There isn’t much that isn’t available new for the Sprite and Midget, although restoration costs can add up very quickly.

INTRODUCTION
Mention have a Dino to someone and they’ll coo over the fact that you’re lucky enough to own a mid-engined baby Ferrari. That’s always been the Fiat Dino’s problem; ever since it was unveiled more than four decades ago, it has lived in the shadow of its more glamorous cousin. But it’s a double-edged sword, because you can buy this enigmatic sportscar with the same engine as Ferrari’s Dino, for a fraction of the price. Even better, you can choose from open or closed variants while also enjoying greater levels of rarity with consequently lower levels of familiarity. Perhaps the Fiat Dino is no consolation prize after all.

It came about thanks to a Formula 2 rule change in the mid-1960s. Any car racing would have to use an engine of which no fewer than 500 units were built. Ferrari wanted to be represented in the Formula but didn’t have the factory capacity. Instead, a tie up with Fiat was arranged. Ferrari had a suitable engine; penned by Vittorio Jano in 1956, the highly stressed racing V6 was redesigned by Aurelio Lampredi to ready it for road use. He increased the initial displacement of 1596cc to a production capacity of 1987cc, and later expanded it to 2418cc.

Design and production would be outsourced; the dropheads were styled and built by Pininfarina, while Bertone was responsible for the fixed heads. Although the spider was unveiled first, Bertone had been working on its coupé since 1963, intending it to replace Fiat’s 2300S. While the spider is something of an acquired taste, the understated lines of the coupé are universally admired. It’s less fussy, and the proportions are better too thanks to a stretched wheelbase to accommodate full-sized rear seats. The drophead has a 2+2 configuration instead, which in reality means space for two people plus a bit of extra luggage room.

Dino production lasted six years until 1972. By then, just 1557 spiders and 6043 coupés had been built – all left-hand drive. Of these, 1133 spiders and 3629 coupés featured the smaller engine. Over the years many have been scrapped, but it doesn’t happen any more; they’re too sought after, if not especially valuable. The estimated 30 spiders and 70 coupés in the UK are generally united by one factor; Dino nut Mike Morris. He set up the Dino Register 25 years ago; it now covers nearly 2000 examples around the globe. Having written the definitive book on the car, there isn’t much that Mike doesn’t know about the Dino.

He says: ‘There are nothing like enough Dinos to go round – especially when it comes to really good examples. There are few truly superb Dinos; those that do exist are retained by fastidious owners. Restoration projects almost never come onto the market, so that leaves just average examples that need a bit of tidying. The best cars are in Switzerland and Germany; owners there are meticulous with their cars.’

ENGINE
Whether you’re looking at a 2-litre car or a 2.4, the potential problems are much the same, although the latter tends to be more reliable. The most likely issue is with the camshafts, which can readily wear – especially if the engine hasn’t warmed up properly before piling on the revs. Things are made even worse by ignoring the valve clearances, which must be checked every 6000 miles.

It’s a time-consuming, fiddly job that’s frequently put off, which can prove expensive. There’s the potential for a lobe to get knocked off; that’s when things can get costly. Genuine Ferrari cams are around £1200 each (remember there are four), but Superformance does a set for £970, offering better mid-range torque.

Listen out for worn, rattling timing chains; fresh ones cost around £850 if replaced by a specialist. On 2-litre engines the chain itself is less problematic than the tensioner, which must be adjusted every 6000 miles. Failure to do so can result in the chain jumping a cog and wrecking the engine.

Also watch out for blue smoke when accelerating, betraying worn bores. This is especially likely on a 2-litre unit, but all Dino engines suffer from unreliable sender units for the oil pressure gauge. Expect 50psi at 3000rpm: if it is not indicated it could be a worn engine or faulty dials.

The Dino was the first car ever to get electronic ignition; the Dinoplex system was once state of the art but is now fragile and costly to fix. That’s why most systems have been swapped for modern Bosch units; a cost-effective solution. Less easy to mend cheaply is the distributor, which wears easily. They’re not easy to revive, with a rebuild costing around £250.

The 2.4-litre engine potentially suffers from a few afflictions that don’t affect the smaller unit. The first is broken exhaust valves, which are brittle sodium-filled items that can be quite fragile. Core plugs are also prone to weeping, and if left this can lead to the coolant level dropping to the point where the motor overheats.

Engine upgrades are popular on both variants, with displacement increases possible on the 2-litres. Bigger valves, uprated camshafts, high-capacity oil pumps and oil cooler kits all may have been fitted, along with a lightened flywheel and uprated radiator – all things that make the car more usable.

TRANSMISSION
There’s little to worry about with the transmission of a 2.4-litre Dino. Clonking universal joints or a whiny diff should be the extent of any problems. It’s a different matter for the 2-litre car though, whose gearbox and differential are both weak. In the case of the former, the initial things to go will be the synchromesh on second and third. Putting it right costs at least £1750, as long as no gears are needed.

SUSPENSION, STEERING AND BRAKES
Independent front suspension by double wishbones means the Dino is a fabulous car to drive – as long as it’s in fine fettle. Unfortunately it sometimes isn’t, with worn ball joints common. They are sealed units that rapidly deteriorate once the rubbers split, but replacing them is easy enough. They’re cheap too at less than £20 each; even a full suspension bush kit is under £100. A lot of the parts are common to the 124, 125 and 2300, which means many are available from specialists, if not especially plentiful at an autojumble.

The worm and roller steering is sharper than you’d think. It’s reliable too, although its damper sometimes loses an oil seal, leading to all the lubricant leaking out. Steering kickback over bumps betrays the fact that there’s no oil in the system; fitting a new seal is an easy task.
All Dinos feature discs at each corner and have no weak spots as such. Check for sticking cylinders, leaks and worn pads or discs, and be aware that each variant has its own disc specification.

CONCLUSION
Coupé or Spider? The former is more of a cruiser, with more compliant suspension, greater refinement and higher comfort levels. Which engine you choose is also important; the larger unit being more usable and reliable. The 2-litre is freer-revving however, while the car is less prone to understeer thanks to the lighter nose – this is an all-alloy block while the 2.4 is cast-iron. The earlier cars make do with the live rear axle and half-elliptic leaf springs of the 2300 coupé. The 2.4-litre cars are blessed with the independent set-up of the flagship 130.

All cars let you delight in the sounds of the quad-cam V6 and, ultimately, your decision may rest with what you can find.

The biggest challenge is finding a Dino that’s been properly restored or genuinely cherished all its life. Restoration costs are way beyond what the car will be worth in the foreseeable future, leading to bodges. However, there are good cars out there; you must just be patient and prepared to see several before you buy. Once you’ve found a minter, look after it and its value can only increase – but you’re unlikely to make your fortune from it.