Advances in reverse engineering, CAD/CAM and machining technology have opened up new possibilities when it comes to keeping complex and often irreplaceable historic engines running. In the case of UK-based GTO Engineering, which specializes in remanufacturing classic Ferraris, this extends as far as completely recreating the Italian marque’s engines.
“We started GTO Parts over 20 years ago. Back when I was restoring cars in the 1990s and early 2000s, I found a lack of aftermarket options for parts. It wasn’t as simple as calling a supplier to buy off-the-shelf parts, so I thought I’d respond to the market and start creating parts myself,” explained GTO Engineering managing director Mark Lyon.
“We’ve come a long way since then, most notably that, rather than hand drawing parts or using the old ones as a reference, everything we do is drawn in CAD. This is then what we check against for quality control and have a specialist machine to ensure each part conforms to our standards.”
The video above provides a fascinating insight into the company’s blending of traditional artisan skills with cutting-edge manufacturing and design in order to manufacture new parts, likely to a higher degree of accuracy and mechanical performance than the originals.