PRICE £ ask
YEAR 1967
ENGINE 1987cc/V6/DOHC/Triple Weber 40 DCN 14 carburettors
POWER 158bhp@7200rpm
MAXIMUM SPEED 127mph
0-60MPH 8.1sec
GEARBOX RWD, five-speed manual
MILEAGE 22,648km (14,073 miles)
MOT 12 months from sale
CHASSIS NUMBER 0000655
COLOUR Red
INTERIOR Black leather
WIDTH 1709mm
LENGTH 4237mm
HEIGHT 1245mm

This Ferrari V6-engined Spider is one of Fiat's rarer, most potent and more striking-looking sports cars, and is in lovely, as original condition both inside and out

BACKGROUND
Mention ‘Dino’, and it’s the famous small mid-engined V6 Ferrari of 1967 to 1974 that usually springs to mind, even though this model - named after Enzo’s late son, Alfredo ‘Dino’ Ferrari - never actually wore Ferrari badging. The Italian supercar manufacturer was keen to reserve the full family name for its premium 12-cylinder cars, with ‘Dino’ instead being used for its V6 machines, starting in 1956 with a Formula 2 racer. Ironically, the beautiful, fast and well-handling 206 GT and 246 GT and GTS Dinos were so well-received and successful that they have become among the best-loved of all Ferraris, despite not being officially classed as such. And have usually had ‘Prancing Horse’ badges retrospectively applied.   

However, there was another Dino model that ran concurrent with the Ferrari-produced car. In fact, it pre-dated the machine from Maranello by a year, used the same engine, and sold in more substantial numbers. For those seeking the allure of the Dino name, similar exhilarating performance and striking Sixties styling, but without such a hefty price tag, may we introduce the Fiat Dino?

 The Fiat Dino came about because Ferrari had to homologate its new 1987cc V6 engine for Formula 2 racing. That called for 500 GT road cars to be built within 12 months - something that was beyond Ferrari’s capabilities at the time. So a deal was made with Fiat during 1965; it would produce the engines which would then be used in both Ferrari and Fiat road models.  

Fiat was first to the starting grid; its front-engined two-seater Dino Spider (as here) was shown at the Turin Motor Show in October 1966, with a very distinctive swooping body design by Pininfarina crowned by quad headlamps. When the Coupe variant came along in March 1967, it looked quite different, thanks to having a different father - Giorgetto Giugiaro at Bertone. Fiat’s own Dino 206 GT - another Pininfarina effort - finally appeared in November 1967 at the Turin Motor Show, a full year after Fiat had sneaked out its own initial Dino model.

A rumour persisted that the Ferrari cars had more horsepower - 180bhp, as opposed to 158bhp on the Fiats. It wasn’t true; all the engines were the same, a disparity between SAE and DIN power figures being the reason for the confusion, albeit not helped by Ferrari being a little cagey about things and wanting to make it seem like its Dino offered a bit more. But all the V6 engines had the same muscle, whichever bonnet they found themselves under.

That remained the case after the engine size rose to 2418cc in October 1969 - the new 178bhp V6 went in both Fiat variants as well as the Ferrari, now rechristened the 246 GT/246 GTS. Fiat also carried out some cosmetic and technical upgrades to its cars as well, and manufacture switched from Fiat’s Turin factory to Ferrari’s production lines in Maranello. In this 2400 form, the Fiat Dino continued through until 1973. There was no direct successor

OUR CAR
This is an early 2.0-litre Dino Spider, having been built at the Fiat Mirafiori plant in Turin in December 1967. This is confirmed by a Fiat dating letter which comes as part of the history file. While not much is known of its life in Italy, by April 2016, it had come to the UK, being re-registered here in April 2016. When it had its first British MoT in January 2016, the odometer indicated 22,342km (the equivalent 13,880 miles). It’s now showing 22,648km, so has had very little use over here and been dry-stored when not being driven. Although, as an historic vehicle, the Fiat no longer requires testing, it will be given a fresh ticket before sale. The V5C shows just one previous registered keeper since the Dino arrived on these shores. A full service - at a cost of close to a thousand pounds - was carried out in December 2017, and the Dino hasn’t covered many miles - or kilometres, more accurately - since this.

