For Sale: 1973 Ferrari 246 GT in Houston, Texas

1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS
Chairs, No Flares. Plenty of Character.

Ladies and gentlemen, put down your coffee, cancel your morning meetings, and prepare to explain another questionable financial decision to your significant other.

This week, we're offering something truly special. A 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS. Not a replica, not a tribute, not a freshly restored trailer queen with more makeup than a Beverly Hills divorcee.

A real, honest, numbers-matching Dino with history, character, and a few wrinkles. And what a Dino it is.

Chassis 05520 was completed on May 2, 1973, finished in the spectacular Blu Dino Metallizzato over beige leather, and delivered new through Chinetti-Garthwaite Imports. According to the marque reference material, just 255 Dinos were finished in this magnificent shade of blue.

Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, someone decided that a Ferrari simply had to be red... We don't know who made that decision, but we'd like to have a word with them.

Thankfully, we've discovered remnants of the original blue paint throughout the car. So underneath that red exterior is one of the most beautiful factory color specifications ever offered on a Dino. Think of it as an archaeological discovery, the excavation will cost, but it will be oh so rewarding when you are one of the lucky 255.

For those of you lacking imagination, we've spent five minutes in Photoshop correcting someone's 50-year-old mistake. Just scroll through the pictures. You're welcome...

And yes, this is a Chairs, No Flares example, featuring the highly desirable factory Daytona-style seats, without the flared wheel arches.

The seats are original-looking, beautifully aged, and have a few tears along the bolsters. Frankly, after 53 years, we're impressed they're still holding together. We've seen people and other cars half their age in considerably worse condition. The interior has that wonderful, largely untouched atmosphere that no restoration shop can reproduce. The original-style Blaupunkt radio is still there, the dashboard retains its period character, and the engine compartment looks wonderfully authentic.

Now for the important stuff.

We've inspected the car extensively and confirmed matching chassis, engine, gearbox, and body identification numbers, including the body numbers throughout the body. The documentation includes reports from two highly respected Ferrari historians, Marcel Massini and Dino Historian Matthias Bartz.

The engine starts, runs, and drives, with good compression readings. The structure is sound. This isn't a collection of Ferrari parts masquerading as a restoration project (like a proper Wholesale Wednesday car should be) this one has an almost immediate enjoyment aspect to it.

It's a genuine, complete, highly desirable Dino that deserves to be preserved and sympathetically improved. Added bonus? It retains its original jack and jack bag, along with its original tool roll. Unfortunately, only three tools remain. My father always told me, "When you're finished using a tool, put it back where you found it." Apparently, someone else's father skipped that lesson.

The spare wheel is also currently missing. We're looking forward to it! Who knows? Perhaps it'll turn up just in time for Christmas.

THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE BEAUTIFULLY ITALIAN

• 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS, chassis 05520, a genuine U.S.-delivery example.

• Originally Factory Blu Dino Metallizzato over Beige Connolly leather. One of just 255 Dinos recorded in this stunning original color.

• Factory Daytona-style seats. The desirable "Chairs, No Flares" configuration.

• Numbers matching throughout. Engine, gearbox, chassis, body.

• Marcel Massini and Matthias Bartz reports confirming its original specification, production details, and known ownership history.

• Interesting provenance. Delivered new to aircraft and automobile dealer Ronald Spangler, later passing through several collections and spending approximately 15 years with the Marconi Automotive Museum in California.

• Originality everywhere. Wonderfully aged interior, complete engine compartment, period Blaupunkt radio, and surviving factory details.

• Mechanically promising. Starts, runs, and drives with good engine compression and a sound structure.

• Original jack, bag, and tool roll. Three tools included. The remaining tools are apparently enjoying retirement somewhere.

• Cosmetically challenged. Older red repaint, aged upholstery, and plenty of room for improvement. The good news? Nobody will accuse you of over-restoring it.

• A remarkable foundation. Preserve it, improve it, or return it to its magnificent factory blue specification.

A LITTLE HISTORY LESSON

The Dino was named in honor of Enzo Ferrari's son Alfredo "Dino" Ferrari, whose influence on Ferrari's V6 engine development helped shape one of the marque's most beloved automobiles.

Designed by Pininfarina and built by Scaglietti, the 246 GTS represents a remarkable chapter in Ferrari history: a mid-engine, open-roof Italian sports car with gorgeous proportions, brilliant balance, and one of the most intoxicating V6 soundtracks ever produced.

For years, certain Ferrari snobs dismissed the Dino because it didn't wear a Ferrari badge on its nose. Those same people are now spending fortunes trying to buy one.

Funny how that works.

THE WHOLESALE WEDNESDAY DEAL

We're offering this Dino at a special Wholesale Wednesday price before it receives further attention and is marketed more extensively and expensively... That's right If one of you lucky yahoos doesn't buy it, the car will be offered publicly at a higher asking price.

And no, we're not negotiating with your brother-in-law who once owned a Fiat and considers himself a Ferrari expert. Opportunities to acquire a genuinely numbers-matching, documented, factory Blu Dino Metallizzato 246 GTS with Daytona seats and this degree of originality don't come around very often. The history is right, the numbers are right, and the opportunity is very, very real.

Happy Wholesale Wednesday!

First serious buyer gets the Dino. Everyone else gets to explain why they missed it...
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