The ex-Clemente Ravetto, Pietro lo Piccolo, Bardinon Collection,Ferrari Dino 206S/SP Racing Sports Prototype Chassis no. 022 Engine no. 022
Ferrari Dino 206S/SP Racing Sports Prototype
Chassis no. 022
Engine no. 022

Immediately his grieving father decreed that a new type of Ferrari V6-cylinder engine, destined for the new International Formula 2 which would prevail for 1957-1960, should carry the boy's name. Lettering derived from his signature duly adorned the cam-covers of that new 1.5-litre 4-cam V6-cylinder engine. Its design had been outlined by legendary consultant engineer Vittorio Jano, ex-Alfa Romeo, ex-Lancia. It was developed by Ferrari under the leadership of its youthful new Chief Engineer Ing. Andrea Fraschetti. The Ferrari Dino V6 won its first major race – the F2 Coupe de Vitesse at Reims – in 1957 driven by Maurice Trintignant. By the end of that season the design had been enlarged to 2.2-litres for interim Formula 1 use, and into 1958 in 2.4-litre form the Ferrari Dino 246 would carry Mike Hawthorn to the Drivers' World Championship title. Ferrari Dino 246 and 256 Formula 1 cars would carry the marque to further Formula 1 success through 1959-1960, it remained a winner at 1500cc Formula 2 level and even shone in endurance sports-prototype form through 1961-62. The 65-degree Dino 156 4-cam V6 engine also featured in early examples of the famous 'Sharknose' Grand Prix cars of 1961 – before the derived 120-degree V6 engine took precedence 1961-63.

It was early in December 1964 that Mr Ferrari held a press conference to outline his plans for 1965. Amongst them was a major surprise as he made passing comment to a new '168 Dino GT car'. But he was notably reticent when asked for further detail, merely confirming that the new model would be powered by a '168' engine, so 1600cc and presumably a V8. It was suggested by sources close to Ferrari that the power unit would be used as the production basis needed for a new Formula 2 racing engine needed to contest a new F2 class due in 1967...

This was the beginning of the Ferrari-Fiat accord that eventually produced the Fiat Dino production models of 1966-67 although they emerged with V6 engines - not V8s. Nothing more was heard of the phantom 'Dino 168' but during practice for the April 25, 1965, Monza 1,000Kms race it was instead the delightful 'Dino 166P' that made its ear-splitting public debut, having just been revealed to specialist press at the Maranello factory.

Peter Coltrin, the respected American racing journalist resident in Modena, described how "At first glance (the new Dino) appears to be a dehydrated 250LM...but chassis and engine-wise the Dino is in many respects a closer relative to the Ferrari Formula 1 cars than it is to the more recent GT and prototype models...".

Its new V6 engine was indeed an endurance racing version of the Fiat-Ferrari Dino V6 then being finalised by Ing. Franco Rocchi; a 4-cam 65-degree V6 derived from the old 1957-60 F1/F2 design. The new car's all-up weight was barely 1,300lbs and the 1600cc V6 engine was expected to deliver around 190bhp at 9,000rpm. The chassis was a lightweight tubular frame with riveted-on aluminium stressed skin panelling. With Formula 1 style all-independent suspension the car carried its Dunlop disc brakes outboard at the front, and inboard – on the gearbox cheeks – at the rear.

Giancarlo Baghetti in the new Dino 166P won the Rome Grand Prix supporting sports car race with ease. One week later it was entrusted to Lorenzo Bandini/Nino Vaccarella in the Nürburgring 1,000Kms. Denis Jenkinson of 'Motor Sport' reported: "Surtees and Scarfiotti gave a very impressive demonstration (in their winning 4-litre Ferrari 330P2) but it almost paled into insignificance compared with the relative performance of the 1600 Ferrari Dino Coupe, driven by Bandini/Vaccarella. This Coupe two-seater 'Grand Prix' car staggered everyone by its performance and set a new standard... This little red coupe with its yellow Grand Prix alloy wheels went so fast that a lot of people refused to believe it was only 1600cc. As the class limit was 2000cc it did not matter much to Ferrari whether they were believed or not.... It was leading all the GT Cars, of any capacity, all the LM Ferraris, all the Porsches, both 8-cylinder and 6-cylinder, and was undoubtedly the star of the show. As other cars struck trouble it moved up into third place...for a long while the Ferrari team were on top of the world with their 4-litre prototype in first place, their 3.3-litre prototype in second place and their 1.6-litre prototype in third place, with Porsches, Fords, Cobras, Alfa Romeos and everyone else behind them.