The Spiders are the rarer of the two Fiat Dino versions; of the 7803 cars produced, 74 per cent were coupes and just 26 per cent were convertibles. Out of the 1966-69 2.0-litre cars, 3670 were coupes and 1163 were Spiders - so this car is a pretty special and exclusive classic.  

BODYWORK
Although it can’t be absolutely confirmed because there isn’t much of the car’s Italian history, it is believed that this Dino is original, inside and out. It certainly has the appearance of a car that, while 55 years old, has only covered 22,648km (14,073 miles) and just been very well-looked after. The exterior is in very good condition, with no signs of corrosion on the steel body, or the single aluminium panel that is the bootlid. The scarlet paint is still very vibrant and shiny, with no fading to pink apparent, as can often happen with red cars that have spent a lot of time in sunny environments. Most signs of age are largely confined to thinning finishes on some of the badges, no doubt through lots of polishing over the years. 

The chrome is excellent throughout. The alloy wheels are genuine Cromodora items, and are holding up very well, although the centre spinners - for earlier cars had knock-off wheels rather than five-bolt ones - do show some signs of rust on their edges from where they have been undone in the past, as is common with these types of wheels. The tyres are all Michelin Radial X 205/70 VR14 items. While no date stamp is apparent, they look in good order with plenty of tread left and no apparent damage.

INTERIOR
The interior gives the impression of being completely original. It’s well-preserved but there are some indications of the passage of over half a century, such as a repair to the driver’s seat. All the trim is present, and the light wooden dashboard, with matching steering wheel, is free from any issues. A period Sanyo radio is installed. While there’s room for some tidying inside, for those who prize originality, there is much to like here. All the gauges monitoring the engine function as they should and show healthy readings.

The hood is in very fine order and goes up and down with ease. Such is its condition that we believe it may be a replacement item; if not, it’s in remarkable order for something 55 years old, although it could be that it was just rarely used in the much more hospitable climate of Italy.

ENGINE AND RUNNING GEAR
The degree of detailing extends under the bonnet as well, where that famous V6 engine, with Dino-branded cam covers, sits in a generally tidy and clean environment. The silver-painted air filter box dominates everything, but everything looks to be oil tight, with all the wiring and pipework as it should be.

The Dino starts, idles, drives and stops exactly as it should, thanks in part, no doubt, to it being fitted with electronic ignition as standard - these Fiats were one of the first cars to have this feature, with the Dinoplex C electronic system specially developed for the high-revving V6 by Magneti Marelli. While balancing the three twin-choke downdraught Weber 40 DCN 14 carburettors can be a complex task best left to experts, they seem all in tune on this vehicle.  

In action, the car is responsive and smooth, with the five-speed transmission slick through its gate. The handling is sharp and this Dino behaves itself very well on the road. The brakes do their task with no fuss or bother, pulling the Spider up quickly and cleanly. A stainless steel exhaust system has been fitted, which gives a lovely, rich rasp to the V6.  

SUMMARY
With just 1163 2.0-litre Fiat Dino Spiders built - and very few of those now surviving in the UK - this is a far-from-everyday classic. When was the last time you saw another one? It’s a head-turning and dramatic Pininfarina design, dating from one of the golden eras of the carrozzeria’s output, with the pulsating heart of a Ferrari. Its originality is something to be appreciated and treasured and, yes, where necessary, slightly improved, but nothing significant needs doing for this stylish Italian convertible to be enjoyed throughout the summer - and many more summers to come. The thinking man’s Dino…

While Greenside Cars Ltd has tried to ensure information and assessments are accurate and complete, we are aware that some errors and omissions may occur from time to time. We are not able, therefore, to guarantee the accuracy of information and cannot accept liability for loss or damage arising from it. We highly recommend that you examine any vehicle to check the reliability of the information supplied. Please contact us for further details, images, or to arrange a viewing of this 1967 Fiat Dino Spider.

PRICE

£Under offer

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YEAR

1967

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ENGINE

1987cc V6

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MILEAGE

22,648km (14,073 miles)

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COLOUR

Red

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To enquire about this vehicle or request a viewing, please contact us via phone or email.