Fiat Mystery Car

[dretceterini]

[quote=biz5300;761390]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dretceterini are you talking about this 1954 Simca Ghia?[/QUOTE Yes that is the Simca.. The Fiat we know about as it is being restored at the moment and it also had a continuation Abarth 205 chassis numberation.. The Simca is vanished I believe but I had never seen the Simca Ghia convertible before... so 3 Of them made...

[biz5300]

Yes , its similar to the osi in design.. And michelotti designed the osi 1200 but the rear is very different and this car is a 1959 to 61 fiat osca 1500 pininfarina covertible with a changed nose. I doubt were it some other designer they would have kept the pininfarina rear.. Ciao tutti

[biz5300]

Its in my 50s autosport or road and tracks.. Will post shortly but this a definite .. The simca ghia (abarth?) Convertible was made..

[Alfaman75]

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Originally Posted by dretceterini Can you post a photo of the Simca Ghia conv't you are talking about?

[Alfaman75]

Quote:

Originally Posted by biz5300 so 3 Of them made...

[Earl Rausch]

Have not had the chance to go and look at the number plates yet. But I did find this Ghia car on the web.
Here is what was said about the car.
Ill get the plate info tomorrow.
Earl


The Ghia coach building company developed this GT body over a Fiat chassis for the 1960 Turin motor show, and eventually went to production with a modest 2.3 liter, 136 HP six cylinder, it also attracted the attention and American entrepreneur Bert Sugarman. Bert liked the car, but the motivation was lacking, so he dropped a Plymouth 273 V8 Barracuda with 235 HP in it and brought it to the US, selling some 52 examples with the "450SS" belying the engine displacement.


This particular example was owned by none other than Wilt "The Stilt" Chamblerlain, who found it to be the only sports car he could actually fit in. While he owned it, he took it in to a young upstart to the hot-rod industry, one "Boyd Coddington" for a full restoration and upgrades to the powerplant. It was part of Chamberlain's estate at the time of his death and still remains titled in his name.

The little details on this car make it an excellent example of custom coachbuilding of the era. Notice the lack of door handles, instead, an indent in the rear fender to pull it open. The handsome curved wood dash with elegant gauges, row of switches on the dash are labeled only by number instead of function (you had to know what they do), the wire wheels, functional vents, and various other Italian design elements. Mr. Chamberlain certainly had some taste.Google Image Result for http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/jalopnik/2009/06/Wilt_Chamberlain_1967_Ghia_450SS_Spyder.jpg

[biz5300]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alfaman75 Apparently, besides the Fiat Abarth 103 GT Coupé Ghia, the Simca Abarth GT Coupé Ghia and the Simca Cabriolet that I posted in my previous post, there was made a 4th similar looking car, the Vaughan Super Sports Ghia which was equipped with a V8 engine:

[dretceterini]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alfaman75 This must be the one:

[pan68]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alfaman75 Apparently, besides the Fiat Abarth 103 GT Coupé Ghia, the Simca Abarth GT Coupé Ghia and the Simca Cabriolet that I posted in my previous post, there was made a 4th similar looking car, the Vaughan Super Sports Ghia which was equipped with a V8 engine:

[dretceterini]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pan68 In two of my books this Vaughan (Vaugham?) car is mentioned, but nothing is to find about it on the Internet. Remarkable that it exactly looks the same like the Ghia Fiat on the contrary the Simca got his own 'nose'! Someone will bring light into the darkness?

[pan68]

What my book reveals:

[velocedoc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earl Rausch Have not had the chance to go and look at the number plates yet. But I did find this Ghia car on the web. Here is what was said about the car. Ill get the plate info tomorrow. Earl The Ghia coach building company developed this GT body over a Fiat chassis for the 1960 Turin motor show, and eventually went to production with a modest 2.3 liter, 136 HP six cylinder, it also attracted the attention and American entrepreneur Bert Sugarman. Bert liked the car, but the motivation was lacking, so he dropped a Plymouth 273 V8 Barracuda with 235 HP in it and brought it to the US, selling some 52 examples with the "450SS" belying the engine displacement. This particular example was owned by none other than Wilt "The Stilt" Chamblerlain, who found it to be the only sports car he could actually fit in. While he owned it, he took it in to a young upstart to the hot-rod industry, one "Boyd Coddington" for a full restoration and upgrades to the powerplant. It was part of Chamberlain's estate at the time of his death and still remains titled in his name. The little details on this car make it an excellent example of custom coachbuilding of the era. Notice the lack of door handles, instead, an indent in the rear fender to pull it open. The handsome curved wood dash with elegant gauges, row of switches on the dash are labeled only by number instead of function (you had to know what they do), the wire wheels, functional vents, and various other Italian design elements. Mr. Chamberlain certainly had some taste.Google Image Result for http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/jalopnik/2009/06/Wilt_Chamberlain_1967_Ghia_450SS_Spyder.jpg

[tubut]

Quote:

Originally Posted by velocedoc Boyd Coddington to my knowledge is still designing cars. I think he has a shop in San Jacinto or Hemet. Worth finding out and making an inquiry. Might fill in some missing blanks on what he did for who with those cars. With the upgraded engine it sounds like it was along the lines of the Sunbeam Tiger concept. I am wondering if FIAT knows anything and if there is one of those numbers that designates it as something special? Looking at Wilts car, there are many similiar concepts in the fender/bumper lines on the front. Could this car we are discussing have been the prototype?

[dretceterini]

Quote:

Originally Posted by velocedoc Boyd Coddington to my knowledge is still designing cars. I think he has a shop in San Jacinto or Hemet. Worth finding out and making an inquiry. Might fill in some missing blanks on what he did for who with those cars. With the upgraded engine it sounds like it was along the lines of the Sunbeam Tiger concept. I am wondering if FIAT knows anything and if there is one of those numbers that designates it as something special? Looking at Wilts car, there are many similiar concepts in the fender/bumper lines on the front. Could this car we are discussing have been the prototype?

[dretceterini]

I just found this somewhat interesting Italian bodied Simca 1200 for sale and the price seems fair

Simca 1200 S Coupe Bertone for sale, classic cars for sale uk (Car: 46603)