For the longest time, it seemed the Dino was destined to live in the shadows of the Ferrari world. Alfredo (Dino) Ferrari was Enzo’s first son, and he was responsible for the 750 Monza race car. But his life was cut short by Muscular Dystrophy, and he died at only 24 years old.
The V6 engine he designed deserved a lightweight car to maximize its potential, so Enzo decided to name an entire brand after him. The Dino was never badged as a Ferrari, but it included all the engineering and graceful styling of the brand.
A Tour of Jay Leno’s Car Collection? Think Again…
Driving a stock Dino is fun, thanks to the balanced chassis and mid-mounted engine. But our friend David Lee was inspired to build a Dino worthy to keep up with a modified Porsche in the hills above Los Angeles.
So once he found an unmolested 1972 Dino GTS, it was sent to a Ferrari shop in England for a few subtle upgrades. Starting with the headlights, they bolded polycarbonate covers that look like they came from the factory. Then they added flares at all corners to allow for wider tires.
You might think flaring a Dino would be sacrilege, but these are original parts offered by the factory. Next, it was time for new wheels, so the original 14″ design was scaled up to 17″ and CNC machined from a one-piece billet. Five wheels were made so the full-size spare would match its siblings.
Interview With David Lee: Ferrari Collector and Owner of the “Monza 3.6 Evo Dino”
Then their attention turned to the engine. The Dino V6 and its transaxle were surgically removed along with their electronics and fuel system. There is adequate room to drop in almost any modern V8, but that would be too boring. Instead, David found a 2.9 liter V8 from the mighty F40. As you might know, the F40 was capped at 3.0 liters by FIA regulations, but the block has ample room for improvement.
So it was bored & stroked to 3.6 liters and it received the latest in fuel injection. Being that the V6 was an iron block, this powerful beast has perfect weight distribution. At only 2,400 lbs, the “Monza 3.6 Evo Dino” will make your LS car look like it’s standing still. Once the car was completed, we interviewed David for the Uncovered section of our June 2018 issue. Not many cars evoke this much emotion from Jay Leno, so turn up the volume and stay with us for more of David Lee’s impressive collection.
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