The Prettiest Car That You Have Never Heard Of

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In this Rare Cars documentary, we are going over the story of what is arguably one of the top 100 best-looking cars ever made - and yet so few people have ever even heard of this car's name let alone its story. This is the Intermeccanica Italia - an American V8-powered Italian-bodied sports car built by Canadians.
The Intermeccanica Italia is a stunning car. With its carefully designed chassis and various Ford V8 powerplants, as you will soon find out, it was a VERY solid car for the period especially given its attractive price point.
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:13 The Backstory & Initial Variants
6:00 Chassis & Powerplants
7:41 Why The Car Was So Good
8:32 Sales & Legacy
*Note, we are not historians. If you see an error in our research then please mention it in the comments!
For business inquiries or other inquiries, reach out to: rarecarsmedia@gmail.com
Sources:
-www.caranddriver.com/news/a39...
-www.hagerty.co.uk/articles/au...
-www.speedholics.com/post/inte...
-www.supercars.net/blog/1968-i...
NOTICE: Clips used from other videos are fair use and fall under U.S. copyright law because this work is transformative in nature, and has no negative effect on the market for the original work. It is against the law to fraudulently claim a copyright on a video you do not own under the DMCA or to abuse RU-vid’s copyright claim tool. Copyright concerns and takedown requests can be submitted to: rarecarsmedia@gmail.com

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Опубликовано:

24 июл 2024

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Комментарии : 165

@danven1256 18 дней назад

You just saved me from believing that I might be crazy. As a young grease monkey In the mid '70s a car rolled in the door at the Lincoln Mercury store I was working at. The customer was experiencing carbon monoxide poisoning when he drove the car and ended up in the hospital. The car was an Italia. It turned out to be an easy fix, The trunk gasket was missing which allowed the exhaust to roll into the trunk area and then into the passenger compartment. At the time we worked on a lot of Pantera's but that was the only Italia that I ever worked on, and I always wondered after almost 50 years if I remembered the name correctly.

@joey193650 18 дней назад

I will admit at 50yrs old and a mechanic most of my life. I have never heard of or seen one of these. Thank you for the info.

@The_R-n-I_Guy 18 дней назад

Indra? Yes please. Looks freaking awesome!

@rarecars3336 18 дней назад

It does look sweet too, such a different design than the Italia which is fascinating

@jackreacher. 17 дней назад

My 1965 MG with its shoe-horned 289 and C4 was the cat's meow.

18 дней назад

Beautiful car! Has the perfect lines like the old Ferraris and Jaguars. Love that V8 too.

@Rogers1977 18 дней назад

Sort of related, I used to work at an electronics store in Monrovia, CA (it's no longer there). One Saturday, a guy shows up in a gorgeous GT car that I've never seen before. My manager helped him find some components and inquired about the car, it was an Iso Grifo. One of those rare Italian cars that had American muscle! Had a Chevy 454 packed under the hood and it sounded fantastic.

@paulqueripel3493 18 дней назад

There was a car auction house near me, they often used the local supermarket car park (parking lot, but this is England) to unload. There was a Bizzarrini 5300GT on the back of a trailer (he designed for Iso as well) there one day. The rarest car I spotted was the Pink Panther car, only in the showroom for 1 night.

@machupikachu1085 16 дней назад

What do you mean? Monrovia is still there.

@fredbuckles919 3 дня назад

Iso made the Grifo and previously produced the Rivolta with Chev V8 and wonderful Italian styling with luscious glove leather interior.

@kerrypierre9494 18 дней назад

This is absolutely a beautiful car but, for me, the DeTamaso Pantera will always be my favorite.

@rarecars3336 18 дней назад

Very fair to be honest - the Pantera is one of the greats!

@briangraver1973 17 дней назад

Growing up in Willow Grove, Pa. in 1970 I was 12 years old and our neighbor had an 1970 red Italia convertible. They had a colonial era farm house with four bay carriage house that he put the Italia away in storage in 1972 and then bought a 1972 blue Pantera as his daily driver!

@SullyOrange 10 дней назад

RE Pantera- ‘Me Too’ In 1979 I was doing about 85 MPH on the 60 fwy in SoCal, East of Riverside. No other cars on the road. I saw a very rapidly approaching yellow car in my rear-view. I stayed where I was and that bright yellow Detomaso Pantera BLEW MY DOORS OFF. He must’ve been doing 150MPH or more as he blew past my Datsun 510. Very impressive! I’ve loved them ever since.

