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Alfredino "Dino" Ferrari was Enzo Ferrari's son and, by all accounts, the only person or thing the Ferrari founder ever loved more than cars and racing. In the '50s, Dino suggested that his father's company should build a small V6 for use in Formula 2 competition. But Dino died of nephritis in 1956 before the engine he had suggested and fostered would run. And long before, it would earn glory for winning the 1961 Grand Prix world championship with American driver Phil Hill piloting the Ferrari Dino 156 "shark nose." So when Ferrari decided to put a V6-powered car for the street into production, it was no surprise that he would call it the Dino. It was called Dino to the exclusion of the name Ferrari. It was expected that Dino would become a second line of vehicles that would let the Italian manufacturer compete against such lowly marques as Jaguar, Mercedes, and Porsche. The Dino road car first appeared at the 1966 Turin Auto Show: a midengine two-seater powered by a 2.0-liter version of the Dino V6 engine (the "206" part of the name indicates a 2.0-liter 6-cylinder engine). With an alloy body designed by Ferrari's usual collaborator Pininfarina, the 1967 Dino 206 GT was, if nothing else, gorgeous. Source: www.edmunds.com Images: Pininfarina

Two recovered 365 P chassis received special bodywork, and this white supercar, built on chassis 8971, was one of Sergio Pininfarina's first designs. It was built in a pair of cars ordered by Fiat Boss Gianni Agnelli. One was prematurely displayed at the 1966 Paris Motor Show without its full running gear on Pininfarina's stand. The 365 P was a radical platform for a new design study intended as a Le Mans contender. Located midship, the 4.4 liter V12 which powered this car produced 380 horsepower, which was in detuned form. Internally at Pininfarina, the car was known as Coupe Ferrari 3 Posti for its unique three-seat design. Much like the McLaren F1, it has a central driver's position with two seats at each driver's side. This layout is advantageous because it gives the driver a high level of visibility and maximizes interior space. Pininfarina's exterior design lent many traits from the Dino prototypes shown in 1965. Because of its numerous similarities and hefty engine, the 365P Speciale can be seen as one of the father cars to the 206/246 production cars. Source: www.supercars.net Images: Pininfarina; goodingco.com

The Duesenberg Model J was the mightiest of America's great 1930s Classics. Pioneer automotive journalist Ken Purdy once said it "will live as long as men worship beauty and power on wheels." Still, some can't resist trying to improve on a legend, particularly when they bear the same name. That, in a nutshell, explains why the only two attempts at a modern Duesenberg — at least so far — have been made by descendants of brothers Fred and August Duesenberg, creators of the immortal J. The first attempt began in 1964 when Augie's son Fred A. "Fritz" Duesenberg resigned as chief engine engineer for the Labeco test-equipment company to join forces with one Milo N. Record, a sales and promotion specialist at Goodyear. The impetus for their partnership was Virgil Exner, who had just been ousted as styling chief at Chrysler. As Virgil Exner, Jr. later recounted in Special Interest Autos magazine: "My dad was [then] in semi-retirement. He'd done a number of designs for Esquire [in late 1963, interpreting] how some of the classics ... might look in the modern era." Of Exner's four "contemporary continuations," only an updated 1934 Packard went unbuilt. His modernized Mercer idea was translated into the one-off 1966 Mercer-Cobra. His Stutz speculation led directly to the trio of Pontiac-based Stutz Blackhawk models that sold in tiny numbers from 1970 to the mid-1980s. But, of course, it was Exner's latter-day Duesenberg that interested Fritz — and Texas real-estate baron Fred J. McManis, Jr. With dreams of raising at least $5 million in start-up funds, Fritz formed a new Duesenberg Corporation in Indianapolis, where his father and uncle had built their towering machines 30 years before. Fritz installed himself as chairman and McManis as president. The Duesenberg Model D concept car was the only car built by the 1960s Duesenberg Corporation. It had been started by Fritz Duesenberg, son of one of the original Duesenberg founders, with real-estate baron Fred J. McManis, Jr. as president. Their initial vision was a $10,000 super-luxury sedan on a 120-inch wheelbase, but that soon grew into an even costlier car with a 132-inch chassis and an aluminum V-8 with more than 500 cubic inches and 300 horsepower. Targeted yearly volume was variously quoted at between 200 and 1,000 units by sources ranging from the Wall Street Journal to monthly "buff" magazines. Moreover, as Fritz told Car Life's Ed Janicki: "We plan no annual changes [though], we might consider a change or modification after ten years. You couldn't sell [one] and then obsolete it in two years with this price." After selecting a final design from 15 working sketches submitted by the Exners, Fritz okayed a prototype of what came to be called the Duesenberg Model D. Construction was entrusted to the famed Ghia works in Italy — logical, as Ghia had built most of the elder Exner's Chrysler show-car designs of the Fifties. Engineering work became a joint effort between Dale Cosper, a veteran of the original Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg concern, and Paul Farago, fresh from birthing the Chrysler-powered Dual-Ghia. But there was never any rush to completion because financing was slow and hard to come by. Hopes of attracting new money prompted the prototype's first public showing, which didn't come until the spring of 1966. Like its hallowed forebears, the new Model D had grand proportions: A four-door brougham sedan measuring 137.5 inches between wheel centers and 245 inches overall. The announced price was a lofty $19,500. Still, it included automatic transmission (Chrysler TorqueFlite), automatic climate control, all-disc brakes (big Airheart units), torsion-bar front suspension, chrome wire wheels, and power everything. Per Duesenberg tradition, back seaters could scrutinize their speedometer and clock; they also enjoyed a separate radio, fold-out writing tables, and even a TV and bar. Interior trim was top-grade leather with solid mahogany accents. The exterior blended nostalgic elements — razor-edge roof, center-opening doors, clamshell-shaped wheel openings — with trendy stuff like hidden headlamps. With 350 horsepower from a stock 440 Chrysler V-8 (the 426 Hemi was considered but rejected, as was all-independent suspension), the Model D had good performance for a 5,700-pound biggie. But this first modern Duesenberg never went any further. Though plans were afoot for limousine and four-door convertible models, simple start-up of sedan production demanded $2.5 million, and the money was nowhere to be found. So, after a few months in the limelight, Duesenberg Corporation faded away, which was a real shame. According to the few who've driven it, the Model D handled well for its size and had all the luxury anyone could want. But the potential demand for such a costly "retro" car in 1966 was tiny, if not non-existent, and the concept itself was probably flawed. As Car and Driver later opined, the Model D seemed the "perfect 1934 dream car. ... [Fred and Augie Duesenberg] would have kept up with the times." Source: auto.howstuffworks.com Images: www.shorey.net; Special Interest Autos

