Guide: Ferrari Dino 206 P
Background
In 1965, Ferrari produced their first Dino-badged model for five years: the 166 P.
A junior class Prototype racer, the new car was equipped with an updated version of the original Vittorio Jano-designed 65° V6 engine.
Despite its diminutive 1.6-litre motor, the super-lightweight Berlinetta was blessed with a formidable turn of speed.
This was most notably demonstrated during the Nurburgring 1000km race in May 1965 where the Dino comprehensively outperformed all the bigger-engined Porsches in attendance.
Only a late misfire stopped the little Ferrari from finishing an astonishing third overall (it was classified fourth). Porsche were so perturbed that they demanded the scrutineers tear the 166 down post race as they couldn't believe it was really just a 1600cc motor.
Worse was to come for Porsche as Ferrari's next step was to enlarge the Dino’s V6 engine to two-litres.
An experimental two-litre block was ready soon after Le Mans and Ferrari immediately fitted into the existing 166 P (chassis number 0834).
The Dino 206 P was born.
As usual, Scuderia Ferrari's sports car campaign had all but come to an end after the Le Mans 24 Hours in June.
To race-prove their new engine, the 206 P was entered for the remaining five rounds of the European Hillclimb Championship. It would go head-to-head with works teams from Porsche and Abarth that typically ran multiple cars at every event.
Engine & Gearbox
The shorter distances involved in gunning up some of Europe's most famous mountain passes meant Ferrari were able to build a sprint motor for this latest application (the original 1.6-litre unit had been constructed for endurance racing).
Designated Tipo 231, the 206 engine was given more radical cam timing and bigger Weber 40 DCN carburettors. The original 9.8:1 compression ratio was hiked to 12.5:1.
Bore was increased from 77mm to 86mm and the original 57mm stroke was retained. This resulted in a displacement of 1986cc which represented a 394cc gain on its predecessor.
Output jumped accordingly: peak power rose from 175bhp at 9000rpm to 205bhp at 8800rpm.
As before, the all-alloy 65° V6 was equipped with twin plug ignition, a pair of Marelli distributors, dry-sump lubrication, two valves per cylinder and dual overhead camshafts.
A five-speed non-synchromesh gearbox with twin-plate clutch was mounted in unit with the differential.
Chassis
This latest Dino engine was dropped straight into chassis 0834.
The chassis itself was a lightweight tubular steel frame with stressed alloy panels riveted in place for a semi-monocoque effect. It had a 2280mm wheelbase and fuel tanks mounted in each sill.
Fully independent suspension was via unequal-length wishbones, coil springs and telescopic Koni shocks. Anti-roll bars were fitted at either end.
The ventilated disc brakes were supplied by Dunlop. They were mounted outboard at the front and inboard at the rear.
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 those at the rear were 6.5-inches wide.
Bodywork
Initially, the original 166 P bodywork was retained.
The low slung Berlinetta stood just 960mm tall. The Fantuzzi works in Modena had fabricated the shell out of the thinnest available aluminium.
Curvaceous wings, covered headlights and a domed cockpit were all standard fare for Prototype competition cars of the era.
As per FIA endurance racing regulations, 0834 came with everything required for road use. Lights, wipers and a spare wheel were fitted. However, as none of these were required to compete in hillclimbs, substantial changes were planned after 0834’s maiden event with the two-litre engine.
Interior
Inside, a crackle black dash housed a 10,000rpm rev counter directly behind the three-spoke steering wheel. Gauges for water temperature, fuel and oil pressure were also fitted along with a selection of flick switches and warning lights.
A right-hand drive layout was used but, unlike Ferrari’s V12-engined Prototype racing cars (which used a right-hand gearchange), the Dino’s gear lever was mounted centrally between the two seats.
Vinyl was used to upholster the sills and rear bulkhead (blue) and the seats and transmission tunnel (red).
Weight / Performance
Weight was more or less unchanged at around 586kg. With the extra 30bhp on tap, top speed would theoretically have risen to around 170mph. As it was produced for hillclimbs though, the 206 P was given extremely short gear ratios.
1965 Season
Although the European Hillclimb Championship was currently dominated by Porsche, Scuderia Ferrari did have experience in the competition. Their resident mountain expert, Ludovico Scarfiotti, had secured the title in 1962 driving a works Dino 196 SP.
Other than in its inaugural year (1957), Scarfiotti’s 1962 triumph had been the only occasion a Porsche driver had not taken the championship.
The German firm clearly took the contest very seriously. For 1965, they initially ran the 904 GTS with a driver roster that included Gerhard Mitter, Anton Fischhaber and Herbert Muller. Porsche also had a fantastically ugly 904/8 Bergspyder in development that, like the Dino, was based on Formula car underpinnings.
Abarth used a combination of two-litre OT Sport Spiders and Simca GTs for drivers Hans Herrmann, Leo Cella and Herbert Demetz.
Although it was owned and campaigned by Scuderia Ferrari, chassis 0834 ran under a Scuderia Sant' Ambroeus entry (the team owned by Ferrari racing team manager, Eugenio Dragoni).
