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$17K Hack Job: 1975 Ferrari Dino GT4

1975 Ferrari Dino 308 GT4

We would all love to have an automobile with that prancing horse on the hood, but what lengths would you go to get one? Would you scrimp and save your whole life to buy a decent driver or would you go the cheap and unpredictable route of buying something with needs? Either way, the journey will probably be a downward spiral into financial ruin unless you truly have the resources to maintain one of these thoroughbreds. This particular project is dumbfounding. What was a previous owner thinking when they grafted on the “ground effects”? The seller’s description is hard to decipher and that just adds to the confusion. I’m not suggesting that anyone here should actually buy this thing, but for curiosities sake it’s worth a look here on eBay where the seller is asking $16,900 or best offer.

Dino GT4 interior

The Dino 308 GT4 was once one of the preferred routes into affordable Ferrari ownership. Its backseat kept it off of many collector’s bucket list, but it still provided much of that Maranello magic. For many years it only saw moderate appreciation, but it seems that the escalating prices of other Ferrraris have finally caused the GT4 to even take a jump in value. Anything with that horse logo on it seems to be worth gold these days. Even rusty and bondo filled money pits like this. The seller does mention, at least from what I can tell, that it includes some seats they paid $4,500 to reupholster. They claim that all the trim peices are in the car. They also claim to have turned down an offer of $4k for the carburetor…

Dino GT4 V8

Wow, I told you this was a head scratcher. The more I read the description and look at the photos, the more confused I become. Is that a real Daytona sitting back there? What the heck is going on here? If we were talking about teenagers tuning Hondas or something this would all make sense, but this is a V8 powered Ferrari! Who has enough money sitting around to let their kids do foolish things like this? I know these cars were once the unloved child of the family, but come on! This Dino is in sad shape now and hopefully won’t end up going the way of the Dinosaur. Even with prices trending up, I just can’t see how restoring this one could make sense. What do you think? Could this hack job still be saved?

Comments

  1. Avatar RayT

    I didn’t like 308 GT4s until I drove one. After that, I was an enthusiastic proponent, although I never put so much as a bag of groceries in the rear “seat.” The engine, chassis and general ambiance of the car made up for the deficiencies in style, and then some.

    If I had $17K and was assured that the body add-ones could be scraped off leaving the original panels at least restorable, I’d be sorely tempted. But I suspect that isn’t the case, and know enough about Ferrari’s products to live in mortal fear of what else might be worn out or broken.

    And I do see a fair amount of corrosion in that engine bay shot. Cue the red lights and sirens. This one is for the Ferrari fanatic with a bankroll sufficient to cover all potential disasters.

    For the record, if I had the change rattling in my pocket and a decent garage full of tools, sheer love would overcome good sense, and I’d grab it!

    Like 0
  2. Avatar PaulG

    At the risk of sounding offensive:
    1. Upholster the seats prior to making it run/ drive properly: Check
    2. Writing an ad without the friend that has a firm grasp on the English language: Check
    3. F#*@ up a Ferrari: priceless
    That said, could this be worth more parted out?

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  3. Avatar Don Sicura

    As Jay Leno once said, this should go to the guy who has more money than sense!

    Like 0
  4. Avatar Horse Radish

    ……and this is JUST the stuff you SEE and are told about.

    NO, a definitive NO

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  5. Avatar Anastos

    I’m willing to bet that is a Corvettetona conversion lurking back there…

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    • Avatar SoCal Car Guy

      I think you’re right. Daytonas had vent windows (wind wings as some used to call them) on the doors, C3 Corvettes, the ones that got turned into faux Daytona (like the “Miami Vice” car) did not have evnt windows. The “Daytona lurking in the background does not appear to have vent windows.

      One more strike against the seller and the sorry remains of what was once a Ferrari.

      Like 0
  6. Avatar Rich

    Wow, that is a terrible ad for an overpriced car. Probably would make a good donor car.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar That Guy

    Oy vey.

    Like 0
  8. Avatar cory

    I think the missing timing belt hints at what is inside that engine.

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    • Avatar Dan h

      Second that on the t-belt. Hope it was never cranked over with that belt off. Judging by the way it looks, it probably was.

      Like 0
  9. Avatar pursang

    Sounds like that ad was written by one of the Festrunk Brothers.

    Like 0
  10. Avatar Grr

    Whoever did this should be strung up by the balls and whipped by Nancy Grace.

    Like 0
  11. Avatar Clay Bryant

    I like the Egg McMuffins on the carbs.Truly unique and really sets the car off at a show.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar Thetrick59

    If you own a body shop and machine shop then this is a steal?

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  13. Avatar Tom Stewart

    What did that car do to deserve this?

