Many have called it the prettiest car ever made. Nonetheless, due to tepid sales, in the spring of 1973 the Ferrari company ceased production of their "baby Ferrari" automobile, the Dino 246 GT, and the 246 GTS with a targa removable top for open-air touring. The stoppage proved to be short-lived. Manufacturing continued through 1975, for a production total of 1,274 models of the spyder (S) Dinos and slightly more of the hard-top models.

I had wanted to own an example of the small, frisky exotic machine with the double overhead cam V6 since I first viewed one in the Ferrari showroom in Modena Italy in the autumn of 1971. It was with great chagrin in 1973 that I learned production of the Dino had ceased, because at that time I was unable to afford the cost. But during the autumn, a stroke of good fortune replenished my coffers.

I immediately got on the phone (no internet in that era!) to determine what cars and what colors, if any, were available. Across the entire U.S. only six or seven of the magnificent 2.4 litre V6 id-engine automobiles were unsold in dealer hands. Only one was a color that was acceptable to me—white, with red and black "Daytona" leather seats. Perfect. Anxiously I telephoned the car dealer, whose basic brand was Pontiac and Oldsmobile. The mid-engine car was still available; it had been in the showroom for many months, so it was with joy the dealer accepted my no-haggle offer to wire the list price of slightly over $16,000. Two days later, my young son and I flew to the midwestern dealership and picked up our white charger. Destiny!

This April (2023) that machine is half a century old—age 50. It is enjoying an exciting life for a car: participant and winner in innumerable car shows and concours a featured car in the 1991 National Meet, Ferrari Club of America, in inaugural and four subsequent Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, winning "People's Choice,"; Cavallino in Palm Beach; Concours Italiano, Carmel, CA; six Festivals of Speed: entrant in many tours and rallies, including the Texas 1000 and the Pebble Beach Motoring Classic. Most important of all, the car made us record breakers and record holders of the World's Record time of 35 hours and 53 minutes in the original and official Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash from New York City to Los Angeles.

It is still mine!

A thing of beauty is a joy forever

Its loveliness increases,

It will never pass into nothingness.

A Thing of Beauty →

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