"Then there was a moment of panic when the Dino started to misfire and Bandini came into the pits. There was no undue noise, no smoke, no loss of oil pressure, but the misfire was still there and it remained to the end of the race – so that one of the Porsches was able to take third place and the Dino finished fourth. It transpired that a piece of rubber from a seal in the intake system had gone down one of the downdraught Weber carburettors and partially blocked a jet. But the Dino Ferrari had certainly made its mark...".

That mark became even more indelible when team manager Eugenio Dragoni insisted that the German scrutineers should verify the little Dino's engine capacity, after which "...the muttering began about 'thinly-disguised Grand Prix cars'" being used in sports car World Championship racing...

After that year's Le Mans race the little Dino ran out of 2-litre class endurance races to contest, and so was entrusted instead to Ludovico Scarfiotti for another attempt upon winning the European Mountain Championship, which he had won so handsomely – with an earlier Ferrari Dino - in 1962. Despite missing the opening two Championship rounds, while latterly using the first prototype car in cut-down open-cockpit Barchetta form, Scarfiotti and the Dino walked off with Ferrari's second European Mountain Championship title in four years.

In early February 1966 Ferrari then released both its glorious 4-litre 330P3 sports-prototype car and its new 'little sister' – the new Dino 206S. Mr Ferrari declared his intention to build 50 of these little V6s to qualify them as 2-litre Group 4 sports-racing cars – as opposed to their being initially Group 6 prototypes. However, that summer saw Italian industry convulsed by widespread industrial strife which gutted Ferrari's production programme. While effort was focused upon the marque's Formula 1 and large-capacity sports-prototype programmes, Dino 206S production was apparently limited to just 18 true Dino 206S entities - even-numbered from chassis '002' to '036'. This family embodied a separate series from the works-team prototypes – although two works cars may also have been renumbered as production cars.

Several changes were made to the new 1966 Dino 206S. Most notable was the adoption of brand-new – far better proportioned - bodywork hand-made by Piero Drogo's Carrozzeria Sports Cars company in Modena. The body shape was scaled-down version from Drogo's big-engined P3 body form and the new model was based upon a welded multi-tubular spaceframe stiffened by alloy stress panels rivetted into place. Some glassfibre panels were also bonded to the frame tubes, housing bag-type fuel tanks within each side sill. The 65-degree 4-cam Dino V6 engine adopted the 86mm bore x 57mm stroke used in the Mountain Championship-winning car, displacing 1986.6cc. Redesigned cylinder heads had single-plug ignition replacing the 1965 twin-plug system. Either three twin-choke Weber carburettors or fuel injection was to be used, and in this updated form the Dino 206S was initially credited with 218bhp at 9,000rpm. The standard – voluptuously curved and utterly beautiful – bodywork resembled a Coupe with an open sun-roof. In fact a roof panel was offered to create a true closed Coupe – "...for very fast circuits".

Aristocratic Sicilian gentleman magistrate-cum-racing driver Clemente Ravetto was the first owner of Ferrari Dino 206S chassis '022' now offered here. He was a leading light of the Sicilian Scuderia Pegaso team, having campaigned Ferrari 250GTO and 250LM, and an E-Type Jaguar. He was the vice-prosecutor of the Republic of Vrone, and a Knight of both the Order in Malta and of the Italian Republic. He was an engaging and kindly man who remained widely popular and prominent figure until his death in 2010, aged 76, when his son, Dr Manfredi Ravetto, was general manager of the HRT Formula 1 Team, Hispania Racing.

Ravetto appears to have made his Dino 206S debut on July 31, 1966, running under race No 470 in the major Trieste-Opicina hill-climb. However, the Ferrari factory invoice for his purchase of Dino '022' offered here is dated March 29, 1967, quoting 'Telaio' (chassis) '022' and 'Motore' '022' – finished in Rosso Corsa (Racing Red). The price charged for the car 'complete with five wheels and tyres') was 8,876,400 Lire.

