Guide: Ferrari Dino 166 P
Background
Alongside the V12-engined P2, Ferrari raced an experimental 1600cc Dino V6 Prototype in several rounds of the 1965 World Sportscar Championship.
Equipped with an updated version of the original Vittorio Jano-designed V6 engine, the 166 P revived the Dino moniker last used in 1960.
This latest V6 Dino engine was initially conceived to facilitate Ferrari’s Formula 2 return. At the beginning of 1965, the FIA had announced that new Formula 2 regulations would come into effect from 1967. The principle rule change concerned engines: there would be a 1600cc, six cylinder limit and a minimum production requirement of 500 units.
The engine blocks had to be used in 500 road-going production cars built within a twelve month timeframe.
Enzo Ferrari considered his Dino V6 engine to be the perfect basis for a 1600cc F2 powerplant. However, his firm did not have the production capacity to make the 500 V6-powered road cars in such a short period.
Ferrari thus turned to Fiat and, in March 1965, the two companies signed a cooperation agreement; Fiat would produce a new line of models in sufficient numbers to allow the V6 engine to be homologated for use in a Dino-badged Ferrari Formula 2 car.
Chassis
Franco Rocchi’s revamped Dino engine first appeared in the diminutive 166 P.
This fantastically fast little Prototype was built on a new Tipo 573 chassis that adopted all the latest technology. Essentially a Formula-type semi-monocoque clothed with a sports car body, the lightweight tubular framework incorporated stressed alloy panels that were riveted in place.
The wheelbase was short at 2280mm and each sill housed a 50-litre fuel tank.
Suspension was independent all round with unequal-length wishbones, coil springs and telescopic Koni shocks. Anti-roll bars were fitted at either end.
Ventilated Dunlop disc brakes were mounted outboard at the front and inboard at the rear.
The five spoke 13-inch diameter cast magnesium wheels were supplied by Campagnolo and shod with Dunlop R7 racing tyres. The front rims measured 5.5-inches wide and the rears were 6.5-inches wide.
Engine & Gearbox
Rocchi’s updated 65° all alloy V6 was mounted mid-longitudinally in the chassis.
Designated Tipo 227, it was effectively an endurance racing version of the motor used in 1964’s Tipo 156 Formula 1 car. Dry-sumped with dual overhead camshafts and two valves per cylinder, it also featured twin plug ignition and a pair of Marelli distributors.
Displacement was 1592cc thanks to a bore and stroke of 77mm and 57mm respectively.
With compression set at 9.8:1 and three twin-choke Weber 38 DCN downdraught carburettors, the Tipo 227 unit produced 175bhp at 9000rpm. The torque rating was never published.
Ferrari mounted a five-speed non-synchromesh gearbox with twin-plate clutch in unit with the differential. A variety of alternative axle ratios was available to suit any kind of circuit.
Bodywork
This mouth-watering assembly of parts was equipped with a scaled down version of the P-car body theme.
Executed in aluminium by the Fantuzzi works in Modena, the low slung Berlinetta stood just 96cm tall.
With hardly a straight edge to be found, the 166 P’s bulbous wings, covered headlights and domed cockpit precisely mimicked the lines of Ferrari's bigger V12-engined Prototypes.
Two sets of covered headlights were installed. The lower pair were located either side of a full width intake that fed cool air to the radiator.
Other cooling solutions included ducts for the inboard back brakes carved out from each rear fender. The meshed tail fascia was home to no less than 29 vertical louvres.
Because the 166 P was so tiny, its glass area seemed disproportionately large. The faired-in rear screen lifted up to permit engine access whereas the contemporary P2 had single-piece rear bodywork.
Interior
Inside, vinyl was used to upholster the sills and rear bulkhead (blue) and the seats and transmission tunnel (red).
The crackle black dash housed a 10,000rpm rev counter directly behind the three-spoke steering wheel. Gauges for water temperature, fuel level and oil pressure were also fitted along with a selection of flick switches and warning lights.
As usual, a right-hand drive layout was used. Unlike Ferrari’s V12-engined Prototypes (that used a right-hand gear change), the Dino’s gear shift was mounted in the middle of the cockpit.
Weight / Performance
With a dry weight of just 586kg and 175bhp to propel it down the road, the 166 P offered blistering performance.
Top speed was around 160mph and 0-62mph took less than five seconds.
1965 Season
Upon completion, Ferrari took their new baby Prototype testing at the Modena Autodrome. It was then on to Monza for the World Championship 1000 kilometre race on April 25th 1965.
Whereas in previous World Championship seasons, Prototypes had been limited to a handful of blue ribband events, for 1965 they were eligible to contest half of the 20 events on the calendar.
Points scored went towards the International Trophy for GT Prototypes. This contest ran in conjunction with the International Championship for GT Manufacturers. Grand Touring cars were eligible for every one of the 20 rounds.
1965 would be the final year the World Championship revolved around GT machinery. For 1966, an entirely new regulatory framework was introduced.
