Description

1971 Fiat Dino 2400 Coupe

Beautiful example, maintained at great expense by the UK's leading Dino guru; 3/4 of the Ferrari Dino experience with the charismatic 2.4 V6 under the bonnet

Dating from 1971 this beautiful Bertone designed Fiat Dino 2400 Coupe looks that good it makes the heart ache, the mind swoon and the head come up with all manner of crazy schemes that convince the wife and could see you in the driver's seat - or is that just us? Quite simply, we all adore it.

Maintained by one of the UK's leading Dino experts Mark Devaney from marque specialists Dino Twenty-Four Hundred in Kent, and considered, we gather a very good example, this smart coupe has been in the UK since November 1989 with just three previous UK owners to our current of 6 years who has enjoyed the car sparingly as part of his private UK collection (residing predominantly in Australia).

Finished in glorious Rosso Red and sat upon a set of striking Ferrari Cromodora 14-inch alloy wheels shod in period correct radial tyres synonymous with the 308 series the car looks magnificent, with its sharp lines and neat details to the inviting interior with soft, comfortable seats and room for four (at a push), oozing discreet Italian style with useful rocker switches and original period radio cassette player. The steering wheel is an attractive timber rimmed item and we find electric windows, heated rear window, opening rear quarter windows, wood effect dash fascia, tinted glass and dog-leg 5-speed manual transmission driving the rear wheels.
Showing just 40,153km the car is in the kind of order one might expect, showing but a few signs of age, with some wear evident to the driver's door interior trim/armrest and a couple of minor paintwork blemishes as pictured.  Starting promptly, the 2.4 litre V6 quad cam engine, as found in Ferrari's Dino 246 settles to a sonorous idle, a small blip leaving no doubt that the sound coming from the dual exhausts is nothing but pure Ferrari.

Within the history file, we find the V5C, old style registration document, 9 old MOTs dating back to 1991, current MOT valid until September 2021 with no advisories recorded - the mileage section showing less than 6,000km covered since 2010 with various periods off the road in storage. We also find numerous old tax discs dating back to 1990, receipt for replacement windscreen in December 2020, Italian vehicle export docs dated October 1989, invoice from Twenty-Four Hundred Dino workshop dated June 2010 totalling £2029 for MOT, new plugs, rebuilt distributor with new points, fresh fuel, fresh brake fluid, new rear brake pads, rebuild rear brake calliper, new thermostat and housing, oil service, new coolant and fitment of new battery wit cut off switch. £632 was spent prior to this in April 1999 at Superformance on ignition parts, fuel pumps, clutch cable, clutch spring and fitment at 32,206km.  The carbs were rebuilt in 2015 and a host of other historic bills are present dating back to the early 1990s.

Further works of note, more recently include £3840 spent at Twenty-Four Hundred in January 2017 on full service to include adjustment of all valves, clearances and timing chain, water pump rebuild with new bearing and seal, replacement cooling hoses, new aux belts, new rear compensator valve, refurbished prop and drive shafts, refurbished front and rear brake callipers, replacement discs and wheel bearings, replacement steering box bearings and seals, new fuel pump, fuel filler and repair to windscreen wash bag and pump.

In the last 12 months, the car was again treated to a considerable spend after little use and time in storage with a mammoth £11,835 spend at Twenty-Four Hundred Dino workshop in October 2020 on a major service and overhaul of the car again including brakes, ignition system, electrical wiring repairs and carb tune.  A new front windscreen and rubbers was installed at a cost of £838 in November 2020 followed by a further spend of £455 this month on a repair to the electric window, brake fluid renewal, 4-wheel alignment and lubrication of the clutch pedal.  As a result, the car starts, runs and drives as it should - evidently these beautiful coupes need to be, and like to be driven and used regularly - the old adage 'regularity of use equals reliability' springs to mind here - and what a shame not to use something with such a sonorous and exotic engine.

Given this seems to be 3/4 of the Ferrari Dino experience at a 6th of the price of one, it makes this seem tantalising value at the guide price. We all would if we could (and the wives would let us)!

For more information contact - will.daniels@brightwells.com