Based on the Vallelunga (De Tomaso’s first car) and styled by Giugiaro while he was working at Ghia. The Pampero could have been an interesting mid-engined (a 1.5-liter Ford 4-cylinder engine powered it) roadster. Still, De Tomaso lacked the resources to put the car into production at a realistic price, and in any case, they wished to concentrate on more profitable supercars. Source: carsthatnevermadeitetc Images: shorey.net

Designed by Giugiaro in 1966, while at Ghia, the De Tomaso Mangusta (Mongoose) was a landmark in futuristic design and an example of things to come. The car was based on the 1965 De Tomaso Sports and had a 4.7 liter Ford engine. Access to the engine was from two big panels at the back of the car that was centrally hinged and inset with tinted plexiglass. However, the car made production was criticised due to it "s difficult handling. Alejandro de Tomaso was an Argentinian race-car driver who emigrated to Italy to build competition machines after first settling in the United States, where he married and continued racing for a rime (with his wife). In the 1970s, he built DeTomaso Automobili into a small power in the motor industry of his adopted country. But in the early Sixties, Alejandro was struggling to make the shift from race-car constructor to the road-car manufacturer, producing prototypes that always seemed to have a lot of potential but no future. Accordingly, no one took much notice when he revealed a Ford-powered mid-engine coupe in November 1966. Yet this car, the DeTomaso Mangusta, would become his first series-production model, thus laying the foundation for DeTomaso's future mini auto empire. The DeTomaso Mangusta ("mongoose" in Italian) wasn't Alejandro's first road-going sports car. That was the Vallelunga, which appeared in 1964. A smallish open two-seater, it featured a novel "backbone" chassis with all-independent A-arm suspension and a midships-mounted 1.5-liter British Ford four-cylinder engine. Alejandro hoped to sell copies or at least interest a major automaker in production rights but could do neither. Then, a turning point. In 1965, DeTomaso persuaded young Giorgio Giugiaro, formerly of Bertone but then working at the house of Ghia, to design a dosed body for the Vallelunga chassis. It attracted attention, and Ghia built a few prototypes, only to discover that lack of chassis rigidity around the drivetrain created insoluble vibration problems. This left the Vallelunga stillborn, but Alejandro with a valuable contact. It didn't take long to pay off. Determined to make his chassis work, DeTomaso decided to try a scaled-up version with a small-block V-8 from Ford Dearborn. American racing specialist Pete Brock designed an open competition body for it with an eye to the 1966 Sebring 12 Hours, but the car never made it to Florida. Again thwarted but still undaunted, Alejandro turned to Ghia for a show car based on this "big" chassis. Meantime, Giotto Bizzarrini (whose name crops up in connection with Ferrari, Iso, and Lamborghini) had just designed a mid-engine chassis of his own, for which Giugiaro had created shapely coachwork of elegant simplicity. This proposed P538 "Bizzarrini" was never built, but Giugiaro's styling was applied to DeTomaso's show car, essentially the DeTomaso Mangusta prototype. First displayed at the 1966 Turin Show as the Ghia Mangusta, the result was stunning: wide and wickedly sleek, low to the ground, sexy and sophisticated. Highlights included a simple grille with two or four headlamps (depending on country of sale), a very wide hood, big cast-alloy wheels hulking beneath aggressively flared fenders, and a fastback tail with a distinctive dorsal rib on which twin-engine access covers were hinged gullwing-style. Happily, nary a line was changed for production. The DeTomaso Mangusta chassis was a classic example of the mid-engine layout then sweeping the competition scene. The powerful 289-cubic-inch Ford engine, tuned as for the new Shelby-Mustang GT-350, sat longitudinally behind a rather cramped two-seat cockpit and ahead of the rear-wheel centerline, driving through a ZF 5-speed transaxle of the type found in such