The Scuderia’s racing commitments elsewhere meant they had missed the first two rounds of 1965.
The season-opener at Mont Ventoux in France fell to Hans Herrmann's Abarth 2000 OT Sport Spider.
At Rossfeld in Germany, Gerhard Mitter's 904/8 Bergspyder won on its debut.
1965 Trento Bondone Hillclimb
Round three was held on July 11th.
It comprised a dramatic 10.75-mile run up Monte Bondone on the outskirts of Trento in northern Italy.
Driving the 206 P Berlinetta, Scarfiotti proceeded to smash the course record by an astonishing 21.4 seconds.
His time of 11:56.4 was 6.4 seconds faster than second place Herrmann's Abarth OT Sport Spider and 14 seconds quicker than Mitter's Porsche 904/8 Bergspyder.
Conversion to Spyder Trim
Following its victorious debut, the 206 P returned Maranello where the next stage of its conversion was carried out.
A new lightweight Spyder body was fitted that, other than lacking a roof, was almost identical to the original Berlinetta shell.
Ferrari added a cut-down windscreen and small driver’s roll hoop. The hinged rear deck was flattened apart from a blister to clear the carburettors. Fantuzzi also integrated extra cooling ducts to the nose and rear flanks.
Wider seven-inch rear wheels were fitted and dry weight dropped from 586kg to 532kg.
Inside, at Scarfiotti's request, Ferrari installed a larger diameter wood-rimmed steering wheel and a taller gear lever.
1965 Cesana Sestriere Hillclimb
Two weeks after its victorious debut, 0834 was present at round four of the European Hillclimb Championship: a 6.4-mile run from Cesana to Sestriere on the Italian-French border.
After they were outperformed by Ferrari and Abarth in the previous round, Porsche turned up a day early to practice.
Their endeavour was to no avail.
Despite damp conditions and a brush with a wall, Scarfiotti broke the course record by 20.3 seconds. His time of 5:12.8 was 5.2 seconds faster than Gerhard Mitter's Porsche 904/8 Bergspyder and 25 seconds quicker than the third placed Abarth OT 2000 of Hans Herrmann.
A second consecutive victory meant Scarfiotti was on 18 championship points, seven behind Mitter and four behind Herrmann. Three events remained.
1965 Freiburg Schauinsland Hillclimb
Freiburg in south-west Germany hosted round five of the championship on August 8th. It provided the closest finish of the year.
Despite home advantage, Porsche were once again unable to beat the little Dino.
Scarfiotti took 18 seconds off the existing 6.95-mile course record with a combined time for his two runs of 12:33.91. This was 1.9 seconds faster than Mitter in the 904/8 Bergspyder and 13 seconds better than Herbert Demetz managed in the third placed Abarth 2000 OT Sport Spider.
With two events left to run, Scarfiotti had moved up to second in the standings with 27 points. Mitter led on 31.
1965 Ollon-Villars Hillclimb
Although the Swiss authorities had banned circuit racing after the 1955 Le Mans disaster that claimed 84 lives, hillclimbs were still permitted.
Round six was held up the 4.97-mile course at Ollon-Villars in south-west Switzerland on August 29th. It was also round 17 of the 1965 World Sportscar Championship and therefore attracted an even better entry than normal.
Scarfiotti went on to set another outright record. His combined time of 8:20.3 for two runs put him 5.2 seconds ahead of Mitter in the Porsche Bergspyder and nearly 19 seconds quicker than a works Ferrari 275 P2 driven by third place Giampiero Biscaldi.
This result ensured that, from Ferrari’s perspective, the 1965 title could at worst be drawn should Mitter win and Scarfiotti fail to finish in the final round in three weeks time.
1965 Gaisberg Hillclimb
The 1965 season finale took place at Gaisberg in eastern Austria on September 19th.
However, what should have been a straightforward run to the title for Scarfiotti was complicated by wet, misty and icy conditions.
On a day for covered cars, Scarfiotti tentatively made his way up the 5.37-mile course to post fifth fastest time. He was 22 seconds slower than the winning Porsche 904 GTS of Michel Weber.
Other 904s driven by Sepp Greger and Rolf Stommelen were second and third while Mitter was fourth in the eight cylinder Porsche Bergspyder.
Scarfiotti therefore secured the title and gave Ferrari their second European Hillclimb Championship.
Subsequent History
Following this success, chassis 0834 returned to the factory.
It was later fitted with a 206 S engine, a 206 S Spyder-style roof canopy and re-profiled rear wings. In this configuration, 0834 reappeared for a couple of events in 1967.
Still owned by the factory but run under a Scuderia Nettuno entry, 0834 was entered for the 1967 Targa Florio where works driver Jonathan Williams and Nettuno team owner, Vittorio Venturi, finished fourth overall and third in class behind a trio of factory Porsche 910s.
Venturi then placed third in the Monte Erice hillclimb before 0834 was sold to Leandro Terra in August 1967.
Terra had the car rebuilt to more or less full 206 S trim and continued to race it until 1970.
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Ferrari - https://www.ferrari.com