@kerrypierre9494 9 дней назад

@@SullyOrange Cool story, my first encounter with a Pantera was around the same time period. My dad had a friend who was a doctor and he drove his 74 Pantera to our house one day, which also happened to be yellow. I had never seen one before and was all over the car, looking at the engine, the interior.and the wide tires , just being a kid who loved cars. Then he said, the key is in it, take it for a spin around the block. Although I never got out of second gear, I was hooked, been my dream car ever since.

@adamweston4152 15 дней назад

The Buick 215 was sold to rover cars in the UK and became the rover 3.5 litre which is an iconic engine here in the UK.

@deborahbabcock5309 17 дней назад

I remember those cars I was a foreign car mechanic in the early 70s we said it was the best of both worlds. American muscle with an Italian sports coat.

@user-kc9dc7yt6p 13 дней назад

I was feeling like I was the only person that had an Italia. 1973 coupe with the Cleveland engine. 8,000 on the tach with no redline. Rally Motors in Paramus New Jersey used to sell them. My friend George had the Yellow Convertible. Thanks for the memories.

@alexanderdeburdegala4609 17 дней назад

Thank you for not being an F'n AI channel

@rcpmac 6 дней назад

Yes! We need a filter for that.

@supertwin1 3 дня назад

In the mid-80s I lived/worked in San Diego and had the pleasure of being employed as a mechanic at an import car dyno shop that specialized in Ferrari/Lambo & air cooled Porsche. It was called "Woodies Place" and was owned/run by James Woodhouse & "Mo" Winicki. I was handed a work order to fit a GMC style roots blower onto a 289 cu in. Italia Mecchanica, which meant pulling the heads to be "O"-ring to support a higher compression level. After numerous cylinder head re-torques I finally got the coolant to stay in the engine and was ready to take the vehicle out for it's test drive. What a test drive that was.....I was gone for no less that an hour absolutely grinning from ear-to-ear. This beautifully sculpted silver Italian car had become a supercar with that blower! Sadly I took no photos & only have memories of that fascinating era and that car.

@sdfswords День назад

Very cool for sure. I lived in Point Loma at the same time, where was Woodies in SD? Loved it during that period, but it got over developed, now like Orange County.

@steve-ey3rx 17 дней назад

"The youth of today" will never be able to afford sports cars. :( Good video. Thanks!

@terrybeavan4264 17 дней назад

Great video! Some years ago I saw one of these up close in a parking lot, it was a white convertible, I talked to the owner who was happy to educate me on what it was, loved the looks and the sound of the V8! Also no small wonder that car is as good looking as it is--I loved reading Robert Cumberford's articles in Automobile Magazine doing critiques of various cars' styling, and with his eye for design I'd figure if he drew it, it would have to be greatness!

@kerrystagmer 16 дней назад

I actually own the very first 2 cars of this series. The prototype Griffith 600 still retains the 289k while the rest (6 cars or so) received other manufacturers engines. The following 33 Omega are also Ford powered.

@thomfult7956 18 дней назад

I had a Iso Rivolta 1964 all Chevy running gear hand built Italian!

@rarecars3336 18 дней назад

Oh wow no way those are so cool - how long did you have it for?

@thomfult7956 17 дней назад

@@rarecars3336 Had 5 or so years, it was in excellent mechanical shape but had suffrered a interior fire so had no glass or interrior but drove fine. Cost of glass and interior restoration was out of my finacial ability.

@siroyalflush 18 дней назад

Great vid! 👍 .. Yes please make a video on the Indra 🚘

@kerrypierre9494 18 дней назад

With ya 💯👍

@rarecars3336 18 дней назад

Will do!

@dinoallbaugh2050 2 дня назад

Great info ! thanks looking forward to more videos

@Porsche996driver 9 дней назад

As a kid working at Ralph’s (market) I picked up all the new car mags each month. I remember trying to follow that twisted history over time. Another one was the Monteverdi

@lbsvw2526 18 дней назад

A yellow Italia convertibile appears into 1971 Walt Disney movie "The Million Dollar Duck". Interestingly, into the more known 1969 "The Love Bug" - another Disney movie - appears an Apollo GT.

@rarecars3336 18 дней назад

Wow that is some great insight - both of those cars with Reisner having a hand in them I wonder if he knew someone who knew someone that could help place cars in film

@LivingOnCash 21 час назад

I was born in 1956 and was a car freak since a little kid. I religiously read Car and Driver, Road & Track, and other car magazines but don't remember ever seeing this car before. Thanks for the info.

@davidpedwardsiii5581 16 дней назад

Bring more Intermeccanica please

@indyvignale-wu9qk 18 дней назад

Would be great to hear about the Indra!

@stephencurry8552 16 дней назад

Yes to the Indra video. So very interesting to hear and see the details of rare cars.

