Typically when we see a ride this rough, it’s an $800 Falcon and we scheme about swaps of revvy 289s or stealing a new 5.0L and showing the Nova guys what’s what. But what to do with a classy GT like this? The GTE (that’s a 2+2, by the way) is sort of the red headed stepchild of the Ferrari family, among the most unloved until that coke head 400i came along. Of course, just dropping in a smallblock seems so gauche… This ’62 250GTE should have a 3.0L up front and a 9-layer deep coat of Resale Red. Instead it’s got a hole and a cancer-free unpainted shell. The interior and trim is spread in pieces next to the car. In a lot of ways, this one’s lose-lose. Unless you track down a truckload of numbers-matching drivetrain parts (starting with a near-priceless V-12), the haughty crew will always look down on your ride. Just to spite (and regularly outrun) that crew, the other option would be to drop in a crate LS3 + 6 speed combo, a set of decent budget touring buckets and call it a day. Of course, the whole beater GT thing makes more sense when the shell you’re starting with doesn’t cost over $25 grand. eBay via Bring a Trailer
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