Intermeccanica car logos
Intermeccanica History – 1959 to date
1959 Founded in Turin, Italy
First project - speed equipment kits for Renault, Simca, Peugeot, DKW etc. Kits consisted of dual throat carburetors, intake manifolds, high performance cams, oil filters etc.
A full line of free-flow exhaust systems was developed for 50 or more European cars in cooperation with an Italian tube company. These were marketed under the Intermeccanica label everywhere but North America, and sold particularly well in South Africa. In North America they were distributed by STEBRO, who eventually made the systems themselves.
1960
From modifications of Peugeot engines a Formula Junior de-stroked, counterweighted engine was developed, using the facilities of Conrero. A Formula Junior racing car, one of the first with rear engine, was also built and sold. When the English Formula Juniors with Ford based engines in the rear came out a few months later, the IM was outclassed. However about ten engines were sold.
A small aluminum two-seater coupe was developed by Intermeccanica, based on the Steyr-Daimler-Puch 500 cc car. The Puch was a hybrid, with part Fiat 500 chassis and body and part Puch mechanicals, namely a 500 cc air cooled opposed twin engine, special brakes, transmission etc. After a presentation of the prototype car to Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG in Graz, Austria, a series of these small coupes were built, 21 in number. Some were touring cars, and some lightened for racing. The IMP won the 500cc class one year at Nurburgring. Everyone had great fun!
1961 – 1962
The APOLLO GT was developed by Intermeccanica for a company based in San Francisco (actually Oakland). This was at first a coupe, the prototype in aluminum. Further production cars were in steel, which used the then new Buick aluminum V8 engine and all Buick running gear. The cars were upholstered in leather, used Borrani wire wheels etc. Altogether 90 coupes and later 11 convertible APOLLO’s were built between 1961 and 1965.
1963
Intermeccanica exhibited the APOLLO coupe at the Turin Automobile Show.
1965
A prototype APOLLO 2 + 2 was built and exhibited at the New York Automobile Show. It was judged best of show. A second 2 + 2 was built later.
A Mustang Station Wagon prototype was built for the W. J. Thompson advertising agency. The car was presented as an idea car to Ford Motor Company.
A prototype English Ford 106E based car was built, called the VELTRO.
A new project was started with Jack Griffith of Long Island, N.Y. for a larger production all steel car with more financing. Tooling was built and production started. First few cars were shipped, when Jack Griffith's company closed. A new customer, Steve Wilder, decided to take over the project, called the cars OMEGA and had them assembled by Holman and Moody in North Carolina. A total of 33 of these were delivered to the US.
|