OMG! Someone Put a Ferrari V8 in a Porsche 911!ENEOSAnd why NOT put a Ferrari V8 in the back of a Porsche 911?Former BMXer-turned-drifter-turned-content creator Jimmy Oakes, who has over half a million followers on YouTube, built his reputation by building cars the rest of us wish we had. He has turbocharged a BMW E36 to make over 550 rear-wheel horsepower, dropped an SR20 engine into an S13, and now, this.Now he's swapped a Ferrari-built Maserati F136 V8 into a 1978 Porsche 911 SC in "a bold fusion of Italian performance, German engineering, and even some Japanese motorsport heritage." Actually, while the V8 was built at Ferrari, its full provenance is a naturally aspirated 400 hp Ferrari/Maserati F136 flat-plane crank V8 from a 2007 Maserati Quattroporte.ENEOSAs is often the case with these things, it wasn't as easy as it sounds. His sponsor ENEOS (maker of fine engine and transmission lubricants) explained it.AdvertisementAdvertisementBefore any upgrades could be considered, the 48 year-old Porsche needed a comprehensive restoration. It became one of the biggest aspects of the project, requiring the entire chassis to be stripped and restored. As part of the process, the roof had to be scrapped but was upgraded with a carbon fiber roof skin from EP9 Autosport. Most of the bodywork and paint was carried out by Anthony Mendoza, who was an essential part of the team.ENEOSThe extensive fabrication on the project meant the factory wiring was effectively lost, so a custom harness was created by Wired by Trap, which helped ensure the engine, ignition, and Link ECU G5 Voodoo Neo 6 engine management had a reliable power supply.When it was time to install the V8, Jimmy and his crew fabricated a cradle that also supported the 996 Porsche 911 transmission once the two were mated by a Kennedy Engineered Products bellhousing. The same company also provided a custom clutch and flywheel.In such a tight space, the Porrari needed custom headers and an exhaust system to breathe properly. These were fabricated by local legend James "Bopper" Moran utilizing Stainless Bros materials.AdvertisementAdvertisementNot wanting to miss an opportunity, Jimmy decided to upgrade the engine to individual throttle bodies using parts from the E90/92 BMW M3 S65 engine with assistance from Ding Dong Drift, which designed and 3D-printed custom adapters and trumpets. The result was better throttle response and a great induction sound as the F136 climbs to its 8000 rpm redline.Since the 911 was originally air-cooled, the team cut the front tub to accommodate a radiator and fan but ran into issues with the factory gas tank, so they opted for a 10-gallon Radium fuel cell mounted behind the new radiator. In turn, this meant a number of new water, fuel and electrical lines running through the car. The solution was a removable tunnel down the center of the chassis to allow direct routing and easy access.ENEOSDuring the V8 installation, the rear suspension was removed and replaced with significant additional bracing, allowing them to remove the torsion bars and update to custom Stance Suspension coilovers. In search of additional rigidity and safety, a full roll cage was built by Accurate Fabrication in Bristol, CT.With more than double its original output, Jimmy decided to add both style and a wider footprint by converting the "narrow" body to a widebody using metal fenders welded to all four corners by close friend Brian Hall.AdvertisementAdvertisementWith the rejuvenated body painted in glorious Porsche Guards Red, the team was able to fit 17x9.5" front and 17x10.5" rear RAYS VRX-10 wheels with 235/40 R17 and 255/40 R17 Accelera 651 Sport tires, respectively. The brakes are Porsche Boxster four-piston Brembos at each corner utilizing EBC rotors and Chase Bays lines."This build wasn't about taking the easy route," said Jimmy. "It was about building something that makes people take notice and then showing them how we did it. In my opinion, it's projects like this that keep car culture exciting."In addition to watching the swap on Jimmy's YouTube channel, you can see the car's debut at Formula DRIFT Connecticut in the ENEOS booth at Stafford Motor Speedway June 18-20. See formulad.com/schedule for event tickets.