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
Jeff Glucker
Put a Chevy small block in it and drive it across the country in a French New Wave film.
This situation clearly calls for an RB26DETT and a roll cage.
If the 250 GTE is Ferrari's red-headed stepchild, then call me a ginger lover.
Have you met Dr. Who's new sidekick, Karen Gillan
<img src="http://thefaust.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/karen_gillan_01_1024.jpg">
Add to the list another TV show to watch just for 'De Women' /Jake Blues. She would compliment the brown in the picture further down very nicely, well any color for that matter.
Mmmm…auburny…
Mmmmm…
pastytasty.Can't it be both?
Even as a shell it's a beautiful car. Hard to argue with the LS3, but what about a Viper or Hemi combo? How about something small, potent, and supercharged to the hilt?
I'm no Ferrari afficianado. The front and rear end remind me of a Healy Sprite, which would probably be less of a pain in the ass to restore than this nightmare. Easier on the wallet, too.
GM's DI VVT 3.6L V6 should fit nicely behind that front axle, providing nice weight balance and 300 hp. Take the GM theme a little further and paint it in Cadillac White Diamonds (a gorgeous pearl white) and do the interior up in tan leather. Delicious!
That's a world-class motor.
Offy! Offy! Offy! Oi! Oi! Oi!
In the words of Doc Brown "The way I see it, if you're gonna build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?" So I guess my vote would be a time machine.
I don't know about the engine, but it needs to be painted brown
<img src="http://stylecrave.frsucrave.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/steve-mcqueens-ferrari-250-gt-berlinetta-lusso-1.jpg">
Certainly not this
<img src="http://www.sportscarmarket.com/img/content/1467/s248_3r3mc.jpg" style="width: 460px; height: 345px; border: 0" alt="imgTag" />
I'm thinking either a 5.4 four-cam For aluminum modular or a Jeep 4.0 with a 258 crank and enough overbore to bring it up to 4.8l or so. Either would be nicely augmented with a supercharger. Either would also get your name and likeness posted on every Ferrari fanboi forum on the net with a price for your still-warm corpse.
How about a Nissan V6 and RevMatch 6-speed, out of the 370z? Here, kitty, kitty…
Personally, I'd drop a Porsche or Jag engine in it just to make Enzo spin in his grave. Then, I'd harness that energy and sell it at a premium as authentic Ferrari energy.
Enzo’d really go spinning if you got your hands on the Lexus LFA’s V10.
Then he’d hear the near-intertialess revving, concede that the Japanese aren’t useless at life afterall, and go back to sleep.
Best comment I saw over on BAT was someone who'd found a Lambo motor and trans to swap.
Maximum sacrilege!
A Porsche V8 (either 928 or Cayenne/Panamera) would be pretty blasphemous as well.
A Ford mill would do the trick, particularly one made after 1966.
Alternate history power FTW.
I see what you did there…
Well played, my nerdy engineer friend. Well played.
For some reason I want to drop this body onto a wrx chassis – no idea what would make me want to do that…..
For maximum sacrilege a Ford Powerstroke diesel with an automatic transmission.
Of course the Powerstroke will have to be modded to about 500HP and 1200ft. lb of torque.
Realistically, I'd do like any sane person and drop an LSx in it with a 6-speed.
A 6L Powerstroke no less….
You know what I would do? Roll this roller off a cliff. Oh SNAP! I totally went there.
Junkyard late 80s BMW or MB V12, open pipes, and cram a T5 behind it.
I'm thinking either a 392 Hemi or a Ford motor. Maybe a 302 with Webers or Hilbrand injection for the hot poker in the eye effect.
<s>CRACKPIPE!</s>
How about a 22R and a 5 speed?
I know this might make me a marked man on around here, but the small block Chevy and Ford 302 are too easy of an answer. Always the first engine jammed under the hood of anything missing an engine (admittedly for good reason).
I'd go with a Rover V8 – the 5.0 out of a TVR Griffin 500. That, or the TVR straight six (A.K.A. Speed Six).
For true hoonery, I'm thinking the TVR developed V12 from the Speed 12 concept and race car – rated officially at 940 bhp.
There's only one answer for me and it's a sacrelicous one: Coyote, FTMFW!
U12! Two awesome, way-cheaper-than-a-Ferrari-V12 inline-sixes connected to a common transmission by chain drive/gears. Jeep/AMC 4.0, 2JZ, slant-six, that BMW turbodiesel six, doesn't really matter.
BMW V12 out of an old 750i. How hard could it be?
But cosmetically, don't change a thing. This is my idea of a rat rod.
For once, I'd like to thank someone for posting a full-size image.
Sorry about that – I didn't know it was that large and have not mastered html tags.
Fixed that for ya, through the magic of admin privileges.
And now this seems to be the permanent newest comment @perpetually less than 1 minute ago. I had wondered why it was doing that…
With photo no less. I haven't seen that before.
Oddly enough, it has the correct time recorded on the admin page.
I fear I may have to delete it to get it off the front page's "recent comments" thing.
No worries. Apparently I'm the only one who thinks a diesel powered Ferrari would be a good idea.
Fortunately deletion seems not to have been necessary. I don't hate the diesel idea, but I'm not in love with it either.
to any or all the women who will be itemizing to this as you feel “”your not too girl”” guess what, elphaba turned out to be in which woman. don’t louse expect