Today’s Post by Joe Farace
Bell Sport & Classic recently announced its latest in-house Ferrari restoration: a complete, ground-up, concours-level restoration of the original 246 GT Dino L Series that debuted on Ferrari’s stand at the 1969 Frankfurt Motor Show. Leaving the Maranello factory in 1969 and exhibited at that year’s Frankfurt Motor Show before being delivered to a customer in West Germany, it was the first Dino to be sold in the country and the seventh L Series ever made by Ferrari.
Enzo Ferrari used the ‘Dino’ name to denote a range of V6 Formula 1 and Formula 2 racing engines as a tribute to his son Alfredo ‘Dino’ Ferrari, who helped develop the engines, but tragically succumbed to illness at the age of 24 in 1956,” recounts Tim Kearns, Managing Director of Bell Sport and Classic. “When Ferrari launched its first V6-powered, mid-engined road car in 1968, it did so under the ‘Dino’ brand. And instead of the traditional Prancing Horse Ferrari badge, the Pininfarina-designed cars carried the signature of Alfredo ‘Dino’ Ferrari.”
The first Dino was the 206 GT variant, powered by a 2.0-litre V6 engine. A year later, it was followed by the 246 GT L, which featured a 60mm longer wheelbase and boasted a more powerful 2.4-litre engine, as did the 246 GTS Targa model. Maranello built 357 examples of the L-series Dino, before following it up with the M and E-series variants, which were produced in greater numbers.
Before arriving at Bell Sport & Classic’s extensive restoration facilities in 2017, the Dino 246 GT, which carries the chassis number 00436, had been moved around the globe, spending time in Germany, France, Canada, and the US. Despite the car’s far-flung travels, it had accrued only 53,400 miles (86,000km) over a period of forty-eight years. But it was, however, in a sorry state of disrepair.
“The car had been restored twice before, but lacked real care and precision. It was painted Rosso Corsa red instead of the original Rosso Dino, which has a more ‘orangey’ hue, the leather trim was incorrect too…with rusty plagued the inner fenders and the misshapen front and rear valances. The ‘scoops’ on the door panels did not align with those on the body, neither in terms of height nor angle, the wheel arch heights didn’t match from one side of the car to the other and the rear roofline was off-kilter.
Bell Sport & Classic stripped the 2.4-litre V6 engine, triple Weber 40 DCF carburettors, five-speed gearbox, all-round disc brake system, front and rear coil spring, and double-wishbone suspension. Each component was painstakingly restored to original specification, with all worn parts refabricated or replaced as required. Once rebuilt at Bell Sport & Classic’s own engine workshop, the V6 was tested on a dynamometer and bench-run for a day. After being reinstalled in the car, the engine was re-tested and fine-tuned to ensure it produced the precise 191bhp it left the factory with.
The Dino 246 GT 00436 has been returned to its Rosso Dino paint finish, which involved applying the period-correct grey primer followed by a Rosso Corsa undercoat with Rosso Dino final coat. The seats have been reupholstered in period-correct black leather complete with orange towelling inserts, and installed along with a newly built dashboard. Even the engine cam covers have been restored to their original bronze color, ensuring the car is precisely as it left the factory in August 1969.
Tim Kearns, Managing Director of Bell Sport and Classic said, “… bringing the Dino 246 GT back to be life has been a true labor of love and most definitely not a clock-watching exercise. No amount of time, expense or attention to detail has been spared in ensuring the car is now in even better condition than when it left the factory.”