Tag Archives: Dino

Down Payment Protection – FIAT Dino Coupé 2000

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In order to help Ferrari homologate, get competition type approval for, it’s 2 litre / 122 cui 65° V6 Enzo Ferrari concluded a deal with FIAT to manufacture the required number of units in March 1965.

FIAT Dino Coupé, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

The engines would then be fitted to the Pininfarina bodied Ferrari 206 Dino and FIAT Dino Spyder 2000 and the Bertone bodied Dino Coupé, such as the one featured in these photographs, which was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro.

FIAT Dino Coupé, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

The 2+2 Dino Coupé body, first seen in March 1967 sits on a slightly longer chassis that the 2+1 Dino Spyder first seen in October 1966, initially the Coupé also had superior internal trim which included a wood rimmed steering wheel unlike the plastic rimmed item in the Spyder.

FIAT Dino Coupé, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

This particular 1967 Coupé was purchased in 2014 by it’s present owner in Lisbon, Portugal and is believed to have previously resided in Monaco.

FIAT Dino Coupé, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

3,670 2.0-litre coupés, notably used by the Mafioso protecting a $4 million Chinese gold bullion down payment for a FIAT factory in The Italian Job staring Micheal Cane, were built up until 1969 when production of the larger 2.4 litre V6 Dino engines began for the Ferrari 246 Dino, Fiat Dino Spyder and Coupé plus the Lancia Stratos.

Thanks for joining me on this “Down Payment Protection” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I will be looking at another Healey. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Five Classic Racing Ferraris – Silverstone Classic

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The Silverstone Classic meeting usually offers the Ferrari fanatic a bonanza of Maranello’s finest road and racing cars and I am sure this year’s Silver Jubilee edition of the event will be no different.

Ferrari 500 TRC, David and James Cottingham, Silverstone Classic

Among the myriad of Ferrari racers seen in recent years have been the Cottinghams Ferrari 500 TRC which finished 7th both at the 1957 Le Mans 24 hours and on the 1958 Targa Florio.

Ferrari 246 Dino, Tony Smith, Silverstone Classic,

Another regular competitor is Tony Smith’s 1958 Ferrari 246 Dino which counts among it’s former occupants Wolfgang von Trips, Oliver Gendebien, Dan Gurney and Phil Hill the latter drove the car to the last win for a front engined Grand Prix at Monza in 1960.

Ferrari 166/206, Harry Leventis, Gregor Fisken, Silverstone Classic,

Ing. Forghieri, responsible for the design of Harry Leventis’s Ferrari 166/206, above, was never the cars biggest fan, once likening the design, in conversation with desginer Gordon Murray, as to sticky brown smelly stuff, however that did not prevent Ludovico Scarfiotti driving the car in an earlier form to claim the 1965 European Hillclimb Championship.

Ferrari 512M, Nathan Kinch, Silverstone Classic

Ferrari 512’s are not an uncommon sight at Silverstone Classic weekends, #1030 seen above with Scotsman Nathan Kinch at the wheel, was raced in S form in 1970 and M form in 1971 under the Ecurie Francorchamps banner but found it’s greatest success under JC Bamford’s ownership for whom Peter Brown, Willie Green and Neil Corner all drove it on various occasions to seven straight wins in it’s last seven races during 1972 six victories were claimed in the Motoring News GT Championship and the other in the Interserie race held at Silverstone.

Ferrari F40 LM, Stefano Sebastiani, Silverstone Classic,

Finally the Silver Jubilee edition of the Silverstone Classic will see the first race for GT cars from the 1990’s, above Stefano Sebastiani is seen about to put his 1989 F40 LM, a converted road car, through it’s paces during last years popular GT demonstration run.

Tickets for this years advance ticket only Silver Jubilee Silverstone Classic are available from this linked website.

Thanks for joining me on this “Five Classic Racing Ferraris” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at the first of a series of Formula Junior open wheelers. Don’t for get to come back now !

