This is a 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GT that has quite clearly seen better days. The vehicle has been badly burned, exactly how remained a mystery, but it’s now being offered for sale on eBay described as “the cheapest one you will ever find.”
It’s very clear looking at the pictures that this car will require a comprehensive restoration, there is significant damage to the body as well as signs that the car may have been rolled at some point in the past. It does come with the engine, transmission, a clear title, and its Marcel Massini report, so hopefully it’ll get snapped up by a specialist and be back on the road one day soon.
Fast Facts – A Ferrari Dino 246 GT Project Car
- This 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GT, currently listed on eBay, is heavily damaged and described in the listing as “the cheapest one you will ever find.” The vehicle has extensive fire damage, possible rollover damage, and other impact damage, indicating it will need significant restoration work.
- The Ferrari Dino 246 GT was named after Enzo Ferrari’s son, Alfredo “Dino” Ferrari, a talented engineer who passed away at 24 due to Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Dino was still contributing to Ferrari engine designs from his hospital bed, and the sub-marque “Dino” was created in his honor for Ferrari’s smaller, V6-powered sports cars, which aimed to compete with the Porsche 911.
- The Dino series began with the 206 GT in 1967, featuring a 2.0 liter V6 engine producing 180 bhp. The 246 GT, introduced in 1969, had a larger 2.4 liter V6 and came in both GT (hardtop) and GTS (convertible) versions. The final Dino model was the 308 GT4, a departure from the previous designs, with a mid-mounted V8 engine and an angular body designed by Marcello Gandini at Bertone.
- This fire-damaged Dino 246 GT is probably the most challenging restoration project ever featured on Silodrome. It is offered for sale in Astoria, New York, at $129,500 USD. The vehicle’s major mechanical components are present, but the restoration process will be lengthy and complex. To say the least.
Where Did The Name “Dino” Come From?
The Ferrari Dino 246 GT, officially called the Dino 246 GT, was the successor to the earlier Dino 206 GT. This line of Dino badged cars were all built by Ferrari with one very specific goal in mind – taking on and beating the Porsche 911.
In this photograph, believed to be from 1947, we see Alfredo “Dino” Ferrari on the left and Enzo Ferrari second from the right. They’re looking at the then-new 1.5 liter Colombo V12 engine. Image courtesy of Ferrari.
The “Dino” name for Ferrari’s sub-marque came from Enzo Ferrari’s beloved son Alfredo “Dino” Ferrari, who was a talented young engineer. Tragically, Dino was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and died at the age of just 24 in 1956.
Despite his prognosis, Dino famously kept working on Ferrari engine designs from his hospital bed, including on a 1.5 liter V6 engine that would later be used in Ferrari’s Formula Two race cars. It would be a descendant of this V6 engine that would power the Ferrari-built Dino road cars that would debut in 1967 with the Dino 2o6 GT.
It had been decided that these smaller sports cars being built by Ferrari should not carry Ferrari badging, this would be reserved for the full-sized V12 cars that the Modenese firm had become so famous for.
There doesn’t seem to have been much conversation about what this new sub-marque should be called, Enzo Ferrari and his wife Laura Dominica Garello only had one son and they missed him terribly, the new cars would all carry Dino badges in his honor.
The Ferrari Dino 246 GT
The Dino road car model family would have three primary members, the 206 GT, the 246 GT (and GTS), and finally the 308 GT4. There were also a series of Dino sports racing cars, concept cars, and open-wheeled racing cars, however we won’t be delving into any of them within this article.
Here we see the Ferrari Dino 246 GT at a motor show in 1969 being carefully inspected by some attendees. It may be the Frankfurt Motor Show where the car made its initial debut. Image courtesy of Ferrari.
The Dino 206 GT debuted in 1967, it was powered by a 2.0 liter Dino V6, an all-aluminum engine mounted in a rear-mid position behind the driver and passenger, producing a claimed 180 bhp. The car was designed by Aldo Brovarone at Pininfarina, with input from the earlier Pininfarina Dino concept cars like the Dino Berlinetta Speciale and the Dino Berlinetta GT prototype.
The Dino 246 GT arrived just two years later in 1969, as the model name implies it was now fitted with a 2.4 liter version of the Dino V6, and it came in both GT (hardtop) and GTS (spider/convertible) versions.
The final car in the series would be the 308 GT4. This vehicle would be a radical departure from the earlier Dinos, now powered by a mid-mounted V8 (a Ferrari first), and featuring a far more angular body designed by Marcello Gandini, then at Bertone. It used a stretched version of the 246 GT chassis, but was otherwise an overwhelmingly new design.
The Fire Damaged Ferrari Dino 246 GT Shown Here
The car you see here is by far the worst example of the Dino 246 GT that we’ve ever had on Silodrome. That said, it’s also the cheapest, and it’s by far and away the most challenging restoration candidate.
This project car does come with its engine in place, but due to the fact that it’s an aluminum V6 there’s a chance it may no longer be useable.
As noted above, this vehicle has clearly acquired a variety of damage including what appears to be impact damage, roll over damage, and extensive fire damage. The major parts all do still seem to be present and accounted for, but the process of getting the car from here to fully restored condition will be a long one.
If you’d like to read more about this car, enquire about it, or hit the Buy It Now button you can visit the listing on eBay here. It’s being offered for sale out of Astoria, New York with a price of $129,500 USD and it comes with a clear title and its Marcel Massini report.
Images courtesy of eBay + Gullwing Motor Cars
Articles that Ben has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
