Auto ID #214 Finished

[otherunicorn]

1969-1970-1971 Giotto Bizzarrini Sciabola/American Motors AMX/3
http://mycarquest.com/2013/08/amc-amx3-by-bizzarrini-for-sale-a-bizzarrini-developed-super-car-powered-by-american-motors.html
http://www.supercars.net/blog/1971-american-motors-amx3/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMC_AMX

This particular car is the first AMX/3 by Bizzarrini, in effect a prototype/test car.

 

 

Edited July 15, 2016 by otherunicorn

[Ace-Garageguy]

Easy one for me. 

[Draggon]

Yep. 

[matthijsgrit]

Not easy, but accidently (spelled right???) found it!

Nice car!!!

 

[otherunicorn]

Those who were able to identify it were:

bobthehobbyguy
sjordan2
Ace-Garageguy
dw1603
Badluck 13
Draggon
Xingu
blunc

[dw1603]

Beautiful car, shame they pulled the plug on it. I wonder if it could have made it as a niche model? Probably would have suffered from the same badge snobbery that blighted the Pantera.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Beautiful car, shame they pulled the plug on it. I wonder if it could have made it as a niche model? Probably would have suffered from the same badge snobbery that blighted the Pantera.

The Pantera would have benefited from being just a little better car. It got a bad rap because of under-spec'd non-vented brakes, a tendency to overheat, sundry electrical problems, and a host of other gremlins...not the least of which was a structure positively designed to hold moisture and rust out from the inside. Had its functionality been in line with its looks and go, it could probably have overcome some of the "badge snobbery" you mention. The idea of exotic Italian looks coupled with American bulletproof reliability had a strong appeal. It just didn't happen to work out that way. 

Edited July 15, 2016 by Ace-Garageguy

[dw1603]

...not the least of which was a structure positively designed to hold moisture and rust out from the inside. 

The Italians didn't seem very big on rust proofing, I had a Fiat 124 Sport on which both the clutch and brake pedals disappeared through the bulkhead,  it wasn't that old at the time. Lancia bought back most of the Beta models sold in the UK during the 70's for the same reason. Maybe it doesn't rain in Italy?

Thinking back, the number of rusty Italian cars I've worked on is only surpassed by the number of rusty British cars I've resurrected. The Italian cars tended to handle better though?

Edited July 17, 2016 by dw1603
Extra info

[Ace-Garageguy]

The Italians didn't seem very big on rust proofing, I had a Fiat 124 Sport on which both the clutch and brake pedals disappeared through the bulkhead,  it wasn't that old at the time. Lancia bought back most of the Beta models sold in the UK during the 70's for the same reason. Maybe it doesn't rain in Italy?

The Pantera had holes punched in structural members of the unibody that would fill up with road dirt, sand and water. There was zero rust-proofing of any kind, not even primer blown into the openings. It didn't take long for them to start sagging if they were driven in wet or winter conditions, and I've done a LOT of heavy structural repairs on them.

Somewhere I have a photo of newly constructed bare steel Pantera shells sitting outside at Ghia, not tarped, in the rain.

[Matt Bacon]

Makes me wonder... did anyone EVER successfully pull off the "Classic European styling with bulletprood American reliability?" Facel Vega, Iso Grifo or Jensen Interceptor, maybe...? The Cobra and GT40 are the ur-beasts in this respect, but the Cobra lost the European styling somewhere along the way, and the GT40 was never really homologated as a road car.

I suspect there's a philosophical mis-match between American engines and European chassis, which no amount of curvy bodywork can smooth over...

bestest,

M.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Makes me wonder... did anyone EVER successfully pull off the "Classic European styling with bulletprood American reliability?" Facel Vega, Iso Grifo or Jensen Interceptor, maybe...?

At the risk of running afoul of the digression police again, I'll mention I once owned an Interceptor with a 440. It was actually a very good car, structurally as solid as a bridge, had massive brakes that worked beautifully, a remarkable suspension tune that let the big heavy car with a live rear axle handle and respond like a car half its weight, a wonderfully English interior with leather and wool and wood, and a seriously bulletproof engine and 727 Torqueflite gearbox.

I also owned an Intermeccanica Italia for a short while. Ford smallblock-engined, it was a quite simple car, no unnecessary electrics etc, and though it had had a very hard life when it came to me (at least 1/2 inch of bondo on just about every steel body panel), it was still solid and handled pretty well...though I don't remember the brakes being anything very special.

I've had a couple of Bizarrinis go through the shop over the years, and the Chevy engine and gearboxes work as well in them as they do in US domestic cars. Related to Iso though, parts sourcing can be a problem for the European bits.

We currently have an Iso Rivolta in the shop, and though the Chevy 327 engine and gearbox are still pretty OK, the car has had a LOT of miles (really unusual for Italian / US hybrids in general) and the brakes and suspension, of off-the-shelf-parts compromise design and WAY too complicated (and maintained / repaired over the years by chimps) are entirely toast. Parts availability is abysmal, and it's looking like I'll have to fabricate everything we cant get, or modify from something else. That said (remember...this car has had a LOT of miles put on it) it's remarkably sound structurally, with only a few rustout patches having been necessary. The chassis design is also remarkably rigid for something built up from sheet steel panels hand-made on brakes, in the days before CAD.

The Pantera itself becomes quite a good car if fitted with real brakes, modern tires and a radiator and fans that are up to the task of cooling it on a 100 degree day. Its only other major weak points are poorly designed rear axle bearings...ball bearings when they should have been tapered rollers (and there are kits to remedy that, including one developed by me) and an unfortunately flexible unibody. The body works and twists so much in spirited driving that if you strip and refinish one and take it out for a hard run, all the leaded seams will show hairline cracks by the time you get back.

It really shouldn't be hard to build a fantastic Euro / US hybrid, and some came pretty close.

As far as hot-rods go, in my opinion, the Jag XJ-6 SIII with a smallblock Chebby makes maybe the best ever big 4-door sedan once you get rid of all the stuff that just doesn't like to keep working. 

I built a few Stags with Chevy engines over the years too, and that works very well indeed.