Dino Ferrari 208 / 308 GT4
Discussion
On Sunday, May 14, 2023, a special event called Dino Day took place. A gathering of four GT4 cars, out of the of approximately dozen in The Netherlands today, assembled at the Kroon Wire Harnesses parking lot. Founder Gerard Kroon, also the proud owner of a silver coloured 208 GT4, was interviewed by RTV Noord.
(Watch from 7:30 to 14:00 https://lnkd.in/e4hjsUH5)
The invitation to drive his cherished 70s gem had been neglected for some time, so this was the moment to seize the opportunity. However, I wanted to make the most of the occasion by establishing an annual tradition of bringing together these delightful two-liter and three-liter cars.
After all, this bloodline of Dino's were the pioneers of Ferrari's most successful lineage in the realm of road cars: an agile sports car boasting a lively V8 engine positioned behind the seats. In my opinion something worth celebrating.
Stepping into the cabin propels you back to 1975, equipped with a dogleg 5-speed gearbox, a compact steering wheel, petite pedals, and a rev-happy V8 engine fueled by four thirsty Bologna Webers. For me it's hard not to appreciate such a combination. A few years ago I had a taste of a 308 and fell in love. Sunday I enjoyed the 208 guise of the GT4.
I felt an immediate sense of belonging when I sat in the car which is designed by Marcello Gandini. When the numbers fall my way a GT4, a Khamsin and an Espada will join a daily 1972 GTV (also by Bertone but penned by Giugiaro) in the Bertone section of my garage.
Never stop dreaming!
We're planning a Dino Day 2024. If you are an owner or know anyone with a GT4, please let me know. Tks!
> My 75 pics in this topic: drop by drop.
(Watch from 7:30 to 14:00 https://lnkd.in/e4hjsUH5)
The invitation to drive his cherished 70s gem had been neglected for some time, so this was the moment to seize the opportunity. However, I wanted to make the most of the occasion by establishing an annual tradition of bringing together these delightful two-liter and three-liter cars.
After all, this bloodline of Dino's were the pioneers of Ferrari's most successful lineage in the realm of road cars: an agile sports car boasting a lively V8 engine positioned behind the seats. In my opinion something worth celebrating.
Stepping into the cabin propels you back to 1975, equipped with a dogleg 5-speed gearbox, a compact steering wheel, petite pedals, and a rev-happy V8 engine fueled by four thirsty Bologna Webers. For me it's hard not to appreciate such a combination. A few years ago I had a taste of a 308 and fell in love. Sunday I enjoyed the 208 guise of the GT4.
I felt an immediate sense of belonging when I sat in the car which is designed by Marcello Gandini. When the numbers fall my way a GT4, a Khamsin and an Espada will join a daily 1972 GTV (also by Bertone but penned by Giugiaro) in the Bertone section of my garage.
Never stop dreaming!
We're planning a Dino Day 2024. If you are an owner or know anyone with a GT4, please let me know. Tks!
> My 75 pics in this topic: drop by drop.
Rumdoodle said:
Great. Thanks for posting that. Terrific looking cars. What about the GT4 with the GTB rear lights i.e. round ones rather than the usual arrangement? What's the story there?
I wondered that too. I don't speak much Flemish but I think the gentleman was explaining that the car is quite significantly modified.Dank u vel for the post, Rene!
bumskins said:
'Dino Day' with no 206/246s? What is this madness?!
This started out as an invitation to drive the silver 208...Long story short: we try to catch as much 208/308 as possible and at future Dino Day meetings add the (more posh) 206/246 and Dino Fiats to our meeting.
Just wait for it.
Edited by dinkel on Friday 19th May 09:50
Rumdoodle said:
Great. Thanks for posting that. Terrific looking cars. What about the GT4 with the GTB rear lights i.e. round ones rather than the usual arrangement? What's the story there?
Arian drives his 308 since 1986 and it seems to be a showcar with origins in the UK. So the interior is different and the rear lights are round. Looks great in my eye but I prefer the square originals.The engine is rebuilt and drives fantastic. Sodium valve snapped and all that.
The car is on 16" which is not at all standard and works very well on Michelin tyres.
I have about 75 photos and some are worth posting. Enjoy our love of the forgotten Ferrari: the Dino 206 and 308 GT4.
The gathering here at Kroon Wire Harnesses could have been about 6 GT4 cars instead of now four. And almost three!
The 208 on the rightside suffered from a blown rear tyre. The owner had a wrong size spare and changed the rears to the front and reverse to save his diff. Hero!
There's a debate about which wheels look best on a GT4. I like the Ferrari Five Star although the original Cromodora 14" seems to be the preffered choice.
Gerard Kroon's 208 has the 14.5" option with Michelin TRX!
I can't spot a difference between the twolitre and threelitre engine. Only the bore seems to be resized so there should be not much of a weight penalty to the 308, which weighs in at 1,150 kgs. Only 840 208 were built, and 2,826 308.
There you go!
The two litres had the black coloured dash to the 3-piece metal sheets of the 308. I did sit very comfortably with a slight extra notice to my right foot, which barely fits on one pedal. The steering is unassisted and takes a bit of muscle and the dogleg box needs a firm hand too. But hey, this is proper motoring!
