Image Unavailable, Please Login Everything about the 911 makes you appreciate the Dino and everything about the Dino makes you appreciate the 911! I took both cars out this afternoon and got two completely different experiences! Both positive!
Thanks for reviving this thread, Freeman - it was interesting to re-read it. You may already have seen this article (from 1990); if not you may find it interesting. The colours of the cars are not quite right for you, I am afraid, but close! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login John, the article is a great read! Hard to believe it was written 29 years ago when the Dino was already over 20 years old! The experiences written are similar to my own! The Dino and 911 are a perfect compliment to each other! Both my cars are ‘72 models and built within 2 months of each other! My 911 was picked up at the Porsche factory by its original American owner, a high school principal on “Tourist Delivery” in July of ‘72. My Dino was first registered in Parma, Italy by its original Italian owner in June of ‘72. It had its first 1500km service at the factory. The original owner of my 911 spent 3 months driving his new car all around Europe including Italy before shipping it to the U.S. where he used it for his summer trips. The first owner of my Dino, a young man then, drove it as his everyday car including fun jaunts with his friend to the all night discotheques in Monaco and the South of France. Somehow, whenever I drive these cars, those stories are part of their character!
Certainly can relate as I owned a 72 Dino & a 73 911 T with the Mech. injection system. Both were memorable examples of fun filled drives & lasting automotive experiences. I will say I hated my Kelly Green 911T until I met Peter Greg of Brumo's Porsche (#59) late summer of 73. I thought it was the worst handling car of any car I'd ever driven. Wanting to get rid of it , Peter went through the car, set it up to handle, & put on the memorial sound machine called Bursch. It with my Dino became 2 of my favorite never should I sold them pieces of automotive history that I have ever owned.
Aerodynamically and handling, the Dino is superior. The shape of the Dino is textbook for great aero stability. You can let your hand off the steering wheel at over 100 MPH and it’s dead stable! The 50/50 weight balance and suspension inspires confidence on the twisty canyon roads. The 911 shape w/o a rear spoiler creates lift at the rear. The front spoiler helps a lot. The 60/50 weight balance creates oversteer. It’s really important to have your suspension and air pressures set correctly. A 911 with a good driver is a winning combo! My 911 handles really well and feels confident. Both cars are on XWX’s.
Glad you enjoyed it, Freeman. I am afraid I know nothing about the first owner of my 911, and very little about the original owner of my Dino. He was a Scottish Baronet, who put 15,500 miles on it in three years before he sold it, and then topped himself less that a year later. I like to think it was because he couldn't bear life without his Dino, but I suspect there may have been another reason! Looking back on this thread, it appears that I am unusually fortunate in having a local (2 miles from me) Ferrari agent who is fully supportive of owners of older cars - they look after both my Dino and 550 and could not be more helpful / knowledgeable.
John, you’re very lucky to have a local Ferrari agent that you trust your Dino with! I don’t think my local Ferrari dealer would even know what a Dino is! On the other hand, our local Porsche dealer, Rusnak-Westlake Village has a technician, Mark Leach that specializes in the air-cooled cars from 356 to 993. His bay is usually occupied with a few. He takes care of my 911. Also very good with tuning MFI. Porsche is passionate with supporting their early cars with correct parts, service, manuals etc.
Jacky Ickx at Nivelles in 1972 with his MV Agusta and Rainer Schlegelmich's Porsche - © Rainer W. Schlegelmilch/Getty Images. Image Unavailable, Please Login