The whole idea of owning a Ferrari holds a strong attraction to plenty of people, myself included. However, if you’re like me, then that is a dream that remains out of your financial reach. This 1968 Fiat Dino might offer some lucky person a pretty reasonable compromise. The little Italian classic is not only an attractive looking vehicle but its engine bay houses a sweet Ferrari-designed V6 engine. What makes this one an even rarer treat is that it really needs little more than a fresh coat of paint, because it appears to be completely rust-free. The Dino is located in Los Angeles, California, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. The owner has set the BIN at $36,000, but the option is available to make an offer.

The Fiat Dino was available in both Coupe and Spider forms, and in a slightly quirky move, the Spider was designed by Pininfarina, while the Coupe was the work of Bertone. Both are attractive cars, although enthusiasts tend to agree on the fact that the Coupe had a slightly more luxurious feel to it. This Coupe is a complete car, and the first piece of good news for prospective owners is that it appears to be completely rust-free. Fiats (and Alfas) from this era developed a reputation for dissolving like a soluble aspirin, but the comprehensive set of photos that the owner supplies show that the floors and underside of the car appear to be solid, while there is no evidence of any rust in the panels. The Racing Red paint is looking pretty tired and baked, but the panels themselves seem to be very straight. The Fiat is fitted with Cromodora wheels, and while these are also in really nice condition, they are missing their center caps. The external trim, which is stainless steel, generally looks quite good, while the glass appears to be free of any significant flaws.

Lifting the hood of the Dino reveals one of the things that makes it so special. What we find is a 1,987cc 65° V6 engine, producing 158hp. This power finds its way to the rear wheels via a Ferrari-designed 5-speed manual transmission. Power output figures are an interesting topic because while Fiat claimed 158hp, the identical engine was claimed to produce 180hp by Ferrari. It is believed that the difference might stem from Fiat quoting SAE figures, while Ferrari was quoting BHP. The V6 was the initial brainchild of Enzo Ferrari’s son, Alfredo (Dino). This all-aluminum engine was originally designed with a capacity of 1.5-liters for use in Formula 2 racing but the capacity was later increased as racing rules evolved. The problem facing Ferrari at that point was that homologation regulations required a minimum of 500 vehicles to be built for an engine to be eligible for competition, but Ferrari simply didn’t have the capacity to achieve this in the allotted time-frame. With that in mind, they called upon Fiat to introduce a model that could accomplish this. Sadly, Dino Ferrari passed away before he had a chance to see his beloved V6 in competition, but as a fitting tribute, both the car and the engine carried his name. What makes this engine even more interesting is the angle of the “vee.” The vast majority of V6 engines were (and still are) designed and built with an angle of 60°, but Dino himself decreed that his engine should have an angle of 65°. This wasn’t a case of being different just for the sake of being different. That extra 5° meant that the engine could be built with more efficient intakes, thus maximizing engine performance. The engine in this car had been sitting for a number of years, but the owner has taken most of the steps required to return it to good health. He obviously doesn’t do thing by halves, because he had a Ferrari-trained mechanic go over the engine to ensure that all was in good health. This included returning the armory of downdraft carburetors to proper working order. The car does run and drive, but it would require a thorough mechanical check before it would be considered to be roadworthy. The owner also states that the engine is running off an external fuel supply at present, as the tank will need to be thoroughly cleaned to ensure that no gunk finds its way into the carburetors. Regardless, the engine sounds really nice, as you will be able to hear in this YouTube video that the owner supplies.

Given how tired the exterior and paint looks, the interior of the Fiat is something of a revelation. The owner identifies some slight cracks in the vinyl on the seats as obvious flaws, but these don’t look to be particularly bad. It is possible that a competent upholsterer might be able to treat these so they don’t deteriorate further. Having said that, the upholstery on the seats isn’t original, so if that is a major issue for the next owner, then replacement covers will need to be sourced. There appear to be some ripples in the top of the dash, but the rest of the trim and the carpet look very nice. Interestingly, a nod to luxury is provided by the inclusion of power windows. However, a radio was an optional extra, and the vast majority of buyers chose not to tick that box. Anyway, who needs one of those when you can listen to the tune that is produced by a Ferrari V6?

The Fiat Dino was never imported into the US, and those that found their way in were usually brought in by private owners. Between 1966 and 1969, a total of 3,629 Dino Coupes in 2-liter form rolled off the production line. Their relative rarity means that good examples can command some very respectable prices. With a BIN of $36,000, this one doesn’t initially appear to be a cheap project car. However, when you look at the scope of work that would seem to be required to return it to first-class condition, and you then consider that you can’t buy a reasonable example for under $60,000, it suddenly looks like an interesting proposition.