carsntrucks4you Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 (edited) We had a good start into 2018. I got 100% correct answers from you. The car that I'm looking for was a 1970-1973 Monteverdi Hai 450 SS. Designed and built in Switzerland and power by a Chrysler engine Next weeks challange will be provide by Matt Bacon. Edited January 5, 2018 by carsntrucks4you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonW Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 Ooh yes please! Maybe not as good in the snow as the Saab though. Thanks Michael -Don. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete J. Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 Very interesting power plant in this one. Not at all what you might expect! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteski Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 I don't know what it is, but it sure is one gorgeous looking vehicle! Sexy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carsntrucks4you Posted January 5, 2018 Author Share Posted January 5, 2018 The winners are: Sjordan2 Ace-Garageguy VW93 PeteJ Otherunicorn Matt Bacon DonW Matthijsgrit landman Earl Marischal TimJ Phirewriter Well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Bacon Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Oddly, Matchbox did one of these in orange in 1973, which both I and my 4-year old sister liked so much that we ended up with two, which are still lurking in a box full of vintage toy cars at my parents' house. With only 2 of the real thing built (and maybe 2 more if you count "continuation cars" as the real thing), I'm sure Matchbox production dwarfed that of Monteverdi -- who didn't seem to want to sell real ones to people if he could avoid it... He must have had good relations with the die-casters, though, because Dinky released a rather nice Monteverdi 375, which although more prolific than the Hai, was hardly a common sight on British roads... Something made in rather larger numbers next week... best, M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete J. Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 (edited) On 1/2/2018 at 7:27 AM, Pete J. said: Very interesting power plant in this one. Not at all what you might expect! This photo might change your mind about owning one of these. I was at first intrigued with the choice of the Hemi engine for this car and then I saw how it literally was intruding into the passenger compartment. I cannot imagine the racket and heat from this beast sitting next to you. Edited January 5, 2018 by Pete J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Bacon Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 It does seem like a fatal flaw, when you look at the period competition in terms of sleek Italian-designed GT cars, with or without American muscle. Everyone else had the sense to leave the howling (Italian) or snarling (US iron) engine on the opposite side of an insulated firewall and often double glazing! No wonder he didn't really want to sell them... I suspect they'd have been returned or traded in short order when the owners had driven them five minutes down the road to the shops, never mind from Milan to Geneva... best, M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 (edited) 3 hours ago, Pete J. said: This photo might change your mind about owning one of these. I was at first intrigued with the choice of the Hemi engine for this car and then I saw how it literally was intruding into the passenger compartment. I cannot imagine the racket and heat from this beast sitting next to you. 1 hour ago, Matt Bacon said: It does seem like a fatal flaw, when you look at the period competition in terms of sleek Italian-designed GT cars, with or without American muscle. Everyone else had the sense to leave the howling (Italian) or snarling (US iron) engine on the opposite side of an insulated firewall and often double glazing! Yeah, the Hai's engine placement and intrusion into the cockpit makes a Pantera seem like a state-of-the-art exercise in ergonomics by comparison, and anyone who's lived with a Pantera knows that nothing could be farther from the truth. Still, the big Hemi amidships goes to help prove the old axiom that you can stuff almost any engine in any car. It's just not always a really good idea. Edited January 5, 2018 by Ace-Garageguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete J. Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 2 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said: Yeah, the Hai's engine placement and intrusion into the cockpit makes a Pantera seem like a state-of-the-art exercise in ergonomics by comparison, and anyone who's lived with a Pantera knows that nothing could be farther from the truth. Still, the big Hemi amidships goes to help prove the old axiom that you can stuff almost any engine in any car. It's just not always a really good idea. Yup, pretty much says it all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 How 'bout a mid-engined Opel GT with an old Allison aircraft engine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xingu Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 You guys are missing the advantage of having your mechanic riding shotgun and adjusting the timing and carbs while you are flat out on the Pike's Peak Hill Climb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisR Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 This one had me stumped. My normal way of searching did not give any clues. Reverse image search did reveal the identity! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete J. Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 3 hours ago, ChrisR said: This one had me stumped. My normal way of searching did not give any clues. Reverse image search did reveal the identity! It helps if you are an old guy(substituted "guy" for a four letter word) and have a vague memory of these late 60's early 70's super cars. I remember seeing this for the first time in either Car & Driver or Road & Track. Funny how I can remember this stuff but can't remember if I took my Med's this morning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Bacon Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 5 hours ago, ChrisR said: This one had me stumped. My normal way of searching did not give any clues. Reverse image search did reveal the identity! I knew I kinda recognised it (though those orange Matchbox cars didn't reflect the rather nicer lines of he real thing). In the end I searched "sleek purple european coupe pebble beach" and that found it on the first page of "image" results... best, M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 5 hours ago, ChrisR said: This one had me stumped. My normal way of searching did not give any clues. Reverse image search did reveal the identity! I remembered the magenta paint on a vaguely Mangusta-looking show car, and the name Monteverdi popped into my head. I used to follow the small manufacturers rather intensely...eons ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete J. Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 3 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said: I remembered the magenta paint on a vaguely Mangusta-looking show car, and the name Monteverdi popped into my head. I used to follow the small manufacturers rather intensely...eons ago. Yup, that was the logic in my old guy brain as well. Why I would remember Monteverdi is beyond me. It is not a company that produced any "mainstream" cars. Very small Swiss company. Perhaps it was the offbeat use of a Hemi that stuck. Kind of a theme of the era starting with the GT-40. Mid engine big 'merican iron in a sexy body. The Pantera was a similar formula with a Cleveland engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
otherunicorn Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 14 hours ago, ChrisR said: This one had me stumped. My normal way of searching did not give any clues. Reverse image search did reveal the identity! "1970s exotic car" - first page! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xingu Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 13 hours ago, otherunicorn said: "1970s exotic car" - first page! That search also came up with this on the first page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonW Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 I knew exactly what it was as soon as I saw the picture, just had to check the year. I'd never seen the fascinating interior shot that Pete posted. I'd always wondered why Peter Monteverdi never tried to sell these cars, now I begin to understand. I'd still like one, but then I'm a Motorhead fan. Everything louder than everything else! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteski Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 On 1/6/2018 at 12:06 PM, Matt Bacon said: I knew I kinda recognised it (though those orange Matchbox cars didn't reflect the rather nicer lines of he real thing). I also have that orange Matchbox model (and have owned it since the '70s). It looks nothing like the real car. I always thought that the Matchbox model was cool looking but odd. Now that I saw a photo of the real car I can say that it is sleek and beautiful (but the engine is a bit of an overkill). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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