Intermeccanica Torino or Italia

[Harris Speedster]

Guys,
Does anybody on the site own a Torino or Italia model?
A omega shares some parts I do believe.
Starting to work on mine again, and would like to share information about parts interchange.
Exotic hand built cars in the Ford Food Chain.
Thanks,
John

[honker]

I'm sure you know this site and thread, I think you have to join to see everything. They are neat cars I always liked them in their various guises.

Mike


https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/intermeccanica-italia-advice.210111/

[Harris Speedster]

Honker,
Thanks for posting the link.
No I have never visited this site.
Lots of people compare them to Ferrari's though

Sold my last Pantera off many years ago to buy the Italia I have.
Still in boxes as I bought it in 1990.
I know, been a while.
John

[gt350shelb]

I invested about 2 years into finishing an italia  but it was pretty far from stock.

[JD]

Nicely done Phil

[Side-Oilers]

Very cool ride! Looks great in black too.

[Harris Speedster]

Very nice !!!
Is it a early 1968?
I ask because of the front engine aprons.
What wire wheels did you use?

The magnums that came in the cars are 66 Shelby, part numbers and all.
Your steering wheel, what brand, and did you have a BULL horn center made for it ?
I think Alex Trebec was involved in the headlight covers, and if you bought new molded windshield rubber, that was part of my handy work with Alex.
I asked him about working on his own Italia, he said he bought tools that he didn/t even know what they all were.

Funny, I asked him if you bust a knuckle open as car guys do, then what, he said stage make up John>>

I am going to stay stock, but may make a few>> tasteful mods as you have done. NICE !
John

[gt350shelb]

car was  pretty bad off   it has a  street rod   front subframe and rack ........ whole nother story .Was suppose to be front steer kit  they sent  a rear steer subframe . .... was not  figured out untill it was welded in place and car was painted (great fun) and  a 9 inch  center section with independent rear . Alot of panels were reworked  and  modified .   dont remember where  wheel  or center came from  very possibly  fabricated .

[shelbydoug]

I don't remember where I saw it but someone did an in depth analysation of those cars and essentially they are a production Mustang (of the same year) in a custom Italian body.

Even the steering wheel and column were Mustang. The rear. The brakes. Pick anything. Mustang.

[Harris Speedster]

Shelbydoug
Well, not exactly the case.
Column is Fiat/Ferrari on some, others I think volvo
5 inch full box frame
Engine off set about 1 inch to right of car, track use.
50 / 50 weight distr
Early cars had a suspension with coils, later had strut type suspension.
Datsun truck for many arms.
Rack and pinion Volvo.
wheels, 66 shelby
Fairlaine 9 inch rear, drag link, pan hard bar.
trans close ratio, top loader
4 wheel disc brakes, most shared calipers with ferrari. Discs<< a secret
Master cyl, 68 above Triumph.
Instr jaeger, toggle switches similar to Jag XKE
Wiper motor and mechanics, same as Pantera
Pantera fuse box

Will take a break

Reisner raced and also built race cars.

[shelbydoug]

The article I'm thinking of may have been speaking of one particular model and year? I'm just mentioning it because I had a casual interest in the cars but didn't "bookmark it".

I'm not looking to pass inaccurate information on the cars but in one way stating wrong information brings out interest in the car that generates eventually accurate data.

It could be that the author didn't recognize the difference for instance between a Fairlane and a Mustang rear? I don't know.

I think any discussion on those cars is helpful in the long run and that is my purpose.

[honker]

Just for interest, I think some one here had this up on forum 1. 

Mike

[Harris Speedster]

shelbydoug,
I agree, always nice to get details and your right, good purpose.
I have owned 3 of them over the decades.
The one pictured looks to be the early F suspension, pretty sure it should be a 289 hipo engine.
Those are Magstars guys, common to early cars again.

Actually, I recognize this car, it came out of southern Illinois.
It was bending in half, real bad rust.

289 HP, 302- 4V , 351 W -4V, 351 C- 4V, and some wagon type units, 429 CJ, rumored one may have been a 428 CJ

This looks to be a Torino model.
Has the engine bay wire box which is correct, after late 68 went to pantera style, inside the car

They had to change the name, as Ford went after them. Was Omega once, too, but GM made them change.
That is why Riesener just named it the Italia.

Should have upholstery in diamond pattern on the entire surface of the cowl and under/inside the hood, trunk lids underside also had the same.

Seats do not look correct in this car.
Holman and Moody installed drive trains in these early cars.
Donahue, Griffith also played parts in the car,

The car was designed as a altered type wheel base, engine behind f wheel axis. Probably what they used to get the 50/50
They used a ford brake line junction F-R pressure, NEVER worked well, just not calibrated right I guess ?

BTW, there is one Italia on epay right now, 85% rust free, but is missing 25 K minimum in parts
Just a Few more bits.
John

[shelbydoug]

I like the entire line of them. It breaks my heart when I see that kind of rust.

I'm impressed when I see a nice one in person which isn't often. They are just very rare.

[TransamEd]

A local Italia. Very nice eyecatcher at any show.