Vehicle Description
In the 1950s, there was no shortage of creative young car
enthusiasts building cars of their own, combining traditional Hot
Rod techniques with newly developed fiberglass technology. It
seemed that every month, a new design was coming out of some
California workshop. However, a young engineer named Milt Brown had
higher aspirations. Inspired by the beautiful and exotic sports
cars coming out England and Europe, Milt dreamed of building a car
of his own that could hold a candle to the likes of Aston Martin or
Ferrari. Rather than using an existing chassis, Milt Brown would
design one from scratch, and skin it with a svelte, coachbuilt
Italian body. While he may have lacked the resources to develop an
engine of his own, he had his pick of any number of powerful and
affordable V8s from Ford, GM, Chrysler, and others. Milt Brown's
new Apollo GT was unique in the fact that the chassis and body were
American designed but built in Italy. Brown engineered the
coil-sprung chassis, while his friend Ron Plescia, himself a
graduate of Pasadena's Art Center College of Design, did the
initial styling work for the body. Brown selected Buick's advanced
new 215 cubic-inch aluminum V8 engine for its lightweight, compact
dimensions, and generous output. He had also hoped that by
utilizing new GM engines, he could sell his cars through select
Buick dealers. Once the final design was settled, and financing was
in place, Brown went in search of someone to build his car. He
partnered with Frank Reisner of Carrozzeria Intermeccanica in
Turin, who had gained a solid reputation for his high-quality
tuning parts and racing cars. At Reisner's suggestion, the styling
of the Apollo was refined by famed Italian designer Franco
Scaglione, lending the project serious credibility in the process.
Scaglione added rear quarter windows, reworked the tail to taper
subtly, and shortened the nose to create a beautiful and balanced
fastback coupe. Construction of the tubular chassis and hand-built
body was handled by Carrozzeria Intermeccanica in Italy, and once
completed, the trimmed and painted shells were shipped to Oakland,
California to receive their running gear. The Apollo GT was widely
praised in the period by Road & Track and others for its
outstanding performance and handling. Keen movie fans might
recognize the Apollo 3500 GT as the Thorndyke Special, nemesis to
Herbie the Love Bug. More recently, the Apollo was designated as a
"Milestone Car" which recognizes important post-war designs in the
same spirit as the CCCA's list of Full Classics. Despite very
favorable press, the process of building and shipping the cars soon
proved to be too costly, and with GM blocking dealer sales to
protect the Corvette, the project struggled. The addition of the
Skylark-powered 5000 GT didn't do much to help, and Brown soon lost
control of the project, with the remaining cars assembled in Texas
and sold as the Vetta Ventura. In the end, approximately 88
examples of the 3500 GT, 5000 GT, and Spyder were produced in
total, though the Apollo remains as one of the only
American-engineered Italian-American "hybrids" ever built. This
1963 Apollo 3500 GT is chassis number 1004, a very early production
model fitted from new with the 215 cubic inch Buick engine and a
four-speed manual gearbox. This car is believed to have been
delivered new on the West Coast, equipped from new with Borrani
wire wheels and a wood-rimmed steering wheel. Presented in a
flattering shade of deep burgundy, it shows in excellent condition,
wearing an older, but lovely restoration. Paint and bodywork
quality is excellent, and the car appears crisp and very
attractive. The chrome and polished pieces present well, with good
quality plating on the bumpers and quad exhaust tips. The car rides
on gorgeous, polished alloy Borrani wheels, wrapped in period
correct 165-400 Michelin X radials. Elegantly styled, the Apollo
doesn't rely on fussy trim and brightwork, instead featuring simple
quarter bumpers and subtle "Carrozzeria IM" badges to provide the
understated highlights. The Apollo cabin is remarkably comfortable,
with room for two and generous luggage capacity. This example's
interior remains faithful to original, with door cards, interior
panels and headlining upholstered in the factory correct
heavy-grain vinyl. The dash and seats are trimmed in black leather
and floors lined with high-quality Wilton carpet. The Jaeger tach
and speedo are ideally situated ahead of the driver, while
auxiliary dials are arranged neatly in the center of the dash for
that classic, 1960s aircraft-inspired layout. Instruments and
controls appear to be a mix of original and restored items and in
very good order. The numbers-matching Buick 3.5-liter V8 is very
tidy and well-presented under the hood, featuring numerous
period-appropriate details and accessories. The robust Buick
running gear and Italian chassis combine to create a genuinely
outstanding GT car worthy of taking on its thoroughbred
counterparts from Europe. Aside from its beautiful styling, we love
the Apollo GT's combination of rarity, performance, and comfort.
Off-the-shelf mechanical components make it an ideal choice for
rallies like the Copperstate 1000 or California Melee. This
beautiful example benefits from quality restoration and is ready to
enjoy on the road.