In 1965, classes were still haphazardly organised. Certain events split Prototypes into groups for over and under two-litres whilst others had four or more separate categories depending on the whim of the race organisers.
1965 Monza 1000km
Scuderia Ferrari arrived at Monza with a four car line-up that comprised the Dino for Giancarlo Baghetti and Giampiero Biscaldi plus a trio of P2s.
The Dino qualified twelfth and, in the absence of any Porsches, was by far the quickest car in its class.
Limited opposition in the 1.6-litre Prototype group came from an experimental Autodelta Alfa Romeo GTA and two Alfa Romeo-powered Aguzzoli Condors.
Despite its prodigious speed in qualifying (0834 had split the pair of Shelby Cobra Daytonas in attendance), the race proved a disappointment.
0834's engine blew after just one lap when lying eleventh and it was abandoned out on the circuit.
Ferrari's blushes were saved as the P2s of Parkes / Guichet and Surtees / Scarfiotti went on to finish first and second overall. A Shelby-entered Ford GT rounded out the podium positions.
1965 Rome GP, Vallelunga
Following its short-lived appearance at Monza, 0834 was entered for Lorenzo Bandini to drive in the Rome Grand Prix at Vallelunga on May 16th. This 35 lap non-championship event for under two-litre machinery was held in support of that weekend’s Formula 2 race.
Bandini took pole, set fastest lap and secured the 166 P's maiden victory.
He finished two laps clear of Maurizio Grana’s Porsche 904 GTS and three laps ahead of the works De Tomaso Vallelunga driven by Franco Bernabei.
1965 Nurburgring 1000km
A sterner test of the 166 P's credentials came on its next outing.
0834 was wheeled out for the Nurburgring 1000km World Championship race on May 23rd where the little Ferrari would go head-to-head with Porsche for the first time.
Scuderia Ferrari took four cars to Germany: the Dino, a pair of P2s and a 275 GTB Competizione.
The event attracted a mammoth grid of 63 starters. The race organisers split Prototypes into groups for over three-litres, up to two-litres and under 1.3-litres. This put the 1.6-litre Dino at a disadvantage as it had to run in the two-litre category where it would be giving away 400cc to some of its rivals.
Porsche had four works 904s on hand: a trio of six cylinder variants and a solitary eight-cylinder example.
Only the eight-cylinder Porsche outqualified the Dino. It started seventh while Lorenzo Bandini and Nino Vaccarella were one place back in 0834.
The Italian pair set a very fast pace and led their class for much of the race. At one stage, they were running as high as third overall.
However, late on, the Dino’s engine began to misfire as a result of a stray rubber seal that was blocking the carburettor jet. This allowed the works Porsche 904/8 of Jo Bonnier and Jochen Rindt past.
0834 nevertheless finished fourth overall and second in the under two-litre Prototype class.
Outright victory went to John Surtees and Ludovico Scarfiotti in their four-litre 330 P2. The 3.3-litre 275 P2 of Mike Parkes and Jean Guichet was second.
1965 Le Mans 24 Hours
The Dino's final event was at the Le Mans 24 Hours which took place over the weekend of June 20th and 21st.
Scuderia Ferrari had another four-car entry. This time the 166 P was joined by a trio of P2s. The 275 GTB Competizione raced at the Nurburgring was repainted yellow and loaned to Ecurie Francorchamps.
Giancarlo Baghetti and Mario Casoni qualified the Dino 28th. During practice, the team added bigger front winglets to create a little extra downforce.
Porsche also had a team of four works cars at Le Mans but, on this occasion, they would contest separate classes thanks to the organisers splitting the Prototypes into no less than seven different categories.
Such were the myriad groups that only one other car was entered against the Dino in the 1.6-litre Prototype category. However, this works CD Alfa Romeo SP65 failed to set a time in practice and did not start.
This meant Ferrari would be guaranteed a class win if the 166 P could last the distance.
Unfortunately, Le Mans proved a major disappointment.
With Baghetti behind the wheel, 0834's engine dropped a valve and blew after just two laps.
The 1965 Le Mans 24 Hours turned out to be a torrid event for Scuderia Ferrari as none of their works cars made it to the finish.
However, somewhat fortuitously, Ferraris still swept to first, second and third overall.
The NART 250 LM of Jochen Rindt, Masten Gregory and Ed Hugus took victory from the similar car entered by Pierre Dumay and shared with Gustave Gosselin. Third spot went to the Willy Mairesse / Jean Blaton 275 GTB Competizione that Ferrari had loaned to Ecurie Francorchamps.
Works Porsche 904s finished fourth and fifth.
Subsequent History
After Le Mans, 0834 returned to the factory where it was prepared for an attack on the 1965 European Hillclimb Championship.
It was uprated with a two-litre ‘206’ engine and thus became the Dino 206 P.
After one event with its new engine, Ferrari converted the car with a lightweight Spyder body.
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Ferrari - https://www.ferrari.com
