1974 Dino GTS: Automotive Perfection Restored

A few years ago, a good friend of mine and his dad decided they wanted to fulfill a dream of theirs and restore a 1974 Dino GTS.  They found a proper chassis to start with, and together began a 2 year journey of show winning restoration.  Luckily for us, they created a website dedicated to their project.

Some of you who aren’t in the know might ask, why the Dino? What makes it so special?  Simple answer: Just look at it.  Seriously, is there anything more gorgeous?  But, apart from the heavenly good looks, there is the performance and legacy that can only come from a car linked to Ferrari.

Enzo Ferrari wanted to create a lower priced, more “affordable” sports car for the public; something to compete against the Porsche 911.  At the time, all Ferraris were screaming V-12’s and Enzo wanted to keep it that way.

To help differentiate the cars, the “Dino” brand was created.  The name “Dino” comes from Enzo’s late son, Alfredo Ferrari, who died after a battle with muscular dystrophy.   The car, named in his honor, began life in 1968 as the Dino 206 GT. It had a mid mounted 2 liter V6 engine creating about 160 horsepower.

With a greater demand for power, the 246 GT and GTS evolved.  The “S”, of course, stands for “Spyder” or as I like to say, hot automotive “Sex”.  Both models came with a larger and more powerful 2.4 liter V6 that made between 175hp (U.S.) and 190hp (Europe).   In a chassis that weighed only 2400lbs, the Dino was able to outperform its Porsche rivals across the board with a higher top speed and a faster 0-60 time of about 6 seconds.

Approximately 1200 Dino GTS’s were made between 1972 and 1974. Only the lucky few, like my friend and his father, are able to call one their own.