Dino sightings in Sweden

A Dino is a rare sight in Sweden. So, when I see one, I usually try to snap a picture, take some notes and get the serial number if possible. Since any picture of a Dino - even a poor snapshot - is of some interest, I will be posting them here. At the very least, I know that Matthias (German Dino) will want to know the serial numbers.

According to Matthias, there should be around 25 Dinos in the country now. Some are actively registered, some not. Surprisingly, only four Dinos were sold new through the Swedish importer. The rest of them have been imported later by their owners.

Since I have already reported on one Dino - the mysterious one with the wrong serial number - I am starting this thread with No. 2:



Dino sighting no. 2: An early M series, S/N 01248.

The vintage car hobby is alive and very well in Sweden. Every summer there are dozens of car meets and at least three or four major events with 400 to 500 cars on display. They are typically multi-marque events with a huge variety of quite interesting cars - but usually no Dinos. One of those major meets is the one at Tjolöholm Castle, located 40 km south of Gothenburg. Here, at last summer´s meet, I came across this beautifully restored Dino, S/N 01248.

I spoke to the owner, whose name is Björn. He told me that he had imported the car from the UK in 2006, and immediately started a ground-up restoration. He completed the restoration in 2008. Like most Dinos, it had been "restored" at least once before, and had changed color several times. It was red when he bought it, I believe. As he stripped the body down to bare metal, he found that the original color was a brownish yellow (probably Giallo Senape). He did not want that color and considered several other Dino colors instead. His wife weighed in on the subject and said that, since it was their first Ferrari, it should be red. So red it became again, it is now finished in sparkling Rosso Chiaro.

I was quite impressed by the restoration. Björn stayed mostly original, except for a few things in the interior, where I believe he upgraded from vinyl to leather. It was not his first restoration, and that was a good thing, he said, because Dinos are "not the easiest car in the world to restore". I can imagine.

He also pointed out that his car had the early front bumpers, as on the the L-series, but he had no idea whether they were original to the car or if they had been replaced. Well, if the Production Highlights in the Dino register is correct, they are original. The change to the bumpers took place at S/N 1250, so that would make Björn´s car the very last Dino with the early bumpers!

The photo of one of the wheels show that they are marked with FIAT and Cromodora. I believe that is also correct for this generation. Later Dinos, such as my own, of course have their wheels marked Dino and Cromodora.

Here are some photos showing the result of Björn´s labor. Congratulations on a job well done!

Lars
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Fred - Thanks, I know you feel that bad photographers should not be allowed around Dinos. At least, I am trying!

Pearsonhaus - You´re welcome! Hope to add some more soon.

Björn - Praise well deserved. Happy to hear about the new addition! Sorry to say, I will not make it this year. It is a long drive... Planning for next year, though.

Nuvolari - The changes to the bumpers, wipers, steering wheels and many other items, are confusing to most of us. Bumpers and steering wheels usually have me stumped. Is it correct or is it not? I think this forum needs sticky thread listing all the major changes during the Dino production. The Dino Register has some of the changes listed, but more would be needed, perhaps with photos. On the Alfa Bulletin Board, some members have tried to create such a summary for some models (notably the Giulia Super, TI, etc.), and I find them very useful.

Matthias - Interesting photo! Yes, it is a bit hard to see #01248, but it is definitely there. Thanks!

Lars

 

I personally like the bumperless look on the Dino, even though I admit that the critics of this look have some good points.
One can only marvel at how well the Dino carries both the traditional tall-wheeled vintage look and the more modern lowered, agressive look. Only a genuinely timeless and beautiful design like Dino can manage to pull that off, in my opinion. Here are two successful examples of the more modern, purposeful look.




Dino sighting no. 3: Another early M series, S/N 01276.

And what a beauty it is. Originally finished in Rosso Dino, this car has recieved the bumperless treatment and has been repainted in Grigio Ferro, one of my favorite colors. It has also been lowered (I believe) and equipped with Superformance 16" Cromodoras. It appears that larger caburators with intake horns have been fitted in a clever arrangement using the stock engine decklid as a the "air cleaner" lid. I would expect the Organ Symphony for Six Intake Trumpets to be playing up when the throttles are opened.

This car has been is Sweden since 1975-06-13. The the Dino register records end in 1999 but the vehicle register states ten ownership changes since the importation in 1975. It has been under the current ownership since 2007-03-25.

The front end sheet metal and grille apparently was changed to the later version sometimes during its life. I have seen that done on many other early Dinos.
The 16" Superformance wheels are said to weigh almost twice as much as the originals. Too bad, but they certainly look good.
With the bumper supports removed and closed off, this car has a very clean, beautiful appearance to my eyes.




Dino sighting no. 4: A racy looking GTS, S/N 07066

The other Dino in the photos is the black GTS belonging to Peter Juhlin (a.k.a. rosso corsa motorsport). This car has been extensively discussed on this forum before.

Peter has owned the car since 2003-08-18. The vehicle register states six ownership changes since it was first registered in Sweden in 1976-07-05.

