Buried Ferrari Dino 246 GTS is the most bizarre car story ever
- A Ferrari Dino 246 GTS was found buried in LA
- Police believed they’d solved a cold case of car theft
- But it would take almost 35 years for the truth to come out
Published on Aug 01, 2024 at 4:16 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Aug 02, 2024 at 6:33 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
In February 1978, two boys playing outside their Los Angeles, US, home, started digging and discovered something unexpected: a buried Ferrari Dino 246 GTS.
They immediately alerted two sheriff’s deputies who happened to be passing
What followed was years of mystery, intrigue, and eventually, an unbelievable plot to commit insurance fraud that wasn’t discovered for years.
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How the buried Ferrari Dino 246 GTS got there
After leaving their anniversary dinner in December 1974, the original owner of the Ferrari Dino 246 GTS, Rosendo Cruz, and his wife discovered the vehicle had been stolen.
Cruz bought the car as a present for his wife and it had only been driven 800km (500 miles).
In the police report, Cruz stated that after ‘…noticing a suspicious gleam in the valet’s eye…’ he decided to park the car himself.
Despite the windows being left open, the car had been covered in plastic tarps and carpets with towels packed into the exhaust and was in remarkably good condition.
However, it transpired 34 years later in 2012 that, rather than being an innocent victim, Cruz had conspired to commit insurance fraud with the supposed thieves.
They were supposed to have the Ferrari Dino 246 GTS, but hid it to dig it up later.
Sadly – they forgot where they’d put it.
The aftermath
Real estate businessman, Brad Howard, later the car from the insurance firm who’d taken ownership of the car when it was discovered.
He had it restored by Ferrari expert, Giuseppe Cappalonga, who discovered a surprisingly small amount of rust.
This was down to drought conditions when it was hidden in 1974.
Considered one of the Prancing Horse’s greats, the 1974 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS is a true classic.
And it’s not the only car found abandoned with this Audi R8 left rotting for 5 years that got a heroic restoration and this F1 car graveyard.
Some of the images used in this article were created using AI
London-based Amelia cut her journalistic teeth covering all things lifestyle, wellness and luxury in the UK capital. Fast-forward a decade and the experienced content creator and editor has put pen to paper for glossy magazines, busy newsrooms and coveted brands. When her OOO is on you can find her spending quality time with her young family, in the gym or exploring the city she loves.
