By Dean Larson

Photos: Seller, BringaTrailer.com

There are only two 1957 Ferrari 625 TRC Spiders ever built and they are unquestionably two of the greatest Ferraris ever built, but perhaps not entirely when they left the factory in Maranello. The two four-cylinder Spiders were ordered through storied Ferrari importer John von Neumann, raced extensively and are worth somewhere around $6 million today. With that in mind, it’s plain to see why someone would go through the painstaking effort to replicate the 625 TRC in aluminum, but what about the Maserati V8 engine?

As the story goes, Ferrari had a pair Le Mans four-cylinder engines in storage from 1956, and famed Ferrari importer John von Neumann talked Ferrari into selling them for a special project. That special project took shape in a pair of Scaglietti-built TRC bodies, both of which von Neumann purchased and raced in 1957. But the four-cylinder engines were soon found to be less than competitive, and both cars received engine swaps. Chassis 0672 was first swapped to a Ferrari V12, then a Ford V8 and back to a Ferrari V12. Similarly, chassis 0680 was re-powered with a Chevrolet V8 and then a Ferrari V12. Car 0672 was campaigned extensively by von Neumann for years, winning over half of the races it entered.

As good as unobtainable, someone started an earnest 625 TRC replica in aluminum some years ago, but never saw the project through. In it’s current unfinished state, the car is currently offered for auction here on BringaTrailer.com.

The high-dollar item here is of course the aluminum body, which was constructed by a metal worker in North Carolina. The hand-formed body sections have been roughed in, but additional finishing is required along the panel seams. Some detail work has been completed however, like the incorporation of a headrest-bump fuel filler, hood scoop, dash and front grille. Mounting trim and a template for the windshield are also included.

The project rolls on a space frame-type tubular chassis made with parts from Chris Alston’s Chassisworks. The front suspension is independent, likely Mustang II, while the rear end is a 9-inch live-axle in a four-link setup with QA1 coilovers. 16-inch wire wheels from Truespoke are fit with BFGoodrich rubber.

Moving onto the elephant in the room, lift the hood and you’ll find a Maserati V8 engine installed with a TREMEC five-speed transmission. Of course the original 625 TRCs were built with Le Mans four-cylinders, but those engines were quickly replaced with more powerful options. Both originals are currently powered by 300 plus hp Ferrari V12s, but good luck grabbing one of those on a budget. You could go with an American V8, as both of originals used them at one point, or Jaguar V12s are plentiful. But instead the builder went with a 5.0-liter quad-cam Maserati V8 from an ’82 Quattroporte.

With the overhead cams and included Weber carburetors, this engine will likely do it for us, but surely some will disagree with the choice. And the soundtrack is clearly V8 instead of the telltale Ferrari V12.

At the end of the day, it’s going to be interesting to see what this one brings. The bodywork might not be exact, but it’s beyond convincing, and will look great after the finish work is completed. The chassis looks to be satisfactory, but the oil-filter relief area will always raise eyebrows. That conflict could have probably been better resolved with a remote oil-filer setup. Most of the car appears roughed-in, rather than finished, and there will be a considerable investment required to bring it up to snuff. But all complaints aside, this car is going to be a riot to drive once its finished, and have serious value.

With a current high bid of $25,000, this auction is ending here on BringaTrailer.com in four days.