with so much of this car clearly an E-series, it may be worth removing the VIN plate to identify the real VIN and market it as what it really is. Also, as I've stated on BaT, showing the engine # and body # would further determine its real identity.
Therein lies the problem. Let's assume the chassis number is another, then the current docs. will not support this car one iota, and could lead to a fraudulent and uncomfortable situation. The plot thickens... Regards, Alberto
I would wager BaT is acutely aware of the comments thus far and are examining themselves and weighing options.
Is this a Euro car, originally?? It's pretty well known that an owner could buy a "new" Ferrari and have them carry the OLD VIN plate for avoiding taxation??? The later series (per the book) do not have the "stacked " appearance of the VIN plate welds, but this one does. The best explanation, to me, would be an owner trading in an early car, welding the VIN onto a later series, and driving it back home. Customs would say: "yep, red Ferrari....what's for dinner?" and waved them on through!! You guys certainly are schooling them over there!
As you point out, give you the engine and transmission ID numbers and you can sort it, in 15 minutes. But the physical features of the car "don't lie" either unless the "mystery resto" was a huge undertaking!!
I have a grinder and a Sawzall..... But, looking at the VIN itself, the numbers and "stars" look fairly legit. The mounting raises eyebrows, until I see the pictures from the Dino book on the early cars.
As I understand it, trunk hinges only have the chassis # starting with E-series...not so for earlier cars.
I believe Marcel was referring to the body number which is indeed stamped on the hinges as well as assorted other places around the car.
#499, L series, written in chalk behind all sorts of nooks and crannies, under the seats, and behind the gauge cluster Regards, Alberto
Mine also did not have Daytona seats and had no headrest per say. The headrest was not on the seat but attached to the upholstered area behind the seat. They were not attached to the seats. I also had a strange chrome footrest in the passenger seat which I assume was for really small people to put their feet.
That's because your Dino is an L-series and you're pointing out some of the differences between L's and M's.
Yah I'm not sure where that point was. But its somewhere between these two numbers which aren't that far apart. If I remember, the steal in my doors was not stamped 908 (the serial number) but instead I believe 406. So I always wondered if that as 406 after the end of the 206 Dino Gt.
How long does it take to post the requested numbers? One line about this issue, and the rest is of no interest, as we all know the funky details. It appears that mystery, is the word here. If I were the seller, before the issue escalates, I would disappear with car, quietly, return it to the owner, and let said owner sort it out until the numbers issue is no longer a topic. But then, damned if you do, damned if you don't. If BaT takes the auction off, this car is burned. Poor #01208 needed to be vetted properly before offering it for sale. Specially in such a 'public' venue. Would 'anyone' here, have looked over the number plate issue, and just nitpick on the rest? We always nitpick on every car and see how many mistakes we can spot, a detective game..., but on a chassis plate? No, I did not think so. This car, no matter what, has a scarlet letter. I would not take it as a gift. Well... for parts, maybe Regards, Alberto