1962 Ferrari 196 SP Dino

The Ferrari SP, also known as the Ferrari Dino SP, were mid-engine sports cars produced during the early 1960s. Ferrari's 246 SP took to the track for the first time in the 1961 season, pioneering the company's mid-engine racing efforts that would culminate with the 330 P4. During the early era, a myriad of V-6 and V8 engines were experimented with to determine the best engine for each race on the calendar. Success soon followed, with the Works Scuderia Ferrari Dino SPs taking overall victory at the Targa Florio in 1961 and 1962, as well as the Nürburgring 1,000 KM in 1962.

The SP-series began with the V6 Dino engines designed by Vittorio Jano in both SOHC 60-degree and 65-degree configurations. Later, Ferrari switched to a SOHC 90-degree V8 engine designed by Carlo Chiti. All of these engines were backed by a five-speed manual transmission and used dry-sump lubrication. Several of the cars were later modified and converted into different specifications. All had the same wheelbase and similar open-body styles.

In 1963, Ferrari introduced their rear mid-engine layout P-series of sports prototypes powered by V-12 engines.

The Ferrari 246 SP was introduced in 1961 wearing the innovative bodywork of Carlo Chiti and Medardo Fantuzzi. The designs were further perfected through wind tunnel testing. They had a low hood with two apertures, or air intakes at the front, in a similar fashion to the 1961 Ferrari 156 Formula One car. Power was from a 65-degree Dino V6 engine displacing 2.4-liters. It had a twin overhead camshaft per cylinder bank, two valves per cylinder, three Weber 42DCN carburetors, a single spark plug per cylinder, and a 9.8:1 compression ratio helping to produce nearly 270 horsepower.

The first example completed was chassis number 0790 and its first competitive outing was the 12 Hours of Sebring. Driven by Richie Ginther and Wolfgang von Trips, the car failed to finish the race due to a faulty steering arm.

Wolfgang von Trips and Olivier Gendebien drove a 246 SP (chassis 0790) to overall victory at the 1961 Targa Florio. A pair of Porsche 718 RS 61 proved incredibly fast, driven by Stirling Moss and Jo Bonnier. Moss was in the lead heading into the last lap by over a minute when the differential failed. The Ferrari of von Trips took the victory in just under 7½ hours of racing, averaging a speed of 64 mph. Second place went to the Works Porsche of Bonnier. Chassis number 0796, another 246 SP, was driven by Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien but failed to finish after it crashed. The car was later re-bodied and raced at the Nurburgring by Hill, but again without success. By the end of the season, it had been converted by the factory to a short nose style.

Chassis 0790 later placed third at the Nurburgring 1000KM driven by von Trips/Grendebien. At Le Mans and Pescara 4 Hours chassis 0790 once again was unable to finish and retired prematurely. It had set the fastest lap in practice at LeMans, but retired during the race after running out of fuel. At the Pescara 4 Hour race it retired due to another steering problem. In late 1961, chassis 0790 was updated by the factory with a short nose style.

Chassis 0790 returned to the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1962, this time driven by the Rodriquez brothers. Again it failed the complete the race, this time due to engine problems. The car was updated with another nose by Fantuzzi and then raced in May at the Nurburgring 1000KM by Phil Hill and Gendebien to first place. It took another victory at the Guards Trophy at the Brands Hatch driven by Mike Parkes. By 1963, 0790 had been converted to 196 SP specifications.

Chassis 0796 raced under the N.A.R.T. banner in 1962 with Phil Hill and Ricardo Ricardo Rodríguez placing second at the 3 Hours of Daytona Continental. Rodriguez and Gendebien aided by Willy Mairesse won at the Targa Florio. The car was then prepared for the high-speed Le Mans circuit, which it entered but failed to finish due to a transmission failure. Driven by the Rodriguez brothers, the car retired after racing for 14 hours. At the close of the 1962 season, 0796 was used as a test and development mule for the 250 P. It chassis was extended and it was fitted with a 3.0-liter V12 engine.

The Ferrari 196 SP was powered by a 2.0-liter, single overhead cam, 60-degree, V6 engine with two valves per cylinder. With three Weber 42DCN carburetors and a 9.8:1 compression ratio, the engine offered just over 200 horsepower. The bodywork was similar to the prior mid-engine sports racers, with Fantuzzi coachwork and two front intakes. During their racing career, the 196 SP would score a victory at the 1962 European Hill Climb Championship for Sports Cars with Ludovico Scarfiotti, and two class wins at the Targa Florio.

The only original Ferrari 196 SP was chassis number 0804; the other three were converted from other models. Chassis 0804 raced at the Targa Florio race where it was driven by Lorenzo Bandini and Giancarlo Baghetti to a second overall with a class win. Those same two drivers drove it at the 1000 km Nürburgring but they did not finish the race. Ludovico Scarfiotti under the Scuderia Sant'Ambroeus banner raced it in five hillclimb races between June and August and won every one of them. Scarfiotti and the 196 SP would win the European Hill Climb Championship for Ferrari.

The three converted 196 SP cars were chassis number 0802, 0806, and 0790. Chassis 0802 was converted in 1962 after it had been involved in an accident. It raced at the Targa Florio in 1963 where Lorenzo Bandini, Ludovico Scarfiotti and Willy Mairesse finished in second place overall, scoring also a class win.

Chassis number 0806 had been a V8-powered 268 SP before it was converted into 196 SP configuration. Doug Thiem raced it in 1963 at various races under the USRRC series. Later, Bob Grossman raced the car to a class victory in the Sport 2.0 category in the 25 Lap Governor's Trophy, finishing 7th overall. He later placed 15th overall and second in class at the Nassau Trophy. Tabor von Imrey raced the car during 1964 in the SCCA series.

Chassis number 0790 was converted from the 246 SP configuration in 1963. It was raced at the Targa Florio by Edoardo Lualdi-Gabardi and Ugo Bini but failed to finish. It actively raced in 1963 and 1964. Its highlights was at the Guards Trophy, Stallavena, and Coppa della Consuma where it finished in first place. Leandro Terra raced the car and won the Vermicino-Rocca di Papa hillclimb in 1964. It was then entered in the Targa Florio with Cesare Toppetti but it failed to finish. His final race in the 196 SP was a fourth place at the GP Campagnano on Vallelunga.

The Ferrari 286 SP was also introduced in 1962 and was similar to the 196 SP but had a redesigned tail and a windscreen to comply with new racing regulations. Only one example was produced, chassis number 0802, and it never raced. Power was from a SOHC 60-degree Dino V6 engine that displaced 2862cc. It had three Weber 42DCN carburetors and a 9.5:1 compression ratio, producing nearly 260 horsepower.

The Ferrari 248 SP had a 2.4-liter V8 SOHC engine fed by four twin-choke Weber carburetors. Two examples were built and both were later modified with larger displacement engines. The first was chassis number 0798, created in 1962. The second was chassis number 0806, also created in 1962. 0806 was the only one of the two to participate in racing in this configuration. It raced at the 12 Hours of Sebring by N.A.R.T in 1962 driven by Bob Fulp and Peter Ryan to thirteenth place overall and third in class. By May, it had been converted to the 268 SP.

Three examples of the Ferrari 268 SP were built, and all were converted from other models. The V8 engine displaced 2.6-liters and delivered 260 horsepower. The first converted example was chassis number 0798. The other two were 0802 and 0806.

by Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2019