Gaze at the beauty of this newly-restored Ferrari Dino 246 GT L series
Posted by Tejas Kokcha on Feb 23, 2022
The Ferrari Dino is possibly one of the most beautiful Italian cars made till date. But not all Dinos have got the coveted appeal. You see, a lot of the fame has gone to the 296 GTB instead of the 246 GT L Series you see above.
The 246 GT L Series we’re talking about here has been restored by Bell Sport & Classic and has a pretty cool story behind it. This car, bearing the chassis number 00436, has covered only 53,000 miles and was previously owned by enthusiasts from Germany, France, Canada, and the US. When it first arrived at Bell Sport & Classic’s facility in 2017, it wasn’t in great shape.
Rust meant that the front and rear valances were deformed, scoops located on the door panels were skewed in height and had a twisted angle, and the wheel arch heights were also all over the place. Peter Ensor, the person who spearheaded the restoration, said that his team questioned the financial viability of the project before taking it up as the car was in such bad shape.
To restore the car, Bell Sport & Classic stripped the car down to its steel monocoque and then started restoring it. While the restoration took a huge amount of time and money, the final result shows the firm’s expertise in full car restorations from the ground up.
The Bell Sport team has not only restored the exterior but it has also worked its magic on the 2.4-liter V6 which was mated to three Weber 40 DCF carburetors. The engine has been calibrated to produce 191 horsepower - which is the power the car originally produced when it left Ferrari’s factory in 1969.
Bell Sport & Classic’s team has also blessed the Dino with its pristine Rosso Dino colour which has a lovely orange hue to it.
Tim Kearns, Managing Director of Bell Sport and Classic, said: "Like every project we undertake, bringing the Dino 246 GT back to life has been a true labour of love and most definitely not a clock-watching exercise. No amount of time, expense or attention to detail has been spared in ensuring the car is now in even better condition than when it left the factory.”
“With its mid-mounted V6 engine, the Dino differs from the Ferrari V12 GT models that preceded it. It represents a seminal point in the company's history and stands as a fitting tribute to Alfredo 'Dino' Ferrari. There will always be an air of intrigue to this car too, as one cannot look at it without wondering what direction Ferrari may have taken if Alfredo had lived to take over the company's reins from his father, Enzo. And that makes the Dino an exceptional car," he concluded.