The Ferrari 250 series is carried by the the factory Ferrari racing cars and the wildly valuable 250 GTO, but the long wheelbase, four seater GT/E carries two great distinctions: it was Ferrari’s first mass-produced four-seater (prior four-seaters were on a very limited basis) and are credited with keeping the company in the black financially in the early 1960s. But when 250 GTOs are being traded for sums of money that could run a small country, GT/Es are often overlooked or ignored. Or, in the case of what you see before you, stripped, used to clone a 250 GTO and then thrown away.
Enter Joe Alessandrino. Joe found the body of a 1963 GT/E that had been raided and left for dead. It was rough, most of it was missing, and the 2.9L Columbo V-12 was long, long gone. Joe brought the Ferrari back to life, building a chassis, refinishing the body, and finishing the interior off. With no engine, he was free to install whatever he felt like…in this case, a DZ 302 Chevrolet small block hooked to a Tremec six-speed out of a Dodge Viper. Go ahead and try to park this thing at Pebble Beach, we dare you. The car show judges might need medical aid after the high-revving small-block makes it’s presence known. We approve, but we’re certain that Maranello doesn’t.
Oh, and that beautiful red color? Yeah, that’s not rossa corsa. That is a red metallic sourced from Mitsubishi. Can you hear the screaming Italians yet?
Ha Ha!
Has this dimwit seen the prices that 250 GT/Es are fetching now?
Has he got the brains to sell the hunka Chevy shit and fit source and fit a Ferrari V12 – because that Ferrari body is totally mint and he’d probably get more than enough for that motor to cover the swap.
There again, these serial Chevy swappers usually have IQs in the sub-zero range…..
Chances are good that a Ferrari V12 for this car would cost more than he’s invested in the whole thing. Going down the purist route for a discarded hulk would be only marginally more financially sensible than pouring E85 on a pile of cash and tossing a cigar onto it.
Geordie, do you know what the cost to restore this car with just a body to start? These average price on these cars are $500KK and that would be all the correct markings. and serial#’s.
I commend Joe for reviving the car and making a kick ass Street rod!
I’m not sure about this but I’m beginning to get the impression that chevs are not your favourite vehicles…don’t know why, just a hunch.
This is what hot rodding is all about, taking a cast aside car and building it the way you want it. I happen to like this Ferrari.
I love it! There’s so much cross-pollination here it’s just unbelievable.
I really admire the fact that he’s chosen to make a working, driving car out of a body that would have most likely been cut up for patch panels and quarters or squashed.
I dont know if I would have went with the engine through the hood. I think a turbo LS under a nice hood would keep them guessing. As for originality? It doesn’t matter. He started with a beat up body shell. The real shame should go to whoever left it to die in the first place.
Awesome ride. I can’t get where the belt whine is coming from but once the car goes by and you hear the BACK of the car rather than the front, it’s all DZ302.
Great story and a great car. Props for bringing this one back from the dead.
If he ever gets tired of it, he can sell it back to those “I need Enzo’s original air in the tires” crew and still come out ahead.
Great hot rod!
(top end in 4th is what MPH? Doesn’t sound like the pumpkin has a very tall gear in it)
Jay,
Probably a gear drive cam.
Hell yes! He did an incredible job. True hot rodding. This is way more dependable and you don’t have to be afraid to enjoy it. I always wanted to drop a small block and getrag into a 308 or 328.
I love it and to the Ferrari purists – you’re a 1 percenters. STFU before the other 99% decide to deal with you power addicted whores. Back to my happy place…. After a nice track day with it I would go to the Burger King drive thru and what do you think I would order – Whopper w/ American Cheese of course.