The infamous Ferrari-up-your-ride phenomenon ranges from builds that merely use Prancing Horse wheels to rarer and more impressive projects like the Internet-famous Corruptt 1968 Mustang, which packs a V8 engine from an F430. However, while naysayers may simply claim the Ford is a build that got the horses mixed up in the stable, things are different with the Alfarrari that brought us here. This is a 1973 Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV that borrows a Ferrari 360’s V8.
We all know how Enzo Ferrari led Alfa Romeo’s racing division before building his own company back in 1939, but enough sugar-coating for the purists. We have an insanely cool, albeit still-in-the-works build to discuss.
The heart of a Ferrari 360
An evolution of Ferrari’s first-ever production engine with 5 valves per cylinder, which had powered the F355, the N/A 3.6-liter V8 of the 1999-introduced 360 Modena makes 395 hp (400 PS) and 275 lb-ft (373 Nm) of torque. The output doesn’t sound that massive by today’s standards, and there are definitely cheaper ways of making more power—since this is a story from Down Under, we’ll mention the Ford Barra straight-six here.
However, the Australian builder know online as Home Built By Jeff, wasn’t aiming for a piece of carbon that would dominate the track or the drag strip. Instead, the man wanted to polish the hell out a diamond, a vehicle that would feel just as well carving the canyons as it would under the blinding LED lights of a prestigious car show. So choosing an 8,750 rpm Maranello screamer for one of the most treasured classic Alfas out there certainly makes sense.
The Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV is a treasured classic
We can even establish a connection to the present-day Alfa Romeo Giulia, since the first time the brand used this name was for the Type 105 sporty four-door compact executive vehicles built between 1962 and 1978. These were accompanied by the 105/115 series of coupes, among others (e.g. Spiders), which brings us to the 1973 Alfa Romeo 2000 GT Veloce (aka 2000 GTV) we have here.
Famous owners? I can think of one whose influence in the contemporary car world includes the styling of the Gen V Dodge Viper—Stellantis head designer Ralph Gilles happens to own a 1974 example, but I digress.
From the factory, this car, which was also offered in the US up to and including 1974, came with a lively 2.0L twin-cam four-cylinder unit making 130 hp. And that’s plenty for an agile chassis that tips the scales at just 2,200 lbs.
The Aussie builder started working on his Alfarrari in 2019
Jeff bought his 1973 Alfa 2000 GTV back in 2016. However, this spent three years under a tarp, as his garage was occupied by other projects. Examples include Harry, an air-cooled Porsche 911 (built 2.8L flat-six), which took about five years to blossom into a machine that now competes in rallies and turns heads everywhere.
And while we’re starting to see a pattern for the man’s builds, he’s also the modding father of Rockster. This is a first-gen (986) Porsche Boxster animated by an Audi 4.2L V8, albeit with this packing the kind of less refined aesthetics you’d expect for a track animal put together in one’s own yard, at least for the time being. He’s also touched a Datsun 240Z with the transformation stick, albeit with that build having found a new owner in Arizona meanwhile.
Nevertheless, back in 2019, Jeff started working on his double Italian. The body required stripping to the bare metal and was resprayed in (you guessed it) a Ferrari color dubbed Fly Yellow.
Based on the 162 weekly YouTube videos, plus some six or so recaps, uploaded by the time of press, it looks like Jeff started this build with an impressive skillset, which he has since diversified. Body work, painting, engine stuff, fabrication, multiple types of welding and even the wiring: the enthusiasts masters them all.
And if you imagined that doubling the number of cylinders of a classic Alfa coupe took quite a bit of shoehorning, you’re right. Sure, the 90-degree 3.6L Maranello V8 packs a dry sump, so it can sit low in the engine bay. But the compartment still had to be cut here and there for the engine to fit.
Even so, Jeff needed to cut the factory intake runners so they wouldn’t protrude through the hood right up to the sky. Remember, the man’s heart desires a tastefully restrained custom machine rather than an all-out Hot Wheels-style build. So yes, he did the hood buldge twice, since the first version wasn’t on par with the overall aesthetics of the project.
This also explains why he skipped the massive, riveted-on fenders of the 2000 GTAm race car, despite using wider 15×8-inch GTAm-style wheels so the chassis can cope with three times the factory power. Instead, Jeff added what he describes as period correct racing homologation-style fender flares, opting for a seamless integration.
And while he could 3D print some parts (e.g., front grille), others required plenty of fabrication. Speaking of which, the cabin now sports a half cage, but the vehicle also comes with sweet amenities. And by that I’m referring to the AC and the power rear quarter windows, which, by the way, use Chrysler Town and Country actuators.
Of course, the suspension was overhauled, as were the brakes. The Ferrari V8, which now works with a Link ECU instead of the factory unit, was mated to a six-speed manual from a first-generation Subaru BRZ via an adapter plate—I’m not sure if the tranny’s been modded, though.
Prepare to meet the finished Ferrari V8-swapped classic Alfa later in 2023
Jeff initially planned to complete his Alfarrari in 2022 and while it seems like the heavy stuff has already been lifted, the level of perfectionism displayed in his clips means it may still take some months before the thing is done, presumably fancy interior bits and all.
So, while we’re expecting Jeff to introduce us to the final form of the Alfarrari later this year, you can check out a rendering of the car made by one his viewers (Jorgen) in the gallery below.
Meanwhile, feel free to check out a Ferrari 308 that has lost its (admittedly not quite stellar) V8 in favor of a cool-turbo Honda K24 engine making 1,000 hp and Group B noises.
Oh, and in case you’re wondering, Mrs Jeff, as the builder’s wife is known on Instagram, is on board to say the least—she adds to his videos, as you’ll notice in the pair of YouTube clips below.
Update (February 21, 2023): If you adore your Prancing Horse swaps, how about a Ferrari V8-animated Subaru Impreza WRX STI and a… rotary-powered 456? 2023 is shaping up to be a mad year for this kind of projects…