Clemente Ravetto then entered the April 25, 1967, Monza 1,000Kms, co-driving this Dino 206S – in its original ex-factory Drogo-bodied form - with fellow Sicilian aristocrat – and vastly experienced sometime Formula 1 racing driver - Prince Gaetano Starrabba di Giardinelli. But their race ended in engine failure.

Ravetto reappeared in the car in June that year, finishing second on home soil in the Monte Pellegrino hill-climb, just outside Palermo, Sicily. And it was to one of Palermo's most prominent personalities that Ravetto then sold '022', for 1968.

Pietro Lo Piccolo was the race-driving President of the Unione Provinciale Panificatori and leader of the Palermo commercial confederation. Lo Piccolo's father had founded a major bakery business, which prospered under the management of Pietro and his brother Francis

Lo Piccolo had raced motorcycles before turning to four wheels in karting, and then motor racing, initially in 1965 with an Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ, followed – in 1966 – by a Giulia TZ 1600. After acquiring '022' from Ravetto he would campaign it for three years, ultimately winning the Italian Championship in 1970. Having that far driven the Alfa Romeo TZ in his home island's International Targa Florio, he entered his Dino '022' in the 1970 Targa – co-driving it with Salvatore Calascibetta. They finished a 11th overall and 2nd in class. By that time '022' had been updated into the Spider or Montagna body form in which it is now offered here.

Pietro Lo Piccolo was also an enthusiastic aviator and competed in air races, including the Tour of Sicily, while in down-town Palermo he was a familiar figure cycling to his office because he couldn't abide being stuck in traffic...
His career in Dino 206S '022' began with 5th place in the Coppa Bruno Carotti race at Vallelunga, Rome, in June, 1968. That August saw him win his class, 5th overall, in the Coppa Citta di Enna race around Lake Pergusa, Sicily, and he then won the September '68 Cefalu-Gibilmanna hill-climb, followed in October by victory at Val d'Anapo-Sortino. He placed 2nd in the Citta d'Orivetto event before the broadly Ferrari 212E-type Montagna lightweight sports body - custom made for him in vetroresina (glass fibre) - was fitted to the car for 1969.

Pietro Lo Piccolo then drove '022' to win six important National events that new season; the San Benedetto del Tronto-Acquaviva Piceno hill-climb, Monte Pellegrino-Polerna, Trapani-Monte Erice, the Coppa Nissena, Val d'Anapo-Sortino and Camucia-Cortona events. He raced the car in the Coppa Citta di Enna at Pergusa, finishing 6th and placed 3rd in the Coppa di Tolentino.

This most capable and talented gentleman driver then entered '022' for its most important motor race – the 1970 Targa Florio, round 5 of that year's World Championship of Makes endurance racing series. Lo Piccolo and Salvatore Calascibetta co-drove their Dino 206S under the Scuderia Pegaso ('Pegasus' – the winged horse) banner, to finish 11th overall and 2nd in class, headed in that category by only the works-supported Alfa Romeo T33/2 of ex-works Ferrari driver Jonathan Williams/Giovanni Alberti.

Lo Piccolo in '022' went on subsequently to win the 1970 Coppa Faro, the Trofeo Ludovico Scarfiotti, Monte Pellegrino and Val d'Anapo-Sortino hill-climbs. In the July 19, 1970, Mugello 500Kms public road-circuit race he finished 14th overall, and between the Pellegrino and Val d'Anapo hill-climbs he also suffered a nasty and highly untypical accident during practice for the Coppa Citta di Enna at Pergusa, backing '022' into the trackside guardrail at very high speed. The car was well repaired, however, as evidenced by its October 12 victory at Val d'Anapo.

In its later life the car was acquired by the renowned French Ferrari connoisseur Jess G. Pourret – and in 1976 it passed into the legendary Ferrari Collection of Pierre Bardinon at Mas-du-Clos, Aubusson, France. He subsequently passed the car on to Jean-Marie Cauwet of St Maur, France only to re-acquire it in later years.

Eventually, in 1984, this Ferrari Dino 206S passed into the hands of its present vendor, Jack Setton, – in whose suitably renowned and respected private collection it has since been preserved for the past 36 years.
Here indeed is one of the most successful examples of the beautiful little Ferrari Dino 206S cars – blessed with a wonderfully Italianate racing history – and offering tremendous potential for a truly discerning and enthusiastic new owner/driver...

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