Ferraris with Chevys

I have been around Calif. since 1969
I saw quite a few Ferraris with Chevys
I think most of them have been converted back to Ferraris

One was a swb Comp. coupe (all alloy) red, with a Chevy engine, which I shot
pictures of around 1970 (no long have the pictures)
It was $7000

Another was a Ghia bodied Ferrari I found in Altadena or some such
suburb in the mountains. The couple who owned it had put in a Chevy back in the 50s or 60s and driven it all over , even Mexico. It was around $40,000 about ten years ago. I made the mistake of bringing a Dutch friend with me to look at it and unbeknowst to me he went back and bought it. I still owe him at least a punch in the nose

A guy used to drive a GTE to Ferrari events at Riverside with a Chevy V8

I heard there is a 400 Automatic with a Chevy around quite recently

 

A regular participant at the FOC events of the day. License plate was ALOVER.

Jeff

 

Which we pronounced ALL OVER.

 

And: 375MM berlinetta, John Andrews' Lusso, and...

 

Ed,

What was his name? I used to know it but can no longer remember. I think I recall it coming to Riverside Raceway events but specifically remember it going to the Virginia City Hillclimb.

Jeff

 

I have recently seen a 166MM coupe with a chevy, needing restoration!

 

At the Hill Climb he was called Fast Freddy ... don't know his last name.

 

I think it may be Fred Crail.

Jeff

 

Was he the fellow--overweight, shall we say--who showed up in Virginia City for the hillclimb in the company of an attractive young woman who fled the scene immediately upon arrival? That would be the year I brought Judy and a silver Lusso.

 

Hi John,

Is it for sale?

 

When I first used to hang around the FOC in 1970, I met Lincoln C. (can't spell his last name) a tall distinguished former grocery wholesaler, who had a red Barchetta Ferrari that was mint except it had a slant six Chrysler in it. He would show up at all the events,
and eventually bought more modern Ferraris but it was something like 15 to 20 years before he found out who had the engine, a man in Michigan. He had to engage the services of Ed Niles, a famous Ferrari trader, to wheedle the engine out of the owner and at last his Ferrari had the right engine, which improved its value immeasurably. So there's a guy that had the right idea--buy the"bastardized" car when nobody wanted it because it had the wrong engine and then try and find the engine. Nowadays I guess he could just order a new casting and wouldn't have to wait so long to find the original.

 

Way back when (early 80's) we purchased a A.C. Cobra (I guess it was a replica) it had a 275GTB motor in it.

 

I remember a car magazine article (not sure of the title) that featured a cobra (kit/real not sure) that had a v12 out of a 400.

 

Around 1970, I was offered an 860 Monza ( may have been an early TR) with a chevy in it, for about $4000. The car was yellow, and had come into the UK from South America, where it had been found by Colin Crabbe. Having just bought my 212 Barchetta for much less than that, I had to pass on it. The 212 #0136, had also had a chevy in it. I later found out that the 212 motor had been destroyed, replaced by a 340, which following its demise had the chevy installed. The car came to me still with the Chev engine mounts, and one original 212 cyl head, which was so bad that it went in the trash !
There was a 330/Chevy in the Dunedin FL area a little while back, which was for sale, but I have heard nothing of it for quite a while.

 

I almost forgot some of the old racers which went through my hands, which had American engines at one time: 0376, a 375MM with big Ford; 0392, a 375 Plus with Pontiac; 0406, a 500 Mondial which crashed and burned with American iron; 0438, another 500 Mondial which had 2 Ferari engines before being converted; 0680, a 500 TRC with Chevy; and 0708, similar. Oh yeah, 0131, an ex-Carrera 212 Vignale with Chevy. Here are a few pix.
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Don, do you know if it was from Venezuela? do you remember any details, there was a yellow Barchetta that went thru several diferent engines in the country, is it possible to contact mr Crabbe.
Thanks
branko
PS we had several Ferraris with Chevy engines, a 250MM I posted a picture in the old cars section, TR250 ser 0758 also went thru some monstruous changes in all the areas.

 

Please see the thread "Help me find this 54 Vignale coupe" which in 1958 had a Chevy V8 put in her. then please contact me.

 

Seriously considered buying a 330 2+2 with a v-8 american engine (probably a chevy) a few years ago. My plan was to buy it and look for the original engine or another Ferrari lump to replace it with. Got cold feet about the likely cost to find and install the correct engine into a car that would have been worth $50k at most mint. Car was owned by a fellow in LA area.

 

Slightly off topic but ironically relevant:

At Concorso Italiano in, I think, 1998 there was a very amusing contraption which reversed this "theme": an AC Cobra replica with a Ferrari V12!

Only caught a glance of it on a day that went by like a blur so all I remember is it was yellow not what type of V12 but it appeared recently put together and well.

Of course Ferraris that received Detroit power did so almost in every case because no parts or expertise were available back in the day to repair the original Ferrari engine whereas in this case it was deliberate.

best regards,

Marc

 

A little more extreme, but a guy in Ventura CA has made a street rod out of a GTE body and a Chevy DZ 302 (69 z28) engine:
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$5k for a ferrari engine rebuild was big bucks in the '60s.

I'd guess you could swap out a small-block Chevy or Ford engine and 4-speed for $2K parts & labor, maybe pick up a couple hundred $ for the burnt V12.

 

Here is The last produced TR 58 with the spare engine of a Mclaren M1B.
branko
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Hi Branko,
I don't recall where in S. America the 860 was found. As I didn't buy it, I was no longer interested.
My old Barchetta came from Uruguay, where it was sold new. We found that it had been 7 different colors in its life! It was dark red when I bought it as a basket case.

I have unfortunately lost contact with Colin Crabbe over the years, but his company was Antique Automobiles from Baston (?) in England.
Don

 

Thanks a lot Don I was just wondering because there where a few Ferraris in my country and some we have lost track of.

branko

 

I'm almost afraid to admit it, but I kinda like it!