One of the most sought- after of all Mganello-built cars did not, strictly speaking, carry the Ferrari label at all. At the time the “Dino” was conceived in the mid 1960’s Ferrari’s reputation was that of a V12 builder and little else. Yet the factory with the considerable assistance of Scaglietti’s coach building works produced between 1967 and 1974 well over 4,000 fine examples of relatively small and light V6 engined car. Truly the “Dino” is regarded as one of the most beautiful indeed desirable post-war coupes.

The origins of the Dino are linked to some grievous Ferrari domestic history. Enzo Ferrari had but one son, baptized Alfredo but who was almost always the affectionate “Dino” to those who knew and loved him. Dino showed every sign of becoming as gifted an engineer as his father and mentor, and his graduation he joined the Maranello works and took a special interest in the engine and cars then being planned in the early 1950’s for a targeted and directed assault on the Formula Two racing. Then he contracted leukemia and in 1956 he died at the young age of just 24.

It was Enzo Ferrari’s decision to name the whole series of smaller racing engines after his son. The original unit was designed by Vittorio Jano, who elected to meet the need for a 1.5 liter engine by making a V6- in effect half of one of the most admired V12s and with the advantage of compactness. In the event things did not transpire quite like that because Jano was worried about the amount of space available inside the vee of the engine to accommodate adequate breathing arrangements between the twin overhead camshafts. In order to gain space
He opened the vee angle from the theoretically ideal 60 degrees to 65 and restored equally spaced firing intervals by juggling with the crankpin angles.

This was the start of an engine series which was developed through all the vicissitudes of racing and hill climbing for 10 full years. In some versions, its vee-angle was reduced to 60 degrees, while in others it was extended to 120. Whatever the changes, it remained a V6, and it was there in 1965 when Ferrari decided he needed to widen his market, it was only to generate enough profit to keep all his racing programs in operation. There was also the new and real threat of the Porsche 911 to meet, since the then new car from Stuttgart added beauty to the promise of formidable performance.

By stages a road car was devised. The body shell was designed by Pininfarina who drew much of his inspiration from the sport racing and hill climbing bodies made for Ferrari by Piero Drogo of Modena. It was designed to fit over a multi-tube chassis which carried the V6 engine installed transversely, immediately ahead of the rear wheels.

Thus, among other things, the road going Dino was a mid-engined car when all the “proper” V12 Ferraris were front engine: the Dinos big brother was indeed the magnificent Daytona. Yet it was the “Dino” which came to carry the name of Alfredo Ferrari’s much loved only son.

Author Bio: Ted I. Boatman
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