Car Spot: 1974 Dino

Si mucho bueno

Though it measures just 44.7 inches from the ground to the top of the roof, few sports cars in history have ever stood as tall as the Dino! This Fly Yellow 1974 Dino is believed to be 1 of just 91 “Flares and Chairs” Dinos ever built, with the “Flares and Chairs” package consisting of Campagnolo wheels, flared fender arches, and “Daytona” seats. Those special touches are complemented by rare factory options like Bortletti air-conditioning, power windows, Becker Europa stereo AM/FM radio, and a power antenna. This special car was on display a couple of weeks ago at Festa Italiana, put on by The Automobile Gallery of Green Bay.

A sports car this loaded was only missing one thing…the Ferrari name! The Dino was the first factory model without the Ferrari name attached, which didn’t stop it from making quite a name for itself all on its own. Designated the “Dino” in honor of Enzo Ferrari’s son, Alfredino “Dino” Ferrari, who passed away in 1956, the revolutionary V6-powered Dino is revered as one of the best-driving, most beautiful, balanced, and nimble sports cars ever produced! Of the 1,274 Dino Spyders produced between 1972 and ‘74.

This Dino 246 GTS may be the most decorated in the world. You’d be hard-pressed to find this much hardware at an ACE!

• Honored by Ferrari to represent “1974” and the Dino model at Ferrari’s 75th Anniversary Concours at Pebble Beach
• Selected by Ferrari to display at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Tribute to Ferrari Spiders • Prestigious Cavallino “Finest Six Cylinder Ferrari” (twice) & The Cavallino Classic
• Multiple “Platino” awards from the Ferrari Club of America
• Certified as “Classiche” by Ferrari and at the 75th Anniversary of Ferrari Concours at Cavallino Classic

As the years pass, this legend’s provenance proliferates. Sports Car International selected the Dino number 6 on its list of Top Sports Cars of the 1970s, and Motor Trend Classic ranks the Dino number 7 on its list of the 10 “Greatest Ferraris of all time”.

I know what you’re thinking. The last two Ferrari spots were super big-ticket rides, so how about this one? Roughly $550,000 to $600,000, depending on condition, while highly original or pristine “Chairs & Flares” models have commanded well over $1,000,000 at auction. I have two more examples from the event, not as famous as my previous ones, but something just about anyone could afford. Thanks for stopping by and checking out this week’s spot. Have a great week. Ciao!