Fiat Dino Coupe 2.4 V6 ~ £22,495

Standard Equipment

Rosso Red with Full Tan Leather and Brown Carpet Set. Wood steering wheel and trim, electric windows, opening rear windows and front quater lights and 14″ alloy wheels

Additional Equipment

4 x 3 point seat belts have been fitted with tan webbing to match the interior.

Model history

The Fiat Dino was manufactured between 1966 and 1973. It was an intermediate step towards creating Ferrari’s “Dino” and the two are often confused. The Fiat Dino allowed Ferrari to achieve the necessary production numbers to homologate Alfredo Ferrari’s V6 engine for Formula 2 racing. The Spider, which was designed and built at Pininfarina, was introduced at Turin Motor Show 1966 and Coupe, designed and built at Bertone, one year later at the Geneva Motorshow.

The car was first offered with a 2.0 litre, 158 BHP V-6 with a 5 speed manual transmission which was built by Fiat workers in their Turin factory. In 1969 the engine was enlarged to a 2.4 with 178 BHP and was now built at Ferrari. The Fiat Dino was originally equipped with a live axle suspended by a single leaf spring, but later examples used a sophisticated coil-sprung independent rear suspension setup derived from the Fiat 130. Many of the parts used in the production of the Fiat Dino were shared with some of the finest cars of the day for example the Girling brakes for the 2.4 was shared with the De Tomaso Pantera and the Lamborghini Miura. The ZF gear box was also used by Aston Martin and of course the engine was found in the Ferrari built 206 GT’s. Fuel was delivered via three Weber 40DCNF12 carburetors which gave impressive performance. The Fiat Dino could do the 0-60 mph sprint inless than 8 seconds and had a top speed of 130 MPH.

The more common 2.0 litre cars were assembled by FIAT, whereas the 2.4 cars were assembled by Ferrari at Maranello alongside the 246 GT’s. Paradoxically then, the 2.4 cars were as much ‘Ferrari” as the 246s, especially the 2.4 Spiders, of which only 424 were made.

Exterior

Spend any amount of time talking or reading about a Fiat Dino and you will quickly realise that rust is one of your main enemies when buying or owning one of these fantastic and rare coupes. Given that we actively searched out this one we were very careful to give it a thorough inspection! The car was originally registered in Caglairi in Sardinia and was brought into the UK in 2007 and since then it has been kept in a heated and dehumidified garage. The lack of damp and road salt in the cars history has saved her. The underside of the vehicle is exceptional. We can’t find any areas that have been patched or welded, there is little surface rust on suspension components up and the under seal although obviously old looks untouched. Moving to the body we would suggest that the car has been repainted during its life as there are very few stone chips or age related marks to speak of. The paint finish is deep and even with very few imperfections and just looks fantastic with a deep coat of wax. The trim, chrome, lights and other brightwork are all present and correct and are in very good condition.

Wheels Tyres and Brakes

This car is fitted with a factory spec set of 14″ alloy wheels which are all in beautiful condition. They are clothed in a matching set of 205/70 R14 tyres which are in good condition with 5mm of tread and no perishing in the side walls. The brakes have had a check and are in good condition with the fluid replaced by us during our extensive service to get her ready for sale.

Engine and Transmission

Since the car came into the UK she has been looked after by Dino specialists Rosneath Engineering Ltd There are a total of 7 invoices showing regular mechanical maintenance and servicing. This has kept the engine and gearbox in great condition. The car fires up easily and doesn’t seem to burn any oil either from cold or once the car has warmed up and is running at high revs. There is a recent stainless steel exhaust system which is in excellent condition. The gearbox is slick with a weighty and accurate clutch all of which performs very well even from cold. The car has undergone a full fluids service and had the valve clearances adjusted in preparation for sale.

Interior and Equipment

The seats were re-trimmed in May 2009 using nearly 30 square feet of Ochre leather from the UK Hide Company. During this time the car was also re-carpeted. The result is that the interior of this car is simply stunning. The wood dash and switch gear are all in good condition although we have had a few electrical issues to deal with to get everything working as it should!

Road Test

To say that we have become vary attached to our Dino Coupe is an understatement. The only thing that is currently stopping us going out for a drive is the damp weather! The Dino is one of those cars that you can quite easily potter around in and find it a very comfortable and stylish way to get about. It does have another side though, as the revs rise above 4,000 the exhaust note changes and the who car seems to fizz with excitement. The steering is well weighted and not too heavy when maneuvering in town, but out on the open road it is simply sublime. The brakes are also very communicative and there is plenty of grip and feedback from the tyres.

History File

There is a very good service history file with this Dino. It was imported from Sciacca by Classic and Cabriolet in Aylesbury in February 2007 where it was sold to its only UK owner. Before purchase it was given a full check over by marque specialist Rosneath Engineering. The advise at the time was that it was a very original and in strong body and mechanical condition, but there were components and trim that had begun to suffer with age. These are all listed out and during his ownership all of these items have been addressed with thousands of pounds of service and parts bills. Another nice touch is that the original registration document survives as does the drivers manual. There is a letter confirming its build date and chassis number from Fiat Auto (U.K).

Since joining the Eclectic Fleet the Dino has been subject to a complete fluids service including brake fluid, coolant and engine and gearbox oil as well as the expensive but vita valve clearances adjusted. We have also had a good check over of the electrics and made sure everything is now working as it should. She will be sold with 12 months MOT and there a further 5 MOT certificates in the file confirming the cars use since it came into the UK.

Whilst every effort has been made to check the accuracy of the information above, some errors in compiling the information may have occurred and we cannot accept liability for loss or damage arising from misleading information (other than for death or personal injury caused by our negligence or breach of duty). You are therefore strongly advised not to rely on the information provided in respect of vehicles, and to examine the vehicles and to check the accuracy of the information supplied before deciding to purchase a vehicle described below. Your statutory rights as a consumer are not affected by this statement.