nearly 150 MPH top speed, allowing them to overcome the clock, the competition, a fouled spark plug, a fuel leak, an onslaught of Arizona jackrabbits and a brief time under arrest by an Ohio State Patrol officer. (May said at the time, “That Ohio cop was a super guy. I actually think he was basically sympathetic. He sure was helpful in showing us the fast way back to the Interstate from the Justice of the Peace.”) After briefly losing their way within sight of the Portofino Inn, May hustled the Dino, now showing 12,522 miles, into the parking lot and, before the car had even come to rest, dashed to the bell clerk to receive his official time stamp: 7:00 a.m. PDT on the dot, signifying the new Cannonball record and a permanent place in American automotive lore. The Dino 246 GTS proved an outstanding choice for the May/Cline assault on the 1975 Cannonball. A comprehensive refinement of its 206 GT predecessor, the 246 featured a larger, more powerful 2.4L DOHC V-6 engine driving 195 HP through an integrated 5-speed manual transaxle. The 246’s longer wheelbase added further stability to its already race-bred, all-independent wishbone suspension and 4-wheel disc brakes. Lightweight driver controls, a full array of large, legible Veglia Borletti gauges, air conditioning and form-fitting Daytona-style bucket seats combined to make the Dino the ideal long-distance instrument. Diminutive but fast, agile and incredibly rugged, the Dino was also beautifully packaged in Pininfarina-designed bodywork produced by Scaglietti, in this case finished in Bianco Polo over a Rosso and Nero leather interior and running Michelin XDX radial tires on Cromodora 14x6.5-inch alloy wheels. While a near-perfect choice for May and Cline’s record run in its stock form, May did make some minor adjustments to the Dino, modifications still seen on the car today. For one, he added flaps to the windshield wipers to provide downforce and help keep the wipers down at the high speeds needed for a high-speed trek across the nation. One will also notice May twisted the tachometer, as in its stock positioning, he couldn’t see when the engine was revving in its sweet spot. Cared for by the same mechanic throughout its life, the Cannonball Dino (S/N 05984) is being offered from the singular ownership of May and family in highly original, unrestored condition, its interior and paperwork for the spark plugs purchased in Kansas taped to the wall of the trunk original to its Cannonball run, and the “2370” markings on the trunk wall from the Ferrari factory. With 50,819 miles on the odometer, it’s clear May hasn’t just let the Ferrari sit in a garage since its famous cross-country run, frequently taking it out to stretch its legs in the years since. In 2012, May and Iris McWilliams participated in the Pebble Beach Motoring Classic in the Dino, the youngest car ever chosen for this event at the time. The Cannonball Dino serves as a precious reminder of a time when daring individuals came together in the spirit of competition to flout the rules, challenge overreaching authority and do their part in the cause of freedom—and do it all with style.
