Text and photos by Warren Seifer –
I have had my Intermeccanica Italia for 25 years. During my tenure, I’ve restored it, keeping it as original as possible.
The Ford 351 engine, Hurst linkage 4 speed, and Ford rear end have been refreshed. The air conditioning has been updated to Vintage Air. It has been repainted its original color “Giallo Fly”, which Paula Reisner commented “it’s her favorite color” when she autographed my hardcover book on Intermeccanica’s history on which my car’s the cover car.
This car was featured in Autoweek magazine May 31, 2004 editorial page called “Escape Road”. Once at an all Ford show, Pete Brock stopped by to sign a picture of him with my car endorsing my book with “this yellow beauty’s the best”. I have all copies of club newsletters, Griffith 600, Omega, Torino and Italia ads, brochures etc.
This Italia drives great, wins awards and draws crowds. I agree its time Frank and Paula Reisner’s legacy cars be given the respect for what they are, same as an Iso Grifo and De Tomaso Mangusta, which I’ve owned and really regret selling…who knew?
Let us know what you think in the Comments.
THE AUTHOR: Warren Seifer is an avid car lover and lives in Morristown, New Jersey. He writes, “I got hooked on slot cars in 1960 and graduated to the eclectic “etceterini” from entrepreneurs like Ferrari, de Tomaso, Iso, Lamborghini, Abarth etc. I have owned many “oddballs” no-one wanted at the time, was taught restoration by an old timer who was the Abarth factory importer here in NJ. Great late night stories involving beer(s), greasy food and hands, late nights over Fiat Dino’s, Mangusta and the like.
Now retired, I’m enjoying a three car collection including rare-ish Astons, BMW and my beloved Italia. Always looking for the next “orphan”, I’ve got Castrol in my blood..fer sure!”
GORGEOUS CAR AND LOVE THE COLOR!!
where do you think the pricing should be now for a “Driver Quality” roadster ?
Thanks
Russ,
The current Hagerty Price Guide data is:
#1 Concours $156,000
#2 Excellent $122,000
#3 Good $107,000
#4 Fair $82,000
Russ, The just released Sports Car Market yearly guide says the median price for a spyder is $108,500 while Beverly Hills has one in the current Hemmings for $67,500. This car, as it reads needs alot of work. That being said, I’d say a “ driver” would be around close to what Hagerty published. However, be prepared to spend money getting a 50 year old car to the point of being a “ daily driver”. The saving grace here’s the drivetrain which Ford has plenty of parts readily available. I hope this helps you and good luck in your search!
Warren’s my brother and I can attest that his Italia is even more “delicious “ in person. Back in the early sixties he had the foresight to try and convince our dad to buy used Ferraris for next to nothing and hold on to them. But our dad couldn’t see the “investment potential”!
Warren’s wrong about one thing, though. His obsession with cars actually goes back to when he was about six or seven years old and our mom would take us to a toy store in Montclair, NJ where he would get a periodic “fix” of Corgi toy cars. Guessing they would be pretty valuable today, too.
While he and I have been forced by age to give up fast food and fast women his passion for fast cars remains unsaited.
A beautifully designed Italian/American hybrid and a favorite car of mine. I’ve never owned one but is one I would someday want to own. Congratulations on a stunning car!
Thank you Rob.. ots surely been an intetesting ride!
I saw my first Italia at the 2011 Concorso Italiano and I was blown away. A few years ago I purchased the Intermeccanica book and was fascinated by the Reisner’s story of incredible determination to succeed as a car builder, in Italy as foreigners.
In recent years I’ve been keeping an eye out for an Indra, a model that I’ve never seen in person.
Thanks for sharing the story of your sweet car. Here’s a photo of that Italia at Concorso.
Philip,
2011 was an excellent year at Concorso for the Iso Bizzarrini Owner’s Club. This Italia was parked in our group next to an Iso Rivolta. See more photos at this link: https://mycarquest.com/2011/08/concorso-italiano-2011.html
Not far away my silver Bizzarrini was between my maroon Rivolta and red Grifo.
That is Valentino Balboni talking with Ron Spindler next to Ron’s red Bizzarrini.
The Italia with the hood scoop (non stock) is to me one reason why Italias haven’t gone up in price as much as, say ,Mangustas. Because owners keep customizing them,That is their right (and it might make them feel like car designers) but members of the general public are timorous to go look at one for sale because they don’t know how it’s supposed to look. It won’t be until a couple of concours have 10-12 dead stock ones competing in their own class that the enthusiasts of today will know what Italias are supposed to look like.
Wallace, I couldn’t agree with you more. Hopefully, my car will be recognized as how original designers pictured it.
I agree with Wallace. For some reason, owners of these “hybrids” see them as hot rods. It’s a rare occasion to see a Pantera in restored, bone-stock condition. Apollo GTs have suffered the same as many owners have “personalized” their cars with ’60s era hot rod suspensions, modern brakes, custom upholstery and mag wheels (one convertible has two hood scoops!). This is a car with only 86 production units plus two prototypes. Why is that?
The Corpus Christi auction of 2019 showed not only the investment value of a properly restored Apollo ($506K for the first convertible) but what the car should look like as well. Accuracy is what counts. NOT bling.
President, Apollo Owners Registry
Part of the reason Panteras are customized a lot under the hood is that the engine compartment had some sort of black crackle paint sprayed on it at the factory so it was not pretty to see, And the engine was an off the shelf Ford not particularly good to look at. So think of it at say the Pebble Beach concours, you open the engine lid, take out the removable luggage tray and –ugh. The Bizzarrini Strada–especially with Webers–is a beautiful engine
hey warren
Alan here. saw this and had to reach out to you and to realize how much cars have defined who you are. That is a beauty and by far the best even though I have a soft spot for the Pantera