cars as the Ford GT40 endurance racers. The chassis was still DeTomaso's pressed-steel backbone affair, with box-section and tubular superstructures carrying engine/transaxle, suspension, steering, and seat mounts. Some say that this design was influenced by Mickey Thompson's unsuccessful 1964 Indy race car, others that Alejandro had merely mimicked Colin Chapman's Lotus Elan chassis. The DeTomaso Mangusta's backbone platform was too flexible for the muscular V-8, and the resulting erratic suspension geometry made handling unpredictable. A rearward weight bias -- no less than 68 percent -- hardly helped. Later, at the suggestion of consultant Gian Paolo Dallara, the talented Lamborghini engineer, DeTomaso tried to compensate by fitting much wider rear tires (225-section versus 185 front), but it wasn't enough. Ground clearance was very limited and roll center low, but the chassis flex gave the DeTomaso Mangusta a mind of its own: sometimes it understeered, sometimes it oversteered. High-speed driving could be a tricky business, especially on slippery surfaces. This was not a great surprise for what was essentially a detuned race car. This brings up the DeTomaso Mangusta's other chief failing: lack of practicality. Even for a high-performance GT, it didn't have nearly enough passenger and luggage space, and outward vision was difficult, especially astern. What it did have, of course, was speed aplenty -- DeTomaso claimed a 155-mph maximum -- plus that gorgeous Giugiaro body and, thanks to the low-cost proprietary drivetrain, a reasonable price: $11,500. Flawed though it was, the DeTomaso Mangusta was a car Alejandro could sell. His wife gave him the means. Her brother, as it happened, was a director in the American firm of Rowan Controls, and she persuaded him to have Rowan buy not only the DeTomaso factory but also Ghia. Alejandro soon had 300 orders in hand, and the DeTomaso Mangusta went into production during 1967. By 1971, another 100 or so had been sold in Europe. DeTomaso was on his way at last. Source: Lotusespritturbo.com; auto.howstuffworks.com Images: Lotusespritturbo.com Pictured Above: 1966 DeTomaso 5000 Mangusta Prototype Pictured Above: 1966 DeTomaso Mangusta Spyder One-Off. Around 400 Mangustas hardtops were made but only one Spyder version. Like the hardtop Mangusta, it was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro while he was working at Carrozzeria Ghia, and hand-built by them. The fully restored car now belongs to a collector. Pictured Above: Ford thought about a badge-engineered Shelby version of the DeTomaso Mangusta to replace the original Cobra, but it came to nothing. Pictured Above: 1967-1971 DeTomaso Mangusta by Ghia

When Prince Willem-Alexander (the current king of Holland) was born, the former Dutch auto manufacturer DAF presented the royal family with a bespoke creation, the Michelotti-designed Kini (Bavarian for King). The quirky styling isn’t to everyone’s tastes, but, as a beach car, you couldn’t go far wrong. The royal beach car that Michelotti designed based on a DAF 44 to serve as a beach run-about at Porte Ercole, the Italian summer residence of the Dutch Royal Family. Source: www.dafmuseum.nl; www.classicdriver.com Images: shorey.net; www.geheugenvannederland.nl; www.josimons.nl

Based on a modified 1966 Chrysler 300, the 300X prototype was filled with futuristic ideas in the cockpit. Replacing the conventional steering wheel were adjustable handgrips. The steering unit's push-button controls for lights, wipers, turn signals, and door locks were built into the steering unit. Door handles were shaved, and a keypunch card was used to open the doors and start the ignition. A truck-lid mounted TV camera and dash-mounted monitor replaced the normal rearview mirrors. Rear seat passengers could watch a small television stowed away when not in use. Famous custom car builder Gene Winfield is credited with constructing the 300X. Source: www.chicagoautoshow.com Images: Chrysler; shorey.net; cardesignart.blogspot.com

This 1966 Cadillac concept vehicle was known as XP-825. The coupe body evolved into the 1967 Cadillac Eldorado. Source & Image: GM

