Dino - The "Pinto" of Ferraris

I went to Claudio's shop, FST Inc. on Braodway in Santa Monica, CA this last Friday and talked with one of the technicians (Claudios' son perhaps?) who was working on a Ferrari 365. I asked a few questions about the Dino series and he responded with a succint list of deficencies resulting in a humorous title calling the Dino 246 "the "Pinto of Ferraris".

I didn't take it very seriously and he offered great insight into the cars, but it did make me chuckle.

 

If that's the case I'll take one of those 'Pintos' any day.

 

Sign me up as well...

 

Not neccessarily the Pinto of Ferraris but in the 70s and early 80s Dinos were thought of as just fancy Fiats and they sat on dealer lots, its ironic how they have come full circle to be accepted as one of the great designs of Ferrari today. Ferrari itself was to blame by distancing themselves from the car calling it "Almost a Ferrari" in their sales brochures.

Dinos did have some build issues over the regular Ferrari line referenced in some books but typically resolved easily along with rust problems which didn't help their rep also.

 

Pintos... Not in my book.

 

You can send a couple my way too...

 

Everything contemporary I've read on the 246 is negative. They said the style was "dated", the driving position horrid, the carbs could never be adjusted adequately, it's under powered, shifts like crap and too expensive for what you got considering the name "Ferrari" was nowhere to be found. The only consistant good point was the handling.

My my, how perspectives have changed. Considering what a nice 246 fetches today I'd say that the complaints of the early 70's don't hold much water with today's buying public.

Ken

 

it really said that in brochures?

 

They are, in that they were the entry level-bottom of the line car of the Ferrari marque when new.

 

Well, I'd have to agree with the "contemporary" negatives - except for the "dated styling".

There aren't many Ferrari sightings in my neck-of-the-woods (PUs and SUVs mostly in central Oregon) but the Dino 246 sure turns heads any time I take it out on the road. I've had "enthusiasts" follow and, in some instances, chase me for miles to get a better look. So far, the police haven't been interested! It's fun to park the Dino and observe, at a distance, the reaction of passers-by with their cameras clicking - I live in a tourist town so the cameras are plentiful. I take great pride in taking the time to tell interested people about the Dino. I think it's the exhaust note that gets heads turning initially and then the fingers start pointing.

The "negatives" are what make the mystic of the Dino experience interesting and challenging. Driving a well tuned (the challenge) Dino makes the whole experience rewarding and worthwhile.

Pinto in deed! Maybe on the Ferrari scale!

 

hmmm, does the Dino explode when tapped in the rear? that's what I think when I hear "pinto". I know more Lotus Europas that have burned than Dinos . . .

 

Not quite; they were not sold as a Ferrari. They were a Fiat-based sports car built in a new factory on the Ferrari factory site.

I saw them being built and the Fiat Dino came off the same line at the same time.

They were advertised as 'quasi una Ferrari' or something similar.

The reason they rusted is that they were not painted underneath!

Cheers

John Ellis

 

Well john nothing you will say will change the fact that these cars are Ferrari's and Ferrari aknowledges this and the prices reflect this. So sorry you have to pick on a great little car whose time has come for its moment in the sun. There are three places on the car that have Ferrari badges, maybe you missed that at the factory.

 

Not all contemporary reviews were unkind.

The '72 Road and Track article reviewing the US spec Dino was for the most part, very complimentary.

To quote, "It's a thrill to drive a car like the Dino, one whose capabilites are far beyond what even an expert driver can use."

"the steering is light, responsive and wonderfully quick."

"The stopping power is phenominal."

In case you'd like to read the entire review, it's here:

http://141.151.68.66/pages/dav/Ferrari_Articles/dino%20246GT%20from%20R&T..pdf

DM

 

i think the pinto correlation is far from appropriate. just try to repair a dino at a mustang price and you will be surprised.

having said that, i hink you would be hard pressed to convince some HOT GIRL that your pinto is the sh*t. not that i would want to use that as why a dino is a great car, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. a dino is a great car and a damn sexy car for the observer with respect to the time. i doubt any 16 year old would respect the car, but then again, they're illegal. however, any woman worth her own, would respect and recognise a car that was sure class. the dino falls into this category, and hold it's own with any car that followed for many years.

 

What magazines, exactly, gave the car negative reviews? All the mags in the reprint collection I have gave it rave reviews.

 

it surprises me that the dino would fall into this territory, given the fact these cars are not CHEAP to own. dino's are great cars, when one considers their attributes and age, i would rather have a dino than a Z06. one must understand the difference. dino's are great cars, but they aren't hotrods. once one can differentiate betwen the two, they will understand. until that point, they will have to linger.

 

Yes, search the old archives, I saw it in a vintage 246 history book and someone also posted a pic of the brochure with Ferrari stating this.

 

Excellent post, love the eyes-on history lesson. It's clear that from the start the Dino line was distinct from the Fiat line, although the shared mechanicals connected the two bloodlines, didn't know they were "produced" at the same plant. I'm sure the 246 bodies and the Fiat Dino Coupes weren't produced by the same hammers, though. . .

Quasi una Ferrari? Qua una Ferrari!!

 

Did they make a GTS version of the Pinto as well?

 

yes, and here it is: http://www.race-cars.com/carsales/ford/1052509755/1052509755ss.htm

 

now I've seen everything...oh wait, still looking for the Rally Pacer....

 

Really?? I think maybe 20 years ago those who didn't swap out the plastic fuel line had a few fire issues, but I am not aware of a single Europa doing a Fiero thing: bursting into flame. There's hardly enough left running to have a decent sample these days. Of course, I do keep a fire extingusiher on board....

Ken

 

Ken - have I got a picture for you! I'll get it scanned and send.

 

Since my Lotus is a 1972, I have lots of mags that review both cars. They're at home, but if memory serves, Road & Track (?) did a review of the "middies": 914, Bora, Europa, 246, X19. They weren't thrilled. They liked the handling but not a lot else.

Another review had me rolling on the floor; they described the seating as something akin to a crablike position, and the fact the steering wheel hides the gauges doesn't matter since you can't see them from the tears in your eyes from the pain in your back. I wish I could remember where that was but maybe you recognize it?

In another one, they say it idled rough when cold and not much better when warm, and would always backfire on shut down. Granted, the carbs were obviously out and they didn't attend to them. Plus the 0-60 they got was like 8.5 sec; again the carbs were likely to blame.

Let me just say, I bought my Europa because I couldn't afford a 246; all the above not withstanding, I really would love to someday own one.

Ken