$25K Project Dino: A lane switch is a good thing | Hagerty Media

[Hagerty]

If you could buy stock in budget Ferraris, now would be the time to do it. In my last column, I mentioned my newly purchased 1975 Dino 308 GT4 and wondered whether you'd like to read more about my amateur efforts to get this $25,000 prize back on the road.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/opinion/25k-project-dino-a-lane-switch-is-a-good-thing/

[VMF218]

The older I get, the more I like to change lanes. I own a 67 Fastback, a '98 M3, have owned an e30 and an RX3-SP (bet you have to look that one up), a CJ-7, and even an RX4 pickup. I've worked on E-types and Fiats, Camaro's and Mopars. Love them all. Each present different engineering and setup problems, each it's own character, each it's own brilliance and stupidity. Which is fastest? Irrelevant. Fastest street car in the world would get destroyed by a Formula. What matters is the fun, the provenance, the creativity, the possibilities, the smiles on people's faces when they see something they can connect with. Get that Dino running Larry, but also keep in mind that your son will only be young for another week or two. Three if you're lucky. 😉

[lweb19]

Thank you! Yes, for sure, the kid is growing fast....

[drjim]

I've always been "accepting" of all makes, even though I was your "Basic American Car Guy". I was much more of a Road Racer than Drag Racer back in the day, and was exposed to some very interesting cars due to that.

Even though my current Project Car is a 1985 Toyota Celica Supra, I still revel in reading about all other cars, from Audi to ZiL. The one Hagerty article I read about the gentleman that now owns "Martha's" 1941 Chevy was excellent. The story of the remarkable young woman who picked it up at the factory in Michigan and drove it home to San Francisco was fascinating.

As you allude to, people and cars are inextricably intertwined, and many times there's an extraordinary person behind a bland, average, "boring" car.

I'm all for more of your continuing story, Larry. I like to see what problems you encounter, and how you solve them.

Keep up the good work, and yowie, I wish I had a garage as nice as yours!

- Jim

[Flashman]

Common knowledge has it that Ferraris are quirky, fragile, and expensive. I'm interested in seeing whether your experience mirrors this or if common knowledge is wrong.

[lweb19]

So far the Dino has been remarkably straight forward to work on. I rebuilt all the carburetors, changed the timing belts and all the rubber hoses and then to my great relief, it started! The chassis parts like the knuckles and the suspension arms and brakes are beefy, like the car was built to be used. I have a long way to go, however, so I reserve the right to change my opinion. Thanks for reading.

[ccrvtt]

I'm currently a Corvette guy and glad of it since I pined for one since I was 9 (a LONG time ago). I've also been an MGB guy and an Rx7 guy and a Mustang guy and a motorcycle guy. But I think just about everybody who cares about cars would be a Ferrari guy or girl if they could. Keep the story going.

[VinnyB]

Larrry. I didn’t focus so much on a particular brand just English. 5 original Minis, Sunbeam Tiger, 4 lotuses, a few MG’s. Then when my kids were young didn’t have time for any toys. Cars will always be around, but the kids will be gone before you know it. When my boys we’re teenagers they bought their own toys and I taught them how to fix, restore a BMW E30 for one and a E28 M5 for the other. They both still own them. Once I did my fatherly duty I was looking for another Lotus and stumbled across an NSX with 240k miles (a car I will never sell) that needed a bunch of mechanical work. What a pleasure not to have to do any rust repair (all aluminum). After that was running I started my bucket list. I want to visit Italy and while I’m there tour the Ferrari factory. I found out to get in you have to own a Ferrari. So I purchased a 1985 Mondial that was sitting for 10+ years. I’m going through the same process you are. FerrariChat is a great resource.