What is the real history of this dino?

03128

http://www.motorantiques.com/web/index.php?option=com_hotproperty&task=view&id=25&Itemid=32

 

http://www.dinoregister.com/search.php?detailsearch=03128-1

Thats if i read the chassis number correctly!! where are those ruddy glasses?

 

it's a gt coupe that was converted to a gts, why would someone do that? did they buy a rear clip to do it?

 

There were a number of stories back in the '80s about 246 GTs allegedly being converted to GTSs (due to the disparity in value, as with other Ferrari coupe-to-spyder conversions), but I never heard any details nor, to my knowledge, have I actually seen one, at least so far as I know.

 

We have a chatter from Vegas that has one ...GT to GTS conversion.....

 

The rear clip is the same for the gt and gts, just the roll bar cone (as Ferrari calls it, both inner and exterior panels required), and top sheet metal are different. Obviously the windshield frame would also be altered, but it would be a relatively easy conversion (if any conversion can be considered easy)with the original parts available.
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Is the chassis different?

 

To my knowedge the chassis was bolstered from the factory to offset the loss of stiffness by the roof openings, claims are that this fix did not stiffen to the values of a pure GT.

 

but his a more of a targa conversion, that looks like a coupe with the roof in place

 

I've seen this car, it's nice. I think they fabricated the GTS parts. The interior is not as nice as the outside.

 

To get max strength you must strike a diagonal line across the top from left to right and right to left to connect the suspention pick-up points at either side. The unbroken roof structure connecting front to back is what gives coupes the stiffness advantage, the "targa" back is in a place where there is little advantage. There are other ways to accomplish this with an open car, but this was not engineered into the GTS's. Its probably a moot point for a street car and it does look very cool.