This Engine Dyno Comes With a Free Ferrari V-12 Engine

This Engine Dyno Comes With a Free Colombo V-12Courtesy of RM Sotheby's

You will find the Ferrari "Colombo" V-12 engine under the hood of some of the greatest and most sought-after machines of all time, including the 250, 275, 330, and 365 GTB/4. Most enthusiasts will go their entire lives without interacting with one, but that doesn’t have to be the case for you. RM Sotheby’s is offering an engine dyno previously owned by the Prancing Horse, complete with a functional V-12 strapped in place.

According to RM, this dyno was initially purchased from the Ferrari factory in Maranello by Belgian dealer Jacques Swaters in 1953. The setup had previously been used by the automaker for testing and validation purposes, before serving duty for another 30 years at Swaters’ shop. The engine dyno has been passed around a small number of collectors since 2008, but it remains in fully-working order. At some point a Colombo V-12 was installed onto the rack, specifically a 4.0-liter variant out of a 330 GT 2+2. The engine is number 5263, and comes equipped with the desirable triple Weber carb setup. The dyno setup also includes a full exhaust system with four tips, an unmistakable identifier of the engine’s heritage. The music that comes out of the end of those pipes will surely be worth the price of admission alone. An external radiator ensures that the engine stays in the right temperature range during testing.

Courtesy of RM Sotheby's

A mounted switch panel features all of the controls that you’ll need to get the engine to make power, while it is also noted that the aging V-12 has no trouble firing to life demand. Of course this engine has been clearly cared for over the years, as it looks as good as it did when it left the factory some 60 years ago. The entire system is mounted on a set of caster wheels, which means you could theoretically move it around your own shop.

There are few avenues for one-upmanship among the Ferrari faithful. Having a factory engine dyno that was used during the early days of the brand is about as cool as a piece of equipment gets, especially when the brand’s most beloved powertrain is attached. As you might expect with such a find, the next owner is going to have to be willing to part with a healthy amount of cash. RM currently estimates that the engine dyno will cross the block between $125,000 and $175,000. Considering Ferrari’s cheapest model currently retails for around $225,000, getting a Colombo in your garage for less than that has to be a win.

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