@650Max 14 дней назад

As a kid in primary school I walked past an AC 428 coupe parked outside a near neighbour's house, basically a lengthened Cobra chassis with beautiful Frua bodywork, this was early 1970's.

@kerrypierre9494 18 дней назад

Loved the vid, please keep them coming.👌🤘👍🔥

@rarecars3336 18 дней назад

Thanks for watching - will do!

@f.kieranfinney457 3 дня назад

In 1987 I was offered a rough Apollo 3500GT with a poorly running engine for $2500 Canadian. I paid $500 instead for a Sprite. In pieces but with a NOS block. My financial acumen has always been highly tuned….

@steveroughley6622 День назад

I saw a blue Italia in a customer's garage in the 80's. So beautiful!

@donaldekhoff7999 15 дней назад

Nice presentation. I had a 1970 Italia that had been the feature car from Disney's "Million Dollar Duck". It had then been used as a movie car run off a pier into NY Harbor. It died of terminal rust under bondo although was a beautiful car til the rust did it's one way magic. It had a 180mph speedo that didn't come off the peg until 30mph. That was in the Carter 55mph national limit years so the speedometer moved maybe 3 degrees from indicating at all, to illegal! Good Times!

@pauljones2031 17 дней назад

Thank you! I actually learned something.

@84C10JEFF 17 дней назад

I seen Bob Lutz’S convertible at a small show in my hometown and it was beautiful.

@studio-flash 15 дней назад

The best of them all is the ISO Griffo.. gorgeous inside and out .. faster than Ferrari and Lambo and better looking plus better performance. Ferraris we’re not reliable enough only a Corvette engine could provide that plus the performance with Corvette/Italian styling it was unbelievable.

@brokenmotorwagen1328 17 дней назад

4:10" - "heavily inspired by Ferraris" and shows us the Fiat tail lights. :D Great timing!

@carlover9548 18 дней назад

I learnt about this car this week because of an Italia Spyder listed this week on Bring a Trailer. I suppose this one also grow your curiosity!

@rarecars3336 18 дней назад

I actually saw one listed on a local Marketplace listing and that inspired me to do so! I did also see the BAT listing - these cars need more widespread love!

@silvermane1741 18 дней назад

I been a fan of the fusion of Italian coachwork and American muscle.

@SelectCircle 15 дней назад

So well done I subbed.

@Rex_Racer 17 дней назад

One of these shows up at my local cars and coffee.

@christophecamus3295 17 дней назад

Great looking car, very interesting video thanks ❤❤❤❤❤❤

@uncleronny6748 5 дней назад

Great video thanks. I used to work for Automobili Intermeccanica in the late 70's, post Speedster replica, when we built Mustang convertibles outta early Fox bodied coupes. Ford wouldn't build a drop top again until 1983 1/2 .

@rarecars3336 4 дня назад

Wow that is awesome - how was it working for them?

@JustanOlGuy 18 дней назад

A gorgeous Automobile!

@rarecars3336 18 дней назад

Amazing looking car - so underrated it almost hurts lol

@bmflmf 6 дней назад

Thank you for showing me yet. Another beautiful car that I’ll never have.😂😂

@AMCmachine 17 дней назад

Cool car and story, never came across one in person.

@loyalUSguy 8 часов назад

I have actually seen one of these. A '69 with a 302. Had different wheels. Nice little car!

@jasonolszanicky4035 18 дней назад

Yeah you should do the indra video. Strangely I have heard of this but I am a lifelong car enthusiast.

@nmarks День назад

That Apollo GT is incredibly pretty.

@robertward8794 15 дней назад

Trivia. In the mid 50s US car maker Hudson sold a car called the Italia. Pininfarina designed and built 20 or so bodies on the floor pan and running gear of Hudson's plain jane Jet sedan.

@ebinmaine 17 дней назад

Definitely be interesting to hear about the GM cross as well.

@1spiralout 18 дней назад

5:49 Between the pet store/barber shop and the Warhammer shop Ann Arbor, MI

@phillipmitchell5879 16 дней назад

I remember the Intermeccanica Italia well. There was a dealer in the late '60's in Evanston, IL, on Green Bay Rd. 'Would occasionally drop by there, drooling all the while...

@automotiveaffairsshorts 18 дней назад

Yes, yes… do a video on the Indra

@BlairAir 15 дней назад

As you brought us through the convoluted history, some cars were more outstanding than others. The convertible iterations were lookers, certainly. But I could not stop looking at wheel placement in the body. Sometimes near perfection, other times so off, it reaked "kit car"

@rv6ejguy 16 дней назад

A friend of mine had one of these with the 351. Nice looking and fast for the times but I remember the frame developed cracks here and there.

