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Ferrari Dino 246 1972

General description : 1972 Ferrari 246GT Dino
s/n 03096
Rosso Dino (Orange) with Arancia Leather Interior

The Pininfarina/Ferrari design collaboration has resulted in some of the most lasting and dynamic sports cars for over half a century and continuing to this day. The original 206 Dino GT was among one of the most innovative results of this team effort, creating a delightful shape, exhibiting lush Italian curvature and sensuality. The heart of the Dino was the compact V6 engine, developed by Dino Ferrari, son of Enzo, whose name would ultimately (and tragically due to his untimely death) spawn this new brand and establish Ferrari as a world car leader. Shortly after release, the 206 advanced to the 246 as the public demanded more power and production increased for this excellent handling mid-engine car. Stamped in steel at Pininfarina using higher volume practices, the new Dino wowed Europe and America with sleek bodywork and nimble performance, establishing Ferrari as far more than a small volume manufacturer.

The new engine, a 2418 cc 65-degree, dual-overhead-camshaft, 9.0:1 compression ratio, iron block with alloy heads, produced 195 bhp (at 7,600 rpm) in European trim. The American version used an exhaust air-pump, and modified timing to deliver 175 hp through three Weber 40 DCNF/6 or 40 DCNF/7 carburetors. The 246 had a claimed top speed of 146 mph and zero to 50 of 5.5 seconds, competing very favorably against the slower Porsche 911S, while also being competitively priced.

This Dino is one of the finest genuine, preservation grade, numbers matching examples in existence. As stamped on the Ferrari door plate, this Dino was completed in December 1971 and shipped to the US, finished in Rosso Dino with Arancia full leather interior, was and delivered to West Coast Ferrari dealer Griswold & Company. With the 1972 San Francisco Auto Show in mind, Stephen W. Griswold would further prepare the car with a pair of rare Heuer Mastertime and Monte Carlo rally watches mounted on a steel bezel, clear plastic headlight covers, and Ferrari script lettering mounted on the rear deck.

According to the original warranty card accompanying the car, following the 1972 San Francisco Auto Show, this US specification Dino was then sold by Griswold & Company on March 29, 1972 to its first owner, William McClanahan of Hillsborough, CA. A well-known and respected Bay Area car collector, early in his ownership McClanahan ordered a set of Campagnolo wheels for the car, retaining this Dino until 1996 when it was offered for sale by Fantasy Junction.

The car was sold then to the second owner, veteran Ferrari enthusiast and collector of preservation grade Ferraris, Brandon Wang. Under Wang’s ownership the Dino remained on location for approximately a year at Fantasy Junction. Seeing the car on such a regular basis, proprietor Bruce Trenery was compelled to purchase the car. Trenery would remain the owner for 23 years refraining from accumulating miles in the interest of preserving the originality of such a rare and desirable Dino. In 2020 this Dino was sold to the next custodian who continued the traditions of preservation, maintaining the car to a very high standard, always serviced by noted Ferrari experts. In 2022, the car was sold to the current consigning caretaker who has enjoyed this rare Dino in the same modest manner being careful to preserve the low miles, adding just 304 miles under his current ownership. In keeping with the ownership lineage, the current owner has maintained the car to a high level, preserving the originality of the interior, exterior paint finish, and operational features.

Delivered new from the factory in gorgeous Rosso Dino with Arancia full leather interior, this preservation grade, matching numbers Dino retains the original engine, original transmission, all the original factory body panels, original interior, and the original tools, factory books, and warranty card. Currently the odometer shows just over 29,000 miles, with the more recent owners having logged nearly 3,000 miles during their ownership. Under prior ownership, over $55,000 was spent on mechanical and cosmetic services to further preserve and protect this very original Dino, including work performed in 2020 by Ferrari specialists at Rex Nguyen Restorations. At that time, the team contracted the assembly of an authentic pair of Dino seats including new seat frames, headrest frames, seat foam, and headrest foam. Four hides of Vaumol Ochre VM leather were purchased and used to trim the seats. This set of seats were built as replacements to the original seats currently in the car and are included as spares. Engine services performed at this time included timing chain adjustment, fast idle rebuild and tune, carburetor tuning, rebuild cooling fans, and various electrical work. Additional leather preservation work was performed on the original seats and other leather areas. These combined preservation and service efforts totaled approximately $30,000.