By 1966, Aston Martins had been wearing Carrozzeria Touring-designed bodies for almost a decade, so the English manufacturer enlisting the Italian coachbuilder to pen the styling for its new two-seat coupé seemed a natural progression. But things weren’t quite that simple, as Touring soon found out… After a bountiful early start to Aston Martin and Carrozzeria Touring’s relationship, cracks were beginning to appear. The coachbuilder’s proposal for the DB5 replacement was rejected in favor of an in-house reworking, the same fate that befell its pitch for what became the four-seat DBS. But with David Brown wanting a two-seat sports car to partner William Towns’s gentleman’s express – both of which were to house the new V8 engine when it finally arrived – Touring got the nod, perhaps out of sympathy for its ongoing plight of receivership. Using a pair of shortened and significantly modified DB6 chassis, Touring built two prototypes with all-new bodywork for the 1966 Paris, London, and Turin Motor Shows. In retrospect, their design wasn’t quite as elegant as the ones that had made it to production in recent years, yet other factors ultimately ensured the pair remained a two-off. Problems with engineering feasibility – compounded by refocused priorities in Newport Pagnell due to an economic downturn – spelled the end for both Touring’s DBS and, indirectly, the struggling coachbuilder. Well, that’s not strictly true, of course. The DBS name lived on into the 1970s and beyond. The Touring prototypes had familiarised the public with the change in nomenclature (they were later re-designated DBSCs to avoid confusion). William Towns’s car might otherwise have been designated a DB7. The Carrozzeria Touring name was also revived recently, too – so all’s well that ends well. Source: Joe Breeze - www.classicdriver.com Images: Touring Superleggera; www.zwischengas.com; www.dbsvantage.com

The AMC Vixen concept car of 1966 was the work of designer Dick Teague. It loosely previewed the 1970 AMC Hornet production car. The Vixen is a sporty, semi-fastback adaptation of the Cavalier design principle with many of the same interchangeability features. Dimensions are the same as those of the Cavalier, but the windshield moved back to make the hood line 12 inches longer. The long hood and short deck proportions of the Vixen follow the basic “envelope” design concept, with the blending of the upper and lower body forms to complete the one-unit shape. The sports grille design incorporates a “quad Venturi” look with deeply recessed rectangular headlights within an outer perimeter to give the front end an appearance of boldness and individuality. The sleek hood displays a functional air-intake “blister” to promote Vixen’s sports-car look further. The landau-type roof has a series of canted vents on the rear portion. When parking or backing up, the vents are angled at 45 degrees for see-through visibility. A sliding glass quarter window under the surface-mounted vents permits flow-through ventilation when desired. The Vixen’s deeply recessed rear window is concave and non-reflective. Its unique shape and positioning make it appear invisible from inside or outside the car. Non-glare black paint in the trunk area maintains the low light refraction of the concave window to add to the illusion of invisibility. The balance of the car is finished in bright, sun-yellow paint. Source: auto.howstuffworks.com; AMC’s Project IV Press Release Images: AMC; Mario Buonocunto Concept Cars Page

Styling of 1960s AMC concept cars often predicted production models. The Vignale concept shown hinted at the upcoming AMC AMX. The AMX program was conceived in 1965 and in 1966 became "Project IV," a traveling show of prototypes that hinted at some of AMC's future production vehicles. The first AMX prototype, with a fiberglass skin and no engine, was soon replaced by a steel-bodied, fully-operational vehicle built by Vignale, an Italian coachbuilder. The Vignale prototype, completed in 78 days, featured several unique features, including hidden "A" pillars and a "Ramble seat" in the back. Dimensions were very close to the production AMX: 98-inch wheelbase, the overall length of 179 inches, and 48 inches high. The AMX fastback is operational and powered by American Motors' recently introduced 290 cubic-inch V-8 Typhoon engine. It offers three-wat seating – full bucket seats flanking an aircraft type console; a "Ramble-seat" activated by a push-button control inside the car; and fold-down contoured rear seats, which may be used when the Ramble seat is not in use. Seats are trimmed in glove-soft beige leather. The roof panel is the cantilever type and includes a built-in concealed roll bar. The self-supporting roof permits extremely thin windshield pillars for a broad, panoramic field of vision. Taillights and backup lights are designed to emphasize the car's width and are set high for maximum visibility and safety. A competition-type steering wheel of walnut wood adds to the fine sports car interior of the AMX. The sporty fastback has a wheelbase of 98 inches. It is 179 inches long, 72 inches wide, and 48 inches high. Source: auto.howstuffworks.com; www.amxfiles.com; AMC's Project IV Press Release Images: AMC; www.shorey.net; www.37nash8.net