@jrm2fla 11 дней назад

Please…. Do a story on the Indra! That body is crazy cool!

@rarecars3336 11 дней назад

Will Do, I agree the visuals on that car are crazy!

@racketman2u 17 дней назад

Nice! reminds me a bit of the similarly-conceived australian Bolwell Nagari, another excellently styled small volume manufacturer.

@TeaParty1776 16 дней назад

That name is as marketable as platypus.

@TeaParty1776 16 дней назад

Wow! Ive studied sportts cars since the early? 60s and I never heard of the Italia. Beautiful. Looks somewhat like a Ferrari 330GTS or a BMW 507.

@RUfromthe40s 29 минут назад

the italia had the alloy whels built by Fiat at the time, you can see them today in the Fiat Dino ,some years ago only some knew about the Fiat Dino no matter how many time ,the italian job movie with the mini´s would be showed on tv for the next 50 years, the cars showed here have a lot similar body panels with Ferrari, TVR or Triumph and Datsun

@mattm9619 18 дней назад

That is a great looking car.

@rarecars3336 18 дней назад

100% Agreed

@jazzafly257 2 дня назад

Please tell us about the Indra! LOVE this car....initially thought it might have been a Ginetta, out of England. A contemporary of TVR

@slicedbread9003 11 дней назад

My dad's friend had an Italia in yellow. While it was a beautiful car and you would think that the combination of Italian coachwork and American power would be great. It was constantly breaking down. One time he pushed it down the road to our house. I think that the enthusiasts that have them now have corrected most of the initial issues that the car was born with. They had a poor reputation at the time the cars were current.

@rickc661 2 дня назад

way back I lived within 20 mi of Watkins glen so every fall several ' exotics' would be around. I always loved Ferrari Dino 246 I think it was. so gorgeous. prob. ran like ...

@herchelleonwood7463 14 дней назад

the buick 215 v8 is what buick created the Grand National 3.8 v6 from.

@Harvey_Pekar 17 дней назад

Now THAT is a car.

@asquare9316 6 дней назад

One of my neighbors years ago had an Italia and an Apollo GT. The Apollo was basically the hardtop version of the Italia. So, yes, I have heard of these cars and have even ridden in them. btw, my second car was a TVR.

@rarecars3336 5 дней назад

Wow that is an insane collection he had - did he hold onto them?

@asquare9316 5 дней назад

@@rarecars3336 It was a long time ago, he is deceased. I do not know what happened to the cars.

@scottaaat 3 дня назад

I’d love to hear about the Indra.

@Mac10Daddy 18 дней назад

Interesting car. It’s like a mix between a Datsun 240z and a Ferrari

@bryanayers6104 15 дней назад

Many of us are familiar with the Reisners & Intermeccanica... and their cars.

@TAM-gz5tc 15 дней назад

loverly car

@pugs1377 18 дней назад

I learned today🎉

@christophecamus3295 17 дней назад

The indra sounds interesting too

@trwsandford 15 дней назад

Wow! That’s almost as pretty as a 1974 Fiat 124 sport Spider!

@Wolfson47 14 часов назад

I remember seeing one as a kid in NY. A very sexy desirable car, especially to a teenager.

@realshady16 18 дней назад

What an good looking car

@rarecars3336 18 дней назад

Agreed, it is an absolute LOOKER

@TeaParty1776 16 дней назад

I saw a Chrysler Maserati a few years ago. Not a sports car but more of a sports sedan.

@zounds13 13 дней назад

I have too heard of it. 😁

@larrylarry739 16 дней назад

Reminds me more of early C3 Corvette (1968/69) than a Ferrari.

@Captain_Commenter 17 дней назад

I'd never leave Canada, but to each their own.

@rickrocknrollliconti3729 15 дней назад

In 1974 i was selling my 1969 280SL i was Approached with one of these cars as a trade and I looked at it and said what is it and said never heard of it so obviously, I did not take the trade

@thomasmireles4910 18 дней назад

Tell us about the Indra please

@rarecars3336 18 дней назад

Will do!

@48Boxer 18 дней назад

Hilarious that they used a prancing bull

@RUfromthe40s 19 часов назад

i have a lot of american made cars in my colection but i would call them unecessary huge and giant engines without power and europeans like, well thought cars and the best engines and more powerfull also work like a swiss made clock

@marvinheemeyer6660 18 дней назад

"Frank" looked like someone that would have to explain to Chris Hanson why he just walked in a house looking for 14 year old girl....

