To broaden its market appeal and provide more affordable sports cars without upsetting its existing clientele, in 1957, Ferrari began producing models with less than 12 cylinders under the ‘Dino’ sub-brand.
The brand was named after Enzo Ferrari’s son Alfredo (nicknamed Dino), who was instrumental in influencing the introduction of smaller capacity motors within Ferrari before passing away at a young age. The intention was to manufacture road cars and go racing. A number of Dinos were entered into Formula 2 and lower-capacity sports car classes over the decades, and for the road, there were models like the 1969 to 1974 Dino 246.
Forty years ago, Dino 246s traded hands for under £30,000, but these days it’s not uncommon to see pristine examples selling for upwards of £300,000. Dinos are no longer the poor man’s Ferrari it would seem.
While most Dino owners are happy to enjoy their cars as Ferrari intended, the owner of this 246 GTS decided to take his car to another level. Enter Moto Technique, based in Surrey, United Kingdom.
The Moto Technique team have built a solid reputation for their restomods, taking the best features of classic cars and sympathetically improving them with modern day performance and reliability.
A quality restomod isn’t always easy to tell from afar, and I initially only gave this car a cursory glance as I walked past it at one of the annual Bicester Sunday Scramble events. However, the eight individual throttle bodies rising from the engine bay drew me in for a closer look. And this is when all the details started to present themselves.
Like the badge suggests, the Dino’s V6 has now been replaced by a 2.9L Ferrari V8 that’s been bored and stroked to 3.6 litres. Breathing through Jenvey throttle bodies managed by a MoTeC ECU, it now produces 400hp.
As the Dino’s driveline was never designed to cope with double its original power, a Ferrari 328 gearbox has been fitted to handle the extra load.
One of my favourite features is the wheels. Not only were the Dino’s original 15-inch Campagnolo wheels laser-scanned so they could be replicated in a 17-inch size, but the new wheels were cast in sand moulds, as per the originals, for an authentic appearance.
This increase in wheel size has allowed the fitment of a 4-pot brake setup, a necessity given the performance on tap.
Furthermore, Nitron was enlisted to supply the damper setup, resulting in a far more composed ride than the original suspension could manage.
At the owner’s request, the carbon fibre rear deck lid was modified to have a perspex window fitted, allowing the motor to be seen.
Subtley flared arches, front light covers and a freed-up exhaust system round up the external modifications.
Inside, the Dino’s interior remains factory-looking for the most part, but a full retrim and some modern amenities in the form of air conditioning and an uprated audio system add extra comfort.
Many people regard the Pininfarina-designed Dino 246 as one of the most beautiful cars to have ever rolled out of the Maranello factory. This example, having passed through the Moto Technique workshop, has been elevated to that of a highly capable sports car, even when measured against modern machinery.
Restomods are not for everyone, but when done right, they manage to retain the identity and sense of occasion of the original, while bringing modern-day useability and reliability into the equation. If quality restomods mean cars like this Dino 246 are used more often, I’m all for them.
Chaydon Ford
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