Also part of Project IV, the Cavalier demonstrated the uses of interchangeable body panels - right front and left rear fenders were identical, as were their opposite panels, and doors, bumpers, hood, and deck lid also interchanged. Many of its styling touches found their way into the Hornet, which also featured interchangeable door skins and bumpers, yielding significant cost savings. In its last years, AMC made extensive use of this technique, building the Hornet, Gremlin, Concord, Spirit, and Eagle lines, in all of their many variations, from a very limited number of basic stampings. From the AMC Project IV Press Release: NEW YORK, June 20 – American Motors today unveiled four unique “idea” cars, which will be shown in major cities to test reaction to new design concepts in the sporty and smaller car fields. The experimental designs include the 108-inch wheelbase Cavalier, a fresh design approach using interchangeable components for quarter panels, doors, hood, and rear deck; the Vixen, a sporty two-door version of the Cavalier with the same features of interchangeability; the AMX, an advanced fastback design; and the AMX II, representing the second evolutionary phase of the AMX program. The design developments were presented to newsmen, businessmen, and community leaders at a showing called “Project IV.” In introducing the cars, President Roy Abernethy said that changes in the car market have placed greater emphasis on advance testing of consumer opinion, “particularly in evaluating the growing interest in specialized and personalized vehicles.” “While these car concepts are not being shown as actual prototypes, we expect reactions to the innovations presented will substantially influence future design and engineering decisions,” he said. Following the New York presentation, “Project IV” will be shown in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and Detroit. The Cavalier presents an ingenious concept of automotive design which permits the interchange of body panels from front to rear and from side to side. The right front fender and rear left fender are identical, as are their opposite quarter panels. The Hood and deck lid are the same, permitting production from one set of dies. The four doors are produced from two sets of dies rather than four. The front and rear bumpers are identical and may be interchanged. “The high degree of interchangeability offered by the design of the Cavalier could provide savings of 25 percent or more in body tooling costs,” Abernethy said. “The Cavalier design experiment offers interesting possibilities for the world market where parts inventories and body repairs are a consideration,” he added. He noted that the compact dimensions of the Cavalier are ideally suited for overseas markets, with trimness comparable to popular foreign makes. The Cavalier wheelbase is 108 inches. It has an overall length of 175 inches. The height is 50 inches, and the width is a trim of 65.5 inches. Thirteen-inch mag-type wheels enhance the low silhouette. Safety is further explored in the Cavalier design. The cantilevered roof panel has a built-in roll bar. Exterior door handles are eliminated; flush push-type door buttons are used. Wrap-around rear safety lights flash alternate warning signals in green, yellow, and red. The similarity of body panels is not evident to the eye in the Cavalier’s overall appearance, which conveys fleetness and well-balanced configuration. The refined grille treatment and ingenious rear styling dispel any impression of sameness between front and rear. The swept-back roof panel is covered in black vinyl, further enhancing the rich, deep metallic red body. The grille contains deeply recessed headlights in squared housings. The grille wraps around the front fenders and contributes an illusion of width by means of narrow, brushed horizontal aluminum bars with alternate bars in black. The versatility of the Cavalier design is carried out in the unique rear deck lid, which can be opened to a normal position or elevated to the height of the roof panel for carrying large, bulky items such as small trees or high-standing boxes and furniture. This expanded cargo capacity is made possible by using dual-action scissor-type hinges on the deck lid. Source: www.amxfiles.com; AMC’s Project IV Press Release Images: AMC; www.shorey.net, www.conceptcars.it

Another Project IV car, the AMX II was eight inches longer than the Vignale car; its notchback styling, by freelance stylist Vince Gardner, resembled the Buick Riviera. The AMX II is a modified version of the fastback theme introduced in the 1966 American Motors AMX Concept. Its more generous dimensions permit additional features, including a full trunk. The wheelbase of the AMX II is 110 inches. Overall length is 187 inches, width 72 inches, and height 51 inches. The side and front window glass are curved. The rear window offers a unique modified “V” appearance to compliment the rear deck sculpture. Finished in deep metallic green paint, the four-passenger AMX II has a double pinstripe in gold accenting the lower body. The sides are free of ornamentation except for the brushed aluminum edging on the ribbed rocker panels. Wide dual reverse air scoops are recessed into the hood. Windshield wiper blades are concealed by a panel that raises when activated wipers. The grille has a horizontal multi-bar theme with retractable headlight covers in the same design for added appearance of width. The massive front bumper turns up at both ends to protect the forward-thrusting front fenders. Large 7.75×14 inch tires are mounted on mag-type wheels. Safety features showcased in the AMX II design include doors that will lock automatically when the engine is started. New safety-designed taillights are divided into three color sections. Green lights will indicate the car is in motion. Amber lights will show when the driver removes his foot from the accelerator, and red lights will appear when braking. Rear fenders contain rectangular reflectors on the sides for added safety. Source: www.amxfiles.com; AMC’s Project IV Press Release Images: AMC; www.shorey.net

