By Dean Larson

Picture a flat sheet of 6000 series aluminum next to a 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO and I think you’ll agree that a pretty amazing transformation has taken place. But the methods and secrets of advanced metal shaping are well guarded and can be a mystery to us mere mortals, and we’re left to only ponder at how these beautiful shapes come to be. While it’s quite far from an introductory lesson, this aluminum Ferrari 250 GTO body on eBay is a stunning display of metal-shaping talent and a behind-the-scenes look at how beautiful automotive shapes are formed.

“Body started. Can be finished. Call if interested.”

I can’t in good faith say that I’d enjoy this GTO body more in its current state than the finished shape, but there’s definitely something enticing about it. You can see the way each complex line is made up from simple shapes, like how the rear fender is executed from 10 separate aluminum sheets. The body is clearly unfinished, with course transitions and roughed-in lines, but that’s what makes it so interesting. None of the aluminum panels have been joined together yet, and the buck is undoubtedly holding the whole thing together, but I almost wish the car could be completed with all the roughness and imperfections intact. Imagine this body with some equally course finishing details and Borrani wire wheels showing up at your local cars and coffee event. The owner would likely loose his voice answering all the questions from onlookers. 

While I’m enthralled by this 250 GTO as it sits currently, it would be far too much work to put the car together in this rough state just to take it apart and finish it right years later. So that leaves us wondering how the car will be completed. There’s no real price on the listing, or idea of what you’re getting if you win the auction, but it’s safe to say an aluminum 250 GTO body won’t sell for cheap. The value on a body like this probably justifies purchasing a proper Ferrari V12 engine and constructing a faithful replica. So for now I’ll just pocket my devilish thoughts of carbureted BMW M30-powered 250 GTO on a budget.

Whichever manner this aluminum Ferrari body gets finished in, it’s safe to assume it’ll be a show-stopping replica. But for now, we can’t stop admiring how all these simple shapes add up to such a beautiful unfinished product.

See the seller’s listing here on eBay.