206/246 owners, I have a few questions

some yes, many no. Lots of sources for new and used parts, but it can take some searching to find what you need, and some parts are unobtanium and have to be fabricated. Most wear parts are readily available.

meant to be driven. I put about 2500 miles a year on my car, spring and fall driving mostly.

Too many to mention, do a search on "Dino" and you'll find lots of threads. But, the best characteristic is the way it handles, and the looks you get while driving arguably one of the top five most beautiful road cars ever built.

There are some 246 GT's out there. Many are a little rough. Again, there are several threads on this subject already, a search will turn them up. THere are some nice cars out there, too.

Prices on GT's range from about $50K for a fairly rough car to $100K and up for a 95 point or better car.

SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND..... Use the search.....it can be your friend.

DM.

 

I can pretty much agree with whats been said before.

Although I think mine is used a bit more frequently than most and I feel performs better for it.

The car is there to be driven and enjoyed - although I suspect a fair few dino's are kept as investments.

 

These are very well balanced cars and when sorted out can be pure heaven to drive. I remember driving with the FCA Club last year in the wine country and backroads (Hwy 128 from Cloverdale in particular) where the twist and turns were wonderful.
My cockpit does tend to get a bit warm, and I've heard the same from other owners.


Sort yours out by upgrading the ignition system, making sure all electrical grounding points are clean, and that the rubber items/fuel lines/carbs are not aged to the point of deterioration.

Replacing and rebuilding items is possible for all parts that I've come across. Parts are generally easy to find and these cars have fairly simple components as they are pre-computerized series.

 

For me, Dino ownership is about:

1) The way it looks. After almost 20 years it still takes my breath away when I walk into the garage (stopped covering it for that reason) and I have photos of it where it seems to be too beautiful to be a device that can actually get you somewhere. The curves of the GT are as close to perfection as you're going to get this side of a long-nose 275 GTB.

2) The way it sounds. It may be partly because my car has the Stratos induction system, but to me the sound of the engine is more unique and beautiful than the 8 cylinder cars.

3) The fact that it and it's contemporaries were the last street cars designed before Fiat took over the street car side of the business. When you work on it you can see imperfections that remind you the car was made by real people, not robots. I like that.

4) The way it handles. Most cars stop responding to the steering when cornering hard. Not the Dino.

 

Over 20 years ago, when I got my Dino, a senior member of the club leaned over to me and said, in a whisper: "Do you want to know the secret of driving a Dino?"

I did. What is the heel and toe under braking technique? Special fuel? Tires?

He said, "You have to drive the f****** s*** out of it."

I stopped babying the car and started driving it like it was designed. It's run better and better. I've been on tracks all over the Northeast and done 1000 mile rallies. It's got over 90,000 miles now and still wants to go to redline in every gear.

That's the true beauty of the Dino.

 

Except for the 2 years spent doing our engine/transaxle rebuild (time spent due to factors outside of our mechanic's or our control) we drove JUST under 5,000 miles the first year of ownership, and between 3,500 to 4,000 miles each succeeding year. Other than replacing ignition components ASAP (assuming that it hasn't already been done -- preferably by doing so inside the original MM box), the key factor is to perform regular maintenance - ESPECIALLY liquids and filters).

In my opinion, one of the hardest parts to locate that is fundamental to the use and enjoyment of these cars is WINDOW glass. It appears that I just may have bought the last piece of NOS 246GTS passenger side window glass (right side for the Fchatters in England/Australia/Japan et alii) in the world. I hope and pray that I am mistaken about this....

See my posting elsewhere in the vintage section about exploding Dino 246GTS passenger window glass for more information.

Mark

 

Saint Gobain had production year and month markings on all pieces of glass in the digit and letter to the left and right of their diamond insignia. I learned this from an Italian owner in 1986 when I visited the factory in Modena.
What are the markings on your glass?

PS - this is one way that you can tell if the glass is original on a prospective car purchase

 

Interesting. I will check the bugs, and post later.

Mark

 

Franco,

My 246GT has 185,000 miles and I drive it every day. The perfect GT for the young at heart. It is the minimum car that can carry a man, his lady lover, a weekends luggage, in style, at speed and still get a thumbs-up from grade school kids. It is noisy, it is low. It handles like a dream (modern tires much better, but original tires still remarkable.) More than enough power for the road. Not enough torque for dragging. Parts are relatively easy to find. Steel body is repairable. Mileage stinks. 12 in town, 22 on highway. Weber accelerator pumps! Oh well!

Read my "Dino Saga" series for some of the things I have learned over the last 19 years. I have posted them every Sunday for a while and I will continue as long as it is fun.

One last thought, there is no center console. You can reach over and pat your ladys leg any time.

John