The AMC AMX concept cars were early looks at what would become one of AMC's signature model lines: the sporty 1968 AMC Javelin pony car coupe and its two-seat companion, the 1968 AMC AMX muscle car. Newly installed AMC chief Robert B. Evans had breezed in believing that the key to AMC's future was "to do things differently — find new ways to do new things and try new ideas." Accordingly, he put Teague to work on what ultimately became a quartet of show cars with plenty of new ideas that promised to jazz up AMC's image in a big way. To ensure plenty of exposure, Evans sent the cars on a nationwide tour as "Project IV," billed as a traveling "auto show of the future." While none of the Project IV cars saw production per se, one provided a preview of a near-term AMC model. That, of course, was the unique two/four-seat AMX, the direct forerunner of the Javelin-based two-seat fastback that appeared in 1968. The show model had originated in AMC's advanced styling section under Chuck Mashigan in October 1965. Unveiled four months later as a non-running mockup built from a trashed American, it attracted such favorable notice that AMC hired the famed Vignale works in Italy to build a fully operational version for Project IV. It was finished in just 78 days. Though differing somewhat in details, both the "pushmobile" and the Vignale AMXs had the same tight shape — what Teague called a "wet T-shirt look" — plus the whimsically named "Ramble Seat." The latter referred to a pair of jump seats that folded up from the rear cabin floor to provide al fresco accommodation for two occasional riders. A back window swiveled up to double as an auxiliary windshield, enhanced comfort. The Vignale AMX also had a pair of small rear seats inside for use when the Ramble Seat wasn't. Both show models rode a 98-inch wheelbase like the eventual showroom AMX, and the "runner" carried the same new 290-cubic-inch AMC V-8 standard on production AMXs. The Ramble Seat was deemed too costly and impractical for the street. So was another show-car feature: a striking "cantilevered" front roofline with no visible A-pillars; instead, door glass extended right around to the windshield for an ultra-clean appearance. Somehow, Teague managed to conceal a functional roll bar within. Incidentally, beige leather covered all seats in the runner, which also featured a center console with electric push-button controls for the Ramble Seat. Source: www.amxfiles.com Images: AMC; Vintage Web; www.37nash8.net

