Dino 246 GTS (Testdrive in snow - denmark)

I didn`t understand a word, but very cool
;-)

 

Hi, Matthias! You are not missing much by not understanding what is being said. Like most Swedes, I have a hard time understanding Danish, even though our languages are closely related, but here is what little I can make out:

The owner bought the car from somebody who had imported it from the US about four years ago. He has equipped the car with a modern electronic ignition, for reasons of reliability, but also to make the engine run more efficiently. Obviously, the hoses in the engine compartment have been replaced by the competition style metal braided variety with threaded fittings (unclear if by him or PO). He believes in upgrading some aspects the car to modern standards instead of religiously adhering to originality. (A perfectly valid opinion, even though I do not agree!)
They also mention that a Dino can not be had for less than a million Danish Kroner nowadays (approx. $185,000), and that they are steadily appreciating in value.

At least, that is how I understood it. It has been said that Danish sounds a bit like Swedish, spoken by somebody who has a hot potato in his mouth. A little unkind, perhaps, but you get the idea. It can be a bit hard to interpret.
Cunojensen, please correct me if I am too far off. With a name like Jensen, I imagine you are Danish. /Lars

 

I sometimes am accused of being Norwegian myself, and we sometimes say that Danish sounds a little bit like someone speaking Norwegian with rocks AND lutefisk in his mouth. . .

Fun video, no matter what is being said.

 

Interesting that it's a US spec car, especially since that would be a negaitive in Europe

 

Another rusted out Dino in the works. Do you think they washed that car off when they got back to the dealer?

 

Rocks AND lutefisk?? Ahh, you Norwegians always have to have one up on us!
(Just wait until the Danes wake up tomorrow and read all this...)

 

Yes, I found that interesting, too. In the past, the US version was considered less desirable in Europe, but it seems to be slowly changing (IMO). I am now starting to see an occasional US spec Dino being advertised over there. Not many, mind you, but they are starting to show up. One reason is a simple matter of economics. With the strong Euro and the comparatively weak dollar, a Dino in the US sells for $20-30K less than similar car in Europe (all according to my own totally unscientific observations, of course). Buyers in Europe are probably starting to realize that for that kind of price difference, they would be willing to put up with rectangular side marker lights and US turn signal lenses! It is not such a major issue, and the other US spec items such as the air pump and air injectors are all bolted on items which are fairly easy to remove (if they have not already been removed). Add to that the fact that the supply of well preserved Dinos has pretty much dried up in Europe. I am guessing that those factors are starting to make the US Dinos look better and better for every day.

 

Great video... but I'm confused... at the 00:51 mark they pan to show a Ferrari
logo badge in the center above the number plate and a horsey

I was under the impression that Dino's didn't have that.... was this something
unique to 1973 246 GTS Dinos? Or did someone add those Ferrari badges...

Jedi
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All added, and all wrong. Not only those two items. There is a another prancing horse on the front grille. It is not supposed to be there either. The horn button on the steering wheel also has a prancing horse on it. Not correct. People do this all the time. Purists (like myself) cringe, concours judges punish, but these practices still persist. The Ferrari emblem on the rear panel is particularly disturbing, I think.

 

According to some, due to slow sales some English dealers did put the script on Dino’s to help boost sales

 

Hello Lars,
that`s correct, but most cars which were reimported from the US to Europe last year (quite a few) have been European models / L-serie Dinos. They are the real bargin. A US-model still has a 10 to 20% discounted value in Europe. But reimported European models not. But the days of a strong Euro are counted and the wave of reimported Dinos comes to an end. Last year was the window of opportunity.....
;-)
Regards Matthias

 

John Corbani's Dino was sold to Germany at the end of December 2009 and was shipped out in January 2010, at a premium compared to US prices. Now, given the apparent instability of the Euro versus the U$D (but who knows - things can change pretty quickly) John's Dino may be the last to go to Europe for a while.

Shawn's comments (and those of Lars and Matthias) raise an interesting question - why should the US Dinos be so unnapreciated in Europe? As pointed out, many, if not most, of the US Dinos no longer have the pollution control equipment attached, so the effect upon performance is much smaller than before (and without the equipment the US Dinos weigh less than they did when new), the US cars supposedly have better side impact protection in the doors (but I haven't seen a direct comparison on this matter between US and Euro cars of similar serial numbers - perhaps others can provide insight), and many (but not all) US cars have not been exposed to as severe rust inducing environments. And, as many Dino owners in the US have shown, the marker lights can be replaced with Euro spec ones, so what is the big deal? Two YELLOW vs. two RED tailights? Or, is there something else?

Mark