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Here Comes The Sun – Ferrari Dino 246 GTS

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Data from the Greenwich weather station in London showed that February and March 1969 were much colder months than the norm for the 1960’s and that with 189 hours of sunshine April 1969 set a record that was not beaten until the 1980’s.

These meteorological events may or may not have played apart in George Harrison taking some time off from pressing commitments with the accountants at Apple Corp in London and visiting Hurtwood the house where his friend Eric Clapton lived and writing the song “Here comes the sun” in April 1969.

Ferrari Dino 246 GTS, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingam

The song contains the lyric “it’s been a long cold lonely winter” which suggests the contemporary weather played a part in the songs creation.

Even more pertinent speculation to today’s blog is whether four years later the song had any influence on George choosing to purchase today’s 1973 Maranello Yellow Ferrari Dino 246 GTS, after all what more could a man driving a sports car under the sun want than a detachable roof ?

George, the petrol head of the Beatles quartet combo, is believed to have kept the car for four years, several life times in rock star terms, before having a garage clear out.

Thanks for joining me on this “Here Comes The Sun” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Fantastic Futurist – Lancia Stratos Stradale

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In 1970 Bertone built a futuristic concept car called the Lancia Stratos Zero, the car was so low the windscreen also acted as ‘the’ door !

The following year Bertone showed the Lancia Stratos Prototype at the 1971 Turin Show, this car was a little more practical with two side doors and a mid mounted tranverse mounted V6 as per the Ferrari Dino from which it was sourced.

Lancia Stratos Stradale, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

In all 492 of the road going Lancia Stratos Stradales like the 1974 example seen here at last years Classic Motor Show at the NEC in Birmingham were built between 1972 and 1974 when production of the V6 Dino GT also ceased.

HF competition versions of the Stradale proved particularly versatile in 1974 Gérard Larrousse and Amilcare Ballestrieri drove a Stratos to victory on the Targa Florio.

The Stratos is probably best remembered as a superb rally car, Sandro Munari and Mario Mannucci won the 1974 San Remo Rally on the Sratos World Rally Championship debut. By 1981, 4 years after the Stratos programe had been closed down by FIAT; Jean-Claude Andruet, Björn Waldegård, Bernard Darniche, Markku Alén, Tony Carello and Antonio “Tony” Fassina had all also helped contribute to a total of 18 World Rally Championship wins credited to the Stratos which included 3 consecutive wins for Munari on the Monte Carlo Rally, ’75 – ’77, and five victories each on the San Marino and Tour de Course Rallies.

Franz Wurz became 1976 European Rally Cross champion in a Stratos and sold his car, later fitted with a 3 liter / 183 cui motor V6 to Andy Bentza who won GT Rally Cross Championship in 1978.

In 1973 Sandro Munari and Mario Manucci won the mixed discipline Tour D’France, the following year Jean-Claude Andruet and “Biche” won the similar Giro di Italia with a similar bodied turbocharged example.

The final competition evolution of the Stratos was a turbocharged Group 5 long tail silhouette racer of the type that Carlo Facetti and P. Sodano drove to victory on the 1976 Giro di Italia.

Thanks for joining me on this “Fantastic Futurist” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow for a look at a couple of Lotus Indy Cars. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Ferrari Covers & Ad – GALPOT Automobilia

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This weeks Ferrari Friday features a couple more Ferrari related items from the 1970’s currently on offer from my lightpress e-bay listings.

MotorSport Cover 05/70, Andretti, Ferrari 512S, Sebring

First up a MotorSport cover from May 1970 featuring an image depicting Mario Andretti on his way to winning the Sebring 12 Hours driving a Ferrari 512S which he shared with Ignazio Guinti and Nino Vaccarella.

Mario Andretti cited this drive as the drive of his life in the British magazine Autosport many years ago because he was co opted into the #21 Ferrari after the #19 he had qualified on pole with Art Mezario had retired with gearbox trouble while 11 laps to the good over the rest of the field.