In 2021, Forza Motors Inc., Monterey, CA serviced the car extensively including replacing all coolant hoses and transfer hoses spanning front to rear, new front suspension bushings, new rear control arm bushings, muffler repair with Jet Hot coating and a new tail pipe, new rear main oil seal, ultrasonic cleaning for carburetors, new O-rings for the intake manifold, valve adjustment, new cam cover gaskets, new points, distributor tested on machine for good operation, new spark plugs gapped and new wires installed. A new steering rack was also installed with new mounting bushings. The invoice for this service totaled approximately $25,000.00

Given the rarity of this preservation grade Ferrari and the history of dedicated care, the exterior presentation is a beautiful representation of a very original car. The paint retains excellent gloss and depth the vast majority of which is original with digital paint meter readings indicating single digits in most locations. Following the removal of the headlight covers, a few places in the front of the car were carefully touched up and blended in by Mike Regalia and the balance of the paint polished to achieve a uniform surface continuity with the majority original finish. The exterior impression is very impressive with excellent trim, emblems, and original glass, showing excellent quality especially given the age of the car. The body panels, door jambs, and inner surfaces are all in excellent condition. The minimal chrome trim is in excellent condition including the delicate door handle levers and the unique Ferrari script put in place at the rear of the car for the San Francisco Motor Show. All openings function as expected with tight closures and excellent factory panel gaps on the hood, doors, engine lid, and trunk. The doors return a crisp snap when closed, a hallmark of original construction, just as it was when new. All four factory alloy Campagnolo wheels are in excellent condition with the correct factory alloy hue and satin finish, mounted with chrome plated lug nuts, finished with Campagnolo script wheel centers, and shod with period correct Michelin XWX 205/70 VR14 tires are mounted. The car was originally outfitted with Cromodora wheels, which the first owner replaced, however retained the original wheels, which are included with the car.

The rarely seen full leather interior is simply gorgeous with excellent original leather components, handsome original trim, and satisfying continuity, which is very rewarding particularly after 50 years since the factory installation. The contoured Dino seats retain their original factory inserts and padded perimeter bolsters which retain seat foams that have naturally aged under the preserved original leather. Typical to Dino seats, the original driver’s side lower seat seams are showing subtle stitch separation which remain as part of the preserved original material. The dashboard is clean and taut, with excellent and remarkably original mousehair material fitting snugly to the contoured surfaces. The stunning original instruments, beautiful Becker-Mexico radio, and smoothly operating switches, all function as expected, many of which have been serviced during the work performed at Rex Nugyen Restorations in 2020. The carpeting is in very good condition, with the front sections ahead of the seats having been replaced under original ownership. A handsome touch added to the car for the San Francisco Motor Show is the pair of Heuer rally watches mounted to a bezel on the center console. One would be hard pressed to find a more breathtaking original Dino interior than the one exhibited in this car.

Under the hood, the engine and engine compartment are in excellent condition displaying beautiful castings and finishes in keeping with original specifications, finishes, and details. Ferrari mechanics, experts, and all previous owners have offered that both the engine and transaxle appear to have never been removed from the car. The correct black air-cleaner housing and proper red ignition wiring nicely accent the satin aluminum castings. The engine compartment is visually tidy with correct detailing and preservation of factory components. Under the front storage compartment, the condition repeats very handsomely with excellent finishes, a properly finished spare tire tub, and a factory-correct full sized spare tire with the original Cromodora wheel in excellent condition. The trunk compartment retails its original carpeting. All opening features function as expected with nice closures and good, activated by properly functioning chrome plated drivers-door lever releases. The undercarriage is in very good condition, with only minor evidence of road use accumulated over the past decades. Suspension bushings, service to the exhaust system, and other details have all been carefully performed by experts preserving the integrity of this exceptional original Dino. The undercarriage shows no evidence of damage or structural compromise, further supporting the 29,402 original miles

The car starts easily and warms to operating temperatures as the manual choke is slowly adjusted. Having benefited from recent engine and carburetor service, the distinctive Ferrari performance heritage and Dino sound are evident with each blip of the crisp and willing throttle. Engaging first gear, the car moves out smoothly. The synchros are excellent, clutch takes up nicely, and the brakes are consistent coming down smoothly from highway speeds. The dynamic mid-engine performance is well-balanced for a range of drivers delivering power and handling with ease and joy. Downshifting to pass is a breathtaking reminder of the reason why so many enthusiasts evangelize the joys of a manual gearbox, both in driving and increasing market values. Even a moderately experienced driver will delight in the performance of this car. In all, this Dino captures the essence of what mid-engine manual transmission sports car driving should be.

This Dino is accompanied by the original Cromodora wheels in original Campagnolo boxes, a complete set of books, tool roll and tools, jack and tire tools in case, and original warranty paperwork. Also included are numerous California registration cards dating back to the original purchase.

Beautifully finished with factory original Rosso Dino paint and original Arancia leather interior, this preservation grade, low-mile, numbers matching Ferrari 246 Dino has benefited from just a handful of careful preservation-minded owners who have thoughtfully preserved and maintained this exceptional example to the highest standards. Equally at home consuming miles of highway, commanding respect at top-tier concours events, or capturing preservation awards at Ferrari club gatherings, the next fortunate owner will have the pleasure of owning an unrepeatable factory original time-capsule still capable of delightful performance and distinctive design just as it demonstrated 50 years ago on the 1972 San Francisco Motor Show stand.

https://fantasyjunction.com/inventory/1972-ferrari-246-gt-dino-6/overview

1972 Ferrari Dino 246 is listed sold on ClassicDigest in Emeryville by Fantasy Junction for $639500.

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