The car is extremely low to the ground, and is very striking in its appearance. It attracts curious onlookers wherever it goes.
This is the only Dino that can be frequently seen on the roads around Stockholm. Peter drives his car often and he drives it hard - the way they were designed to be driven. Way to go, Peter!



All photos credited to rosso corsa motorsport.
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Dino sighting number 1: Serial number "02740"/XXX.

Out of sequence, and with apologies for any duplication, but this is a follow-up (of sorts) for another mysterious Dino, which was given its own thread some time ago.
Just like the recently discussed Mecum Auction Dino, this one has been given an unfortunate and obviously incorrect number. In this case it is the (E-series) number of 02740, even though it is clearly an L-series Dino. Doubly unfortunate, since there is another 02740 - probably the real one - running in Germany.

I have spoken to both the owner and the restorer of this car. They were both vaguely aware that the chassis number indicated a later Dino. They both felt that the switch in identity had been done a long time ago, and was not a concern for them. I offered to help the owner find the real number, but he did not seem particularly interested, and did not take me up on the offer.

In any case, here are some additional photos of the car. As you can see from the interior picture, the restoration was done to a very high standard, but that some liberties were taken with originality, most notably regarding the steering wheel, ammeter and the clock (I think).

By the way, the color of this car in NOT Rosso Cordoba as many have assumed. It is in fact Rosso Nearco, which I believe is a Ferrari color but not a Dino color.

The "Stratos carburator hump" is a bit disturbing (although you have to admire the skill of the panel beater), but a very pretty Dino nevertheless. A pity about that serial number...
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This one was a bit of a surprise. According to the Dino Register, number 04082 has always been blue (Azurro Dino) and - a British RHD version! But here it is, yellow, and very much left hand drive.

Yet, it appears to be the same car. The last known owner in the Dino Register (Wulker) is also listed as the previous owner under its current licence plate number. So far, so good.
Now, I imagine that changing a Dino from RHD to LHD is not a trivial task. Yet some previous owner must have done exactly that.

For the records, the current owner since at least 2002, is Helge Karinen of Sparreholms Slott, Sweden. He is also the owner of the entire collection of cars which makes up the Sparreholms Car Museum. I asked Mr Karinen if he knew anything about the history of this Dino, or that it had been RHD, etc. He did not.

I include some photos of the front and rear end, since we are always debating when the various changes took place. For example, this car seems to have the new type front end (rectangular grille and round sculpted air intakes). Probably correct, since the change is believed to have been introduced during 1972 but before this number. No guarantee that it is original, of course, since many of the earlier Dinos have had their front ends changed. Still, it is worth noting.

If anyone of you knows anything about this car, when it was converted or who did the conversion, I hope you will chime in. Mr Karinen would be interested too, I imagine.




A footnote about the museum (no affiliation, of course):
It is a very nice and interesting private collection turned into a museum. The pre-war cars are particularly interesting, with many Cadillacs (including a V-16), a La Salle, Rolls-Royces, etc., but also a Horch 853 Sport Cabriolet and a Mercedes 540K, both spectacularly well restored. The post-war cars, including the Dino, are unrestored and perhaps less remarkable, but still of some interest. There is also a fantastic collection of juke boxes and music machines, unfortunately not open this year, but hopefully available next year.
The museum is open only during the month of July and on weekends during August. If anybody is visiting Sweden during that time of the year, it is well worth a visit. Located in pleasant rolling countryside in the province of Södermanland, it is within easy driving distance from Stockholm. Here is a link: www.sparreholmsslott.com
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Hello Matthias,

My initial impression was also that the front end was not right for this number. But when I looked up the Production Highlights in the Dino Register, it mentions the approx. serial #3500 for the change to sculpted front intakes. That is earlier than I thought. Is that number not correct?

Next time I visit the museum, I will ask for permission to open the trunk lid and look for the body number on the hinges, and let you know. In case the hinges have been replaced, do you know of any other place I can find the body number without taking things apart?

Lars

 

Fred,
Interesting. Yes, that is more in agreement with what I have observed. Early or mid 4000 range seems more realistic. 04330 in a recent thread (Bonham's), still had the old front end.

Wipers are also interesting.The fact that this car has the opposed (rather than tandem) wipers, may indicate that it used to be RHD. Apparently, the RHD cars kept the opposed wipers all the way to the end.
Lars

 

Thanks for that information, Peter. It makes sense that it is indeed the same car, which has been converted to left hand drive. Some of the Dinos have been through quite a lot in their lifetime!

Lars

 

Hi, I do not know the current owner of #01276. It changed ownership since that post was written. From what I have heard, though, it is still in Sweden, and if that is the case, I should be able to find the new owner - as soon as I get back home. I am abroad right now and will not return for another four weeks or so. But I will make an attempt to find out, and let you know.

By the way, the other car in those pictures, the black GTS #07066, has also changed hands. It has been returned to original condition, complete with bumpers, stock wheels and a repaint in the original color of Nocciola (if I remember correctly). Looked beautiful the last time I saw it. Its current whereabouts are unknown to me. Probably no longer in Sweden.