To win the 12 Hours Andretti had to catch and pass the Solar Productions Porsche 908, shared by actor Steve McQueen and pro driver Peter Revson, when he stepped into the #21 with just an hour of the once round the clock race to go. Having passed McQueen for the lead Andretti had to come in for fuel and as he left the pit lane he was but a few seconds ahead of the famous actor and remained there just 22 seconds ahead at the flag.

Michelin Ad, 12/73, Ferrari Dino

The Michelin advertisement above depicting a Ferrari Dino comes from the back cover of MotorSport in December 1973.

MotorSport Cover, 06/74, Niki Lauda, Ferrari 312 B3, Jarama

Finally the another MotorSport front cover from June 1974 depicting Niki Lauda at the wheel of a Ferrari 312 B3 on his way to winning the 1974 Spanish Grand Prix, this was Niki’s first Grand Prix win.

Thanks for joining me on this “Ferrari Covers & Ad” edition of Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for a look at a Ford Thunderbird with an unusual paint job. Don’t forget to come back now !

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High Fidelity Tribute – Hawk Stratos

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The Lancia Stratos HF (High Fidelity) was a mid engined 2 seat sports car powered by the same V6 motor as the Ferrari and Fiat Dino models. Form 1974 to 1976 competition variants of the Stratos dominated the World Rally scene and the model won the World Championship for three successive years.

Hawk Stratos, Bristol Italian Auto Moto Festival

Sandro Munari with co-drivers Mario Mannucci (’74/’75) and Italy Silvio Maiga (’76/’77) was the most successful driver of the Stratos competition models winning 7 WRC events of the 18 credited to the model. In 1975 the works Lancia team was sponsored by the Italian national airline Alitalia in the white, green and red colours of today’s featured car which was built from a Hawk Stratos kit in 1981.

Hawk Stratos, Bristol Italian Auto Moto Festival

Hawk Stratos fiber glass panels are so faithfully reproduced, the manufacturer claims that they can and are used as replacements on genuine Bertone designed Lancia Stratos HF models.

Hawk Stratos, Bristol Italian Auto Moto Festival

Motors for the Hawk Versions of the Stratos can vary from transversely mounted in line 4 cylinders such as powers today’s featured car to similarly mounted V6’s from Ferrari or ALFA Romeo.

Hawk Stratos, Bristol Italian Auto Moto Festival

The Lancia Stratos HF continued to be successful in the World Rally Championship up until 1981 when privateer Bernard Darniche with co driver Alain Mahé won the Tour de Corse in Corsica.

Thanks for joining me on this “High Fidelity Tribute” edtion of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Rare Spyder – Ferrari 365 California Spyder #9985

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At the 1966 Geneva Motor Show Ferrari revealed two new models the Ferrari 330 GTC and today’s featured car, thanks to Geoffrey Horton’s photographs, the Ferrari 365 California Spyder of which just 14 would be built.

Ferrari 365 California, Danville Concours d'Elegance

The 365 California Spyder is fitted with a 320 hp 4.4 litre / 268 cui V12 which is fitted to a 5 speed synchromesh gearbox and is covered by Pininfarina coachwork which features a split front bumper as first seen on the 500 Superfast Coupé and rear vents behind the front doors which would become a feature of the mid-engined Dino 246.

Ferrari 365 California, Danville Concours d'Elegance

Being equipped with Right Hand Drive this car is easy to identify as chassis #9985, the 10 th of the 14 built and the only one to be so equipped. The expired rear UK plate RPE 909 E which was registered to Mark Tippets when he owned the car in 1986 is also a bit of a give away.

#9985 was sold to Paul Kay in June 1967 painted Blue Sera with a biege interior over the next two years the car had 3 further owners with the registration changing from “NJD 8E”, “L11” to “MNV258E” before Mark Tippets ownership. Since then the car was seen with the number “2UAE” from July 1986 to July 1990, a number still available to the owner if the car ever returns to the UK.

The car was first painted red during a restoration carried out in Florida between 1983 and 1985.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for his photographs of this rare and magnificent vehicle.

Thanks for joining me on this “Rare Spyder” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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