The story we bring you today is another chapter of the saga “I'm going to exchange my car engine for a Toyota 2JZ” . After we talked about the Rolls Royce that saw its V12 exchanged for the famous Japanese engine and also the BMW M3 that surrendered to the charms of Japanese technology, this time someone decided to install a 2JZ in a… Ferrari 456!
Currently on eBay, this Italian-Japanese “Frankenstein” was the brainchild of a man named Phil (his nickname is not known, perhaps for fear of tiffosi reprisals) who decided to use his Ferrari 456 as a daily-driver, had to exchange the V12 engine (in perfect working order) for a Toyota 2JZ.
The justifications given for this change were simple: maintenance costs (thank goodness I didn't have a Bugatti Veyron…) and the fear that the effort the V12 would be subjected to on the daily circuit of around 160 km would eventually pass to invoice in terms of reliability.
The transformation
Phill initially decided to "marry" a turbo-compressed version of the 2JZ with the four-speed automatic that originally fitted the Ferrari. However, after having some electrical problems Phill decided to make a total conversion: he bought a Lexus GS300 and fitted the Ferrari with the six-cylinder atmospheric 2JZ and the transmission that fitted the Japanese saloon.
Subscribe to our Youtube channel
To make this complete conversion, Phil had to create new mounts for the engine and transmission, and even installed the original catalytic converters so that his “Ferrari” would meet anti-pollution regulations. The V12 that originally fitted the 456 was sold, while the Ferrari four-speed automatic gearbox was…given.
Not happy, Phill also decided to change the retractable headlights that the Ferrari 456 brought as standard for aftermarket fixed ones destined for the Toyota Celica because, as we quote, “he wasn't a fan of retractable headlights”. For this he had to change the bonnet of the Italian model, however, we cannot complain about the final result.
The changes were not limited to the engine, with the Ferrari 456 receiving aftermarket headlights destined for a…Toyota Celica.
After driving the Ferrari 456 for four years with the 2JZ engine (during which, he says, he had…zero breakdowns) Phil sold the car to Justin Dodrill who, apart from installing the bumpers of a Ferrari 575M, did not make any further changes to the already very transformed Ferrari.
Now, Justin has decided to sell this Ferrari 456, which would be able to make his hair stand on end. Enzo Ferrari . The car is on sale for around 45 thousand dollars (around 39 thousand euros) it is still a relatively affordable value for around “half-Ferrari”.