One of the most radical of these factory one-offs is shown here; an A-Body machine called the Daroo I. According to Juliano's extensive research on this particular Dodge, the car was created for display at major car shows during the '68 and '69 seasons, with Dodge's chief stylist, Bill Brownlie, laying the groundwork for its construction. The actual work was performed under contract to Chrysler by George Barris of North Hollywood, California, whose shop was considered one of the trendsetters in automotive modifications. "We wanted to convey the feeling of a real dart in motion, even while the car was standing still," stated Brownlie in a formal press kit from the '68 season. "The intent was also to give a tough performance image compatible to the style concept." Daroo, I began life as a red '67 Dart GT convertible, one of the few built that year with the 383 Magnum for power. The engine was left unmodified, as was the stock 111-inch wheelbase. However, Barris added a 17-inch nose extension to the body and removed 10 inches from the rear for a new, overall length of 202 inches. The convertible top was removed, a lowered windshield was added, and the body's beltline was redesigned, giving the car an overall height of 42 inches. Suspension changes were limited to cutting the leaf springs at the axle and mounting a single coil above the 831/44 axle housing. A V-configured body massaging that runs from the new nose of the car to the rear spoiler was added to this package, blending the elements to realize the pointed vision Brownlie had. Hidden headlights and carefully blended road lights keep the nose of the car clean, while the windshield features deep tinting. Inside, the custom interior not only features functional gauges that are directed toward the driver but also specially designed seats and other touches. Of course, it didn't come completely together until deep coats of candy apple lacquer paints were applied, leaving Barris Kustom City in deep orange with black accents. The finished product featured a set of nonfunctional longhorn injectors and side pipes for show-floor savvy. The car began touring the major show circuit as part of the new-for-'68 Dodge Scat Pack. The following year, another Daroo showed up-or did it? Actually, no. While there was a Daroo II (see the sidebar The Ugly Sister), the original Daroo received some changes for the '69 season. Chrysler repainted the car using candy apple green paint with gold accents, and the longhorn injectors were transformed into shorter, more realistic straight stacks. The car then resumed its tour. Mileage was limited since the car was only put on the show floor. Once the car retired from the show circuit, it was placed in storage until it was sold off by the company. The car was in obscurity until Juliano and his pursuit of the most amazing Mopars on the planet happened upon it. The person who had bought the car from Chrysler still had it, and Juliano tells in his own words how he ended up owning it. "By 1996, I had already found the three RTS show cars and the topless Supercharger. The Diamante (featured in Mopar Muscle last year) and the Swinger hadn't turned up yet, but while looking through my original auto show photo collection from 1968 and 1969, I saw an orange Daroo I from 1968 and a green Daroo I from 1969. I was confused until I obtained the press kits from the show circuit and discovered they were the same. "I ran some want ads but got word by networking with some Mopar enthusiasts that the car had been at the Mopar Nationals in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1985. I located the owner, who, together with his son, had about 20 cars in a building on his property. He had no interest in selling this 143-mile show car, but we "danced" a little, I begged a little (OK, I begged a lot), and he finally gave in, priced it, and we struck a deal. It was important to him that the car be reunited with the Supercharger after all of these years, though his son couldn't understand that. "There was one thing that depressed me about the Daroo I, though: It had only 143 miles when I found it, but it was painted red! This car was purchased from Chrysler wearing its original candy apple green paint. The proud, new owner then displayed the car at a show in Michigan where George Barris was in attendance. Barris walked up to the car and was confused by the Daroo I's green paint job. Barris had delivered Chrysler an orange show car in 1968, but unbeknownst to him, Chrysler had repainted it green for the '69 season. The owner was now as confused as Barris and asked George what was the correct, original color. Barris responded, 'Red'; the car had been a red Dart. The candy apple green was stripped off, and red was applied. I couldn't believe it, and obviously, I needed to fix that despite the mileage." Despite that, how original is it? The odometer on the '67-vintage chassis now shows only 144 miles since new! The 383 engine (which, it should be noted, was always in the Daroo I; the 340, mentioned in the formal press materials, was never in it) is untouched, complete with all the original hoses, filters, wires, and belts. The car still sports the then top-of-the-line Firestone racing tires it wore in its public appearances. Most of us would be happy to own this car, but the truth is that Juliano's pursuit of the excellent has made it possible for nearly all of the best-remembered Chrysler concept cars of the muscle era to be reunited. Juliano has graciously displayed some of them at Carlisle's All-Chrysler Nationals for the last few years so that people can see such cars as the Daroo I and the Daytona-based Supercharger roadster for the first time since the Scat Pack shows of the era. In addition to cars, Juliano has also amassed a spectacular array of original dealerships and show car displays, paperwork, and memorabilia, hoping to create a museum someday to display everything. Mopar Muscle has plans to let you see part of that treasure trove in the future. The Daroo I was a big hit when it made its show circuit debut in 1968 but had one small problem: It could be in only one place at a time. So Chrysler decided to try its hand at creating another Dart show car. This particular car was built by Imperial Customs in Oklahoma, who were also building Funny Car bodies for Chrysler-backed racers. However, Daroo II failed to attain the drama of the Brownlie/Barris design (most likely due to financial considerations). So while the Daroo I was living large at Cobo Hall in Detroit, the big show in Chicago, and New York, the Daroo II was on the "Motel 6" circuit, appearing at the Fort Worth County Fair; the York, Pennsylvania, Auto Show; and at a dealer opening in Florida. The crowds were less than awed by the Daroo II, and this ugly sister to the Daroo I was mothballed early in its career; it wasn't shown again after March 1969. -Steve Juliano Source: motortrend Images: oldconceptcars

The Ostentatienne Opera Sedan was offered at a F.O.B. price of $19,600 (1967), had a weight of 5,740 lb (2,600 kg), and sat on a 119 in (3.02 m) wheelbase. Prices have also been quoted at $25,600. The tires for the vehicle were nitrogen-filled 7.50”x20” (USA). The Ostentatienne was powered by an International Harvester truck engine. Entry into the car was from the rear; solid steel side rails (designed to protect passengers during a crash) prevented doors along the sides of the vehicle. The Ostentatienne could be ordered customized to suit its buyer’s wishes; Ming styled oriental rugs, refrigerators and sealed beam taillights were some of the options available. Production was reported to be three to four vehicles per year, only one was ever built. Source: wikipedia Images: autobid