    Like 0
  14. Avatar GravyVT

    Not a Daytona unless they added fender flares to the back of that car after butchering the Dino. Compare it to the back end of this Daytona: http://www.extravaganzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/1973-Ferrari-365-GTB-4-Daytona-Spider-by-Scaglietti-2.jpg None of the lines are really right.

    Like 0
    • Avatar John

      The ad now says replica Daytona. Hmmmm. .. nothing sketchy about this one.

      Like 0
  15. Avatar Rancho Bella

    I’m not into Furraris……….but I have a liking of GT4’s. This poor thing……..gawd what an idiot owner………………

    Like 0
  16. Avatar racer99

    Would almost bet that the bottom half of this is rusted away and this is how the owner thought to “repair” it. As mentioned above, the rust you can see makes you fear the rust you can’t. Probably worth it for parts or for someone that just has to have one and doesn’t car how much it costs to fix.

    Like 0
  17. Avatar Dolphin Member

    “Hack Job” is the perfect title for this hack job GT4. Too bad, because as the cheapest Ferraris, values of these are climbing fast. Just not this one.

    You used to be able to find these in decent condition on Ebay needing a major tuneup or some minor repairs in the min-$teens, then the high-$teens, then the $20s. Now they are gone from Ebay and it’s harder to find any for sale because they are still about the cheapest entry into Ferrari ownership and now people want them. Only the big unloved 400 sedans might be less.

    From the “description” it sounds like a crap shoot whether someone could make money parting it out. Maybe, but you’d need to get lucky with the drivetrain and I’m guessing that nobody did it any favors when it was still running.

    These are actually better handlers than regular 308s because they have a longer wheelbase and better weight balance. Like RayT, I found that out the first time in one, around Road Atlanta. Not outstandingly fast, but very well balanced and able to cover ground in decent comfort. And that V8 howl right behind your head was about worth the price of admission by itself.

    When Paul Frere was European Editor for R&T be always tested new Euro supercars first, and he did that with one of the first Dino 308 GT/4s off the line. No problem getting a top speed number during his drive—this was Europe—which was 155 MPH, exactly what Ferrari claimed for the European market cars.

    Like 0
  18. Avatar herb

    it says best offer, think a hundred bucks is too much? You could take the steering wheel out and mount it on the broomstick, sit in those seats, and go VROOOMMM VROOM!

    Like 0
  19. Avatar BradL

    I’m betting Hurricane Sandy put a stop to the seller’s mods. It’s on Staten Island, after all.

    Thank you Hurricane Sandy.

    Like 0
  20. Avatar Raysyncar

    An unsuccessful stab at bringing back a flood car maybe? I don’t believe anyone to be empty headed enough to do this to a good one.

    Like 0
  21. Avatar jake

    With the picture that shows the rust on lower half of car, makes me think “flood car”…but other than that what a waste to cobble up the body like it has been done!!!

    Like 0
  22. Avatar jimmy

    17k thats worth as much as a decent one

    Like 0
  23. Avatar St. Ramone de V8

    Like looking at a plane crash. Gross, but can’t help looking.

    Like 0
  24. Avatar xtype

    Having a look at some of his past sales:
    Ferrari 328 $35,500.00
    Jaguar E-Type coupe $10,500.00
    Alfa Romeo sprint $39,000.00 (offer accepted)
    Ferrari 308 gts $26,900.00
    Fiat : 500 Personale! Baby Ferrari! $18,900.00
    Alfa Romeo Spider GIULIA $13,500.00 (offer accepted)
    Ferrari 348 $26,999.00

    He is just moving cars to a better home guys. This one will find her’s.
    Although I suspect that it _is_ worth more to a buyer parted out; He is near the mark on a matching set of DCNFs. I don’t doubt he was offered something near at least half that for them.
    Or…. this could be a candidate for a GT4/LM recreation.

    Like 0
  25. Avatar Don Andreina

    I like GT4s. Why couldn’t this have been done to a Mondial instead?

    Like 0
  26. Avatar JohnH

    I think the rust line on the door jamb tells the rest of the story!

    Like 0
    • Avatar racer99

      That and that fact that someone has removed and then (partially) reattached the VIN plate would make you wonder.

      Like 0
  27. Avatar GravyVT
  28. Avatar Tom

    Wow, that price is crack pipe. Sure, the car itself is salvageable with a LS engine swap as is proven by that guy on GRM forums:

    http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/fubaru-76-dino-308-gt4-turbo-subaru-swap-project/59090/page1/

    But, that would not happen unless the seller enters reality with a more suitable price. $5000 would be a stretch.

    Like 0
  29. Avatar Arthur

    This car might not be good enough for a straight-up restoration, but I wonder … could it be perfect for an engine swap project? Since Fiat SpA acquired 90% of Ferrari in 1988 and the remnants of the original Chrysler in 2009, perhaps a 3G Hemi could be installed?

    Like 0

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