This Northstar V8-Swapped Classic Ferrari Is A Whole Barrel Of WTF

Every so often, an engine swap comes along that just makes you scratch your head. This is one of these times. Under the hood of this 1967 Ferrari 365 GT 2+2 sits the heart of a front-wheel-drive Cadillac, the infamous Northstar V8. To borrow a quote from the great John Phillips, “Some look at things that are and ask, ‘Why?’ I dream of things that never were and ask, ‘Why this?’”

While this Columbo V12-engined slice of exotica rolled out of Modena intact and gleaming, the concept of keeping it nice didn’t really happen over the years. According to the Bring A Trailer listing for this car, “It was purchased by the seller’s late husband in the 2000s before being subsequently repainted silver and fitted with a 4.6-liter Northstar V8 and a 700R4 four-speed automatic transmission.” Out of all possible powertrain options, huh?

See, I could get behind a small-block Chevrolet V8, a Ford Cleveland V8, or a Mopar 440 under the hood of a non-running Ferrari, but the Northstar is a flawed choice. Not only is this V8 not a vast improvement over the stock output of 320 (admittedly gross) horsepower, the engine itself is, well, kind of crappy.

Northstar Ferrari Engine Bay

See, this is a transverse Northstar that was mounted longitudinally in this Ferrari back in 2002, and these earlier engines are known for extreme oil leakage and head bolts that fail, lifting the heads, blowing the head gaskets, compromising the mating surfaces, and turning the engines into coffee table material. Add in the perplexing choice of a four-speed automatic transmission, and you end up with the perfect recipe to anger purists and excite no one in particular. I’m not saying this thing’s a 1993 Cadillac Allante with extra steps, but it’s not the first machine to mate Italian craftsmanship with Northstar power.

At the same time, this Northstar-swapped 365 GT 2+2 reportedly hasn’t run since 2006, so even getting it going will require at least some modicum of work. Finishing it will take more, as the listing states that “The seller describes the engine installation as “not fully sorted.” Oh dear.

Northstar Ferrari Interior

Alright, so let’s say you want to rip out this thing’s Detroit heart and return it to proper provenance. While tempting as an initial thought, this is not the sort of example you’d put back to stock. Even if you found the correct Columbo V12 for this car, that engine would be cost-prohibitive, as would be un-doing the slicing and dicing that was necessary to make the Northstar fit. At the same time, you’d need to source the original gearbox, along with the requisite accessories.

Northstar Ferrari Profile

Perhaps the answer, as some Bring A Trailer commenters have suggested, is to swap in an F116 V12 out of a Ferrari 456. They usually run for between $10,000 and $15,000 second-hand, can be run on a MoTec or similar aftermarket engine management system, make 436 horsepower straight from the factory, and emit glorious V12 noises. Pair with a manual gearbox of your choosing, and enjoy a V12 Ferrari GT car with classic looks and the convenience of electronic fuel injection.

Northstar Ferrari Rear Three Quarters

Whatever future plans may lay ahead, this should be on the cheap end for a Ferrari 365 GT 2+2. With a day left on the auction, the current high bid is only $36,000, and the daunting task of dealing with someone else’s project ought to keep a damper on the hammer price. At this point, only one thing’s certain — whoever buys this thing has one hell of a project ahead of them.

(Photo credits: Bring A Trailer)

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