Ferrari 250 GTO Re-Creation

This Ferrari 250 GTO re-creation was constructed beginning in 2008 by engineer and marque specialist Steven Giacobbi using the shortened chassis of a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTE wrapped in aluminum coachwork formed over a body buck that was reportedly shaped with input from an original 250 GTO. The donor car’s 3.0-liter Colombo V12 is said to have been overhauled during the build with higher-compression pistons, larger exhaust valves, and dry-sump lubrication, while Tremec five-speed internals were fitted inside a Ferrari 250 gearbox case. After its completion, the car was displayed at various events before being consigned via the selling dealer to a New Zealand owner in 2016 and later repurchased in 2020 by its constructor, who commissioned a mechanical refresh by Patrick Ottis in Berkeley, California. Finished in red, the car features six Weber carburetors, four-wheel disc brakes, coil-sprung independent front suspension, 15” Borrani wire wheels, and fixed-back bucket seats trimmed in blue cloth upholstery. This 250 GTO re-creation is now offered on dealer consignment in Emeryville, California, with photos from its construction, invoices from the 2020 refresh, and a clean Montana title identifying it as a 1962 Ferrari GTE.

Development of the 250 GTO was set in motion in 1961 as Ferrari’s competition department sought to address the aerodynamic shortcomings of the 250 GT SWB Berlinetta for the approaching 1962 FIA International Championship for GT manufacturers. Initial design of the model began as the Comp/62 project under the lead of Giotto Bizzarrini, whose 1961 firing left the remainder of styling and eventual construction to Scaglietti. Each with distinct bodywork details, 36 examples of the original 250 GTO, or Gran Turismo Omologato, were built between 1962 and 1964 to lead Ferrari to three consecutive International Championship for GT Manufacturers titles.

Wrapped over a shortened 250 GTE chassis and custom tubular framing, this re-creation’s aluminum bodywork was hand-formed over a buck that was reportedly designed based on an original 250 GTO that had passed through the constructor and current owner’s shop for repairs. The body is finished in red with Scuderia shields on each fender.

Features include faired-in Marchal headlights, rectangular fog lamps, three D-shaped nose inlets with body-color covers held in place by Dzus fasteners, triple angled fender vents, cowl air inlets under transparent scoops, vents on the sail panels and behind each rear wheel, a rear spoiler, dual side mirrors, a Monza-style fuel-filler cap, and quad SNAP exhaust outlets.

Borriani wire wheels are secured by three-eared knock-offs and were mounted with Michelin XWX tires measuring 215/70VR15 up front and 225/70VR15 at the rear during the 2020 refresh by Patrick Ottis. A matching spare wrapped in Dunlop rubber is housed in the trunk. Stopping is handled by four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes. The brake fluid was flushed during the 2020 service, which also included a rebuild of the steering box with replacement worm and peg gears.

The cockpit houses a pair of fixed-back bucket seats trimmed in blue cloth amid gray-painted interior surfaces. Equipment includes a roll bar, black diamond-plate rubber floor mats, a gated shifter with a bright knob, drilled pedals, sliding window panels, shoulder belts, green-tinted sun visors, and a hand-held fire extinguisher.

The wood-rimmed steering wheel sits ahead of Veglia instrumentation including a central 10k-rpm tachometer flanked by gauges monitoring amperage, fuel level, fuel pressure, oil temperature, oil pressure, and coolant temperature. A Smiths 270-km/h speedometer with an inset digital odometer is situated under the dashboard to the driver’s right. Chassis mileage is unknown.

The 3.0-liter Colombo V12 is said to have been overhauled during the re-creation’s build, utilizing modified components including higher-compression pistons and larger exhaust valves. A dry-sump lubrication system was also added and features a front-mounted oil cooler, a composite sump concealed under a riveted aluminum shrouding, and a dipstick located under the oil filler door on the passenger-side sail panel. The cooling system incorporates an aluminum radiator with isolation mounts and dual electric cooling fans. The six Weber 40 DCN carburetors were rebuilt with 30mm chokes during the 2020 refresh by Patrick Ottis, which also included rebuilds of the water pump and distributors as well as a valve adjustment, setting of the cam timing, and fluid changes. Invoices from the work note compression values of approximately 170 psi on all cylinders.

Power is sent to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual transmission that is said to have been custom-built by a former Motion Products mechanic and incorporates Tremec gears encased in a Ferrari 250 housing. Suspension comprises coil-sprung independent suspension and a leaf-sprung solid-axle rear end with a Watt’s linkage. Telescopic shock absorbers are utilized all around with helper coil springs at the rear.

The car is titled using chassis number 250GTE3121, which is shown stamped on the frame above. Chassis number 3121 is also shown stamped on a tag affixed to the firewall as well as on the engine block in the photo gallery below. A New Zealand Transport Agency Low Volume Vehicle Certification plate is affixed inside the driver-side fender, and a New Zealand Transport Agency-assigned VIN plate is riveted to the frame.

Additional images from the car’s construction are viewable in the gallery.