The gathering here at Kroon Wire Harnesses could have been about 6 GT4 cars instead of now four. And almost three!
The 208 on the rightside suffered from a blown rear tyre. The owner had a wrong size spare and changed the rears to the front and reverse to save his diff. Hero!
There's a debate about which wheels look best on a GT4. I like the Ferrari Five Star although the original Cromodora 14" seems to be the preffered choice.
Gerard Kroon's 208 has the 14.5" option with Michelin TRX!
I can't spot a difference between the twolitre and threelitre engine. Only the bore seems to be resized so there should be not much of a weight penalty to the 308, which weighs in at 1,150 kgs. Only 840 208 were built, and 2,826 308.
There you go!
The two litres had the black coloured dash to the 3-piece metal sheets of the 308. I did sit very comfortably with a slight extra notice to my right foot, which barely fits on one pedal. The steering is unassisted and takes a bit of muscle and the dogleg box needs a firm hand too. But hey, this is proper motoring!
More Dino:
Nice 308 of Jean-Pierre Ruijs - check the Fiat Dino wheels. This particular GT4 looks great but needs more miles to feel great too. Mouth watering condition.
The rear buttress is similar to the Pininfarina designed Dino 206/246. Aldo Brovarone Leonardo Fioravanti did a superb job but the V6 powered car is a bit too small for me. The space Marcello Gandini created in his Bertone design suits me way better.
In my eye the GT4 proportions are perfect: why would a car need to be any bigger? Period exhaust design is the best ever.
The way the mid engine V8 is mounted helps to keep the GT4 compact. It is built just like a Miura and original Mini: East-West.
Metal typograpghy: http://www.simoncars.co.uk/dino/slides/aa_Ferrari%...
Nice 308 of Jean-Pierre Ruijs - check the Fiat Dino wheels. This particular GT4 looks great but needs more miles to feel great too. Mouth watering condition.
The rear buttress is similar to the Pininfarina designed Dino 206/246. Aldo Brovarone Leonardo Fioravanti did a superb job but the V6 powered car is a bit too small for me. The space Marcello Gandini created in his Bertone design suits me way better.
In my eye the GT4 proportions are perfect: why would a car need to be any bigger? Period exhaust design is the best ever.
The way the mid engine V8 is mounted helps to keep the GT4 compact. It is built just like a Miura and original Mini: East-West.
Metal typograpghy: http://www.simoncars.co.uk/dino/slides/aa_Ferrari%...
dinkel said:
More Dino:
Good to see that this one has the Dino emblem, easy to spot the emblem laying horizontal.Those seem to go for a premium nowadays, for Dino collectors.
In the past some were changed, its not just putting a Ferrari emblem on it, because the Ferrari emblem is vertical placed, so you need or change the front a bit, since those emblems sit in a lowered room, or how you say such, pre stamped in the metal.
Certainly not a Dino in this line up: a 991. a very early Carrera and a 70s icon, a lovely 928.
On with the show!
Local TV enjoys the display of Dino to the bone, and is even offered a hot seat.
The Dino dash has a period Starfighter or Phantom feel to it.
Campagnolo still produces wheels... for bicycles...
Dino GT4 - View from the workshop. Kroon not only produces (tailormade) wire harnasses, but also ensembles outlaw 911.
he does a lot of the work himself.
I was lucky enough to see a Dino 206S racing in the first major race meeting I attended in 1968. It was red, it was a Ferrari and a lifelong love affair started that long ago day at Oulton Park . I adored the Dino 246 , needed counselling when my friend sold his for peanuts before he could bring it to the UK . The same friend bought a new 328GTB which remains the only Ferrari I've driven . Not a car for a shrinking violet.
I loved the feral growl of the V6 but the V8 has always sounded awful , like every flat plane crank V8 . But that apart, the 308GT4 remained my favourite little Ferrari until F355 . It looks incredibly functional, with little of the gratuitous beauty of the GTB , but the cab forward styling really works and it has hardy dated , unlike the now faintly absurd looking Esprit .
So yes please , a GT 4 , and not in red thanks . Like the 330/365GTC, 412 , 456 and Roma (and every Maserati ) the GT4 looks best in green , grey or blue . In red ,with the compulsory large Cavallino Rampante on the flanks , there is the smallest whiff of Jason King . Or the late Chris Meek ...
I loved the feral growl of the V6 but the V8 has always sounded awful , like every flat plane crank V8 . But that apart, the 308GT4 remained my favourite little Ferrari until F355 . It looks incredibly functional, with little of the gratuitous beauty of the GTB , but the cab forward styling really works and it has hardy dated , unlike the now faintly absurd looking Esprit .
So yes please , a GT 4 , and not in red thanks . Like the 330/365GTC, 412 , 456 and Roma (and every Maserati ) the GT4 looks best in green , grey or blue . In red ,with the compulsory large Cavallino Rampante on the flanks , there is the smallest whiff of Jason King . Or the late Chris Meek ...
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