@bourbonslurpee 17 дней назад

He pioneered cup holders in the centre console their original purpose was to hold boiled lollies.

@TeaParty1776 16 дней назад

@@bourbonslurpee Boiled?!

@bourbonslurpee 16 дней назад

@@TeaParty1776 I think in America boiled lollies is called rock candy

@TeaParty1776 15 дней назад

@@bourbonslurpee I had an aunt Helen but everyone called her Lolly. I dont know why.

@TeaParty1776 15 дней назад

@@bourbonslurpee I may have eaten some as a young teen.

@relaxitsme_alex9104 17 дней назад

I’ll be honest I don’t think too many of my generation wouldn’t care too much too about these cars from the 60s and earlier let alone these unique coach built cars at the rate of seeing the newer generations not caring too much

@techo61 3 дня назад

8:12 was that supposed to be the interior view? You do know light bulbs are a thing, right?

@jaysonschor 15 дней назад

Its pronounced Ren-know not Ren - alt

@matthewowens1451 День назад

id like to know what the desire is for cars that are just 2 door like a 4 door is bad ..weird

@RUfromthe40s 22 минуты назад

but all european countries made at this time their own sport cars with help of other brands parts like these showed here, even in the 50´s a Portuguese factory of street lamps and garden benches and water drinker´s, for public gardens or avenues not like today but as in the old days built a similar sport car and it had success in races but only two were fabricated

@kevinp3550 2 дня назад

Indra? Please!!!

@grantbuxton 17 дней назад

Spitfire mg look very similar

@alanrobinson4318 15 дней назад

Does anyone think the rear fender lines were stolen by Corvettes ?

@oldnatty61 16 дней назад

I'll stay w/ Cobra.

@alexandermikhailov2481 16 дней назад

9:05 Tapir would be a good name for this styling abomination

@Retroscoop 14 часов назад

No one can have anything against a price just half of Ferrari, and not all the hassle of expensive spare parts and even not being allowed to buy a new model if you did not previously already owned a Ferrari. Having said that, the Intermechanica does NOT reach the beauty level of Ferrari's or let's say the De Tomaso Mangusta. It comes close, but you don't have to be an expert to see it's only a wannabe. Somehow, Italian designers always seem to manage to add that little extra; a bit chrome here, a logo there and not elsewhere, a real or fake air intake.... The difference between very good and perfection. (When it comes to the Mangusta, I'm only speaking about the exterior, the interior is a disappointment)

@Geoff_G 15 дней назад

Indra video please.

@km6832 18 дней назад

Back when you could just move to another country and live life. Now if you wanna live in another country you gotta jump through a million hoops

@soulcontractor1641 18 дней назад

Or have lots of money!

@km6832 18 дней назад

@@soulcontractor1641 yup

@hank1556 18 дней назад

Not for the USA. Just walk across the border and you'll get a cell phone, ebt and free housing at hotels.

@captianjolly 18 дней назад

When you were chanting "build the wall! Build the wall" at those fascist rallies, it never dawned on you that walls keep people in too. Stop voting for Panthers eating people's faces champ!

@knockharder3554 17 дней назад

Come to the USA. Backwards crooked politicians both local and fed which prosecutes its own citizens for breaking the laws. But rewards the unlawful hordes of the world, who receive free housing, medical care, food assistance, transportation, and be able to jump the line, getting in front of actual citizens who pay the high taxes which pays for their "free" programs and services. They take care of people who literally break the law as soon as they step foot on US soil. If I break the law and I get caught I pay for it. They break the law and they get caught, they're released, handed money, a plane ticket, hotel room, and free food. I hope Jesus comes back soon

@mry82 11 дней назад

Tell us about the other one!

@cristianomallmann3842 17 дней назад

GTA V Stinger?

@JamesHGroffSr 3 дня назад

I dont care what anybody says. THE ITALIANS have a natual beauty for design of an AUTOMOBILE??ALSO FIAT Heavy have allways strive for a better product. Pinaferina the company that designed that two seater Cadilac was a well built automobile.

@geofftimm2291 17 дней назад

Datsun 240 Z took over the market, had the looks, and greater reliability.

@aussieausbourne1 17 дней назад

Shouldn't have used a Chrysler drive train and they may have gotten their cars into more hands.

@RUfromthe40s 19 часов назад

this video was made only for the U.S. people, no?because all cars showed here are known by everybody ,well young kids maybe they don´t know them ,some ,not all, but also even with 40 years old they don´t know how to have a fried egg or put a stake on a grill or even make the coal right to grill meat and fish but i´m refering to both women and men, i´ve seen them and know many