Toyota's 2000GT stole the show at its introduction in Tokyo in 1965 for reasons far greater than the sum of its parts. When the world's most sporting coupes were coming out of Europe, the 2000GT put the automotive industry on notice. Japan was not known for producing beautifully designed two-seater GT cars. The 2000GT proclaimed that Toyota and the Japanese automotive industry could compete with the world's best and were here to stay, paving the way for future Japanese cars of all kinds in foreign markets. While some enthusiasts turned up their noses at the thought of a sports car from Japan, many were smitten by the 2000GT'sworld's gorgeous aluminum body and performance credentials. Interestingly enough, the 2000GT was not Toyota's idea. Yamaha, known for its motorcycles at the time, decided to begin work on a sports car, its first venture into the automotive industry. After Yamaha had completed the initial designs for the car, the 2000GT found its home with Toyota, which was, interestingly enough, Yamaha's second choice for a manufacturer. Designed by Raymond Loewy, it was intended as a product for Nissan, who later decided not to take on the project. As a result, Yamaha brought the plans for the 2000GT before Toyota. Toyota, who had a reputation for producing rather conservatively designed cars, saw this new creation as an opportunity to prove that their engineers and designers could compete on the world stage. The engine of the 2000GT was based on the inline-six Toyota Crown. Yamaha adapted it for use in the new model by installing new double overhead camshafts, giving the engine a more sporting character. With 150 horsepower pushing a curb weight of just 2,400 pounds with a 49/51 weight distribution, the 2000GT is light on its feet and handles like a dream. The top speed was a respectable 135 mph. Still aspiring to compete with the Europeans on all levels, Toyota ensured that the 2000GT found its way to the track. Toyota entered a 2000GT in the Japanese Grand Prix, keeping competition at a domestic level. In its inaugural outing at that event in 1966, the model placed 3rd. A year later, it won the Fuji 24 Hours endurance race. Toyota even sent a 2000GT to the Yatabe Test Track, where it set 15 records in speed and endurance, wildly exceeding Toyota's expectations. Carroll Shelby even raced the 2000GT in SCCA events in the United States, racking up a respectable four wins in the 1968 season, the only season it would compete under Shelby's name. In 1967, the 2000GT had a brief stint on the silver screen. In You Only Live Twice, the fifth film of the James Bond series, Bond's Japanese counterpart drove 007 around the streets of Tokyo in a 2000GT. However, Connery's 6'2" frame could not fit into the 45.7-inch tall coupe. Toyota built a targa top 2000GT to further accommodate Connery, but producers ruled it out because Connery's head stuck out far above the roofline. Finally, Toyota produced a convertible that fit Connery just fine, and it was used in the movie. You Only Live Twice put the low production 2000GT in front of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people. Even though the car appeared on screen for a small portion of the film, it monumentally increased the 2000GT's exposure to the public, as well as Toyota's. Sadly, neither targa nor convertible ever went into production. Completing the formula for a collectible sports car, the 2000GT is rare. When production concluded in 1970, just 351 examples were produced, and just 15% of those were imported to the United States. Toyota planned to produce nearly 1,000 examples annually, but sales were limited due to its cost. The price of the 2000GT topped $7,000 in 1967, which was over $1,000 more expensive than a Jaguar E-Type and Porsche 911 and over $2,500 more than a Chevrolet Corvette. For many, justifying the purchase of a 2000GT was difficult when there were much more established competitors in the marketplace for thousands of dollars less. Source: rmauctions.com; www.oldschool-cars.ru Images: Toyota; www.2000gt.net; Product Design Database

Sig created this Zagato-styled concept. Ercole Spada and revealed at the Turin Motor Show in 1967, was never seriously considered for production - and that is a shame. Look closely, and you will see that the standard Rover P6 radiator grille and headlights were used! David Bache had also been working on a coupe version of the P6 during the mid-Sixties (codename "Gladys") to launch the car as an Alvis - thereby instigating an upmarket form of badge-engineering. Source: Keith Adams, www.austin-rover.co.uk Images: Zagato

Criminally, this brilliant Pininfarina styling exercise was never considered for production. The running gear was pure BMC 1800, but the style was utterly unique for 1967. This BMC-Pininfarina 1800 predates the Citroen CX by seven years - one wonders how BMC may have fared had they the courage to put this beauty into production - it would have certainly appealed in Europe and undoubtedly would have created a high-technology reputation for the (by then) struggling manufacturer. There’s no doubt that had BMC had the foresight to produce this car; then things might have been somewhat different in the lead-up to the Leyland takeover of the following year. Styled by Italian coachbuilder Pininfarina, the Berlina Aerodinamica was as svelte and slippery as the standard Austin/Morris 1800 was frumpy and unappealing to contemporary motorists. Unveiled at the 1967 Turin Motor Show, seven years before introducing the very similar-looking Citroen CX and nine before the Rover SD1, the styling of this concept car was hugely influential. There was never very much wrong with the production 1800 to drive, thanks to keen dynamics and reasonable performance (especially in the later 2200cc guise). Still, it was brought down by its stark interior and rather challenging styling. Plenty of subsequent speculation from commentators has concluded that with this styling, the 1800 could have gone on to be a huge international hit - although we’re not so sure that buyers would have been ready to leap in the late 1960s - and the 1800 may well have benefitted more from a less extreme restyle of its interior and exterior and the option of a column gearshift (something very popular in Europe at the time). Source: Keith Adams, www.austin-rover.co.uk Images: www.austin-rover.co.uk; Paolo Martin - www.paolomartindesigner.com

The Oldsmobile Thor was a design study by Ghia from 1967, commissioned by General Motors, Bill Mitchell. It's based on the then-new front-wheel Drive GM Oldsmobile Toronado platform. Giugiaro penned it while he was working at Ghia. Source: Lotusespritturbo.com Images: Lotusespritturbo.com; www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au