Vehicle Description
In the early 1960s, an aspiring young American engineer named Milt
Brown dreamed of creating an American sports car to go head-to-head
with Aston Martin, Maserati, or Ferrari. While there's hardly been
a shortage of enthusiasts sharing the same dream, Milt Brown was
among a select few to turn his into reality. Putting his
engineering skills to good use, he designed a coil-sprung chassis
from scratch and called upon his friend Ron Plescia, a graduate of
Pasadena's elite Art Center College of Design, to draw up the body
styling. To power his new creation, Brown turned to Buick to get
his hands on their new all-aluminum 215 cubic-inch V8. This
advanced new engine was compact, lightweight, and powerful - the
ideal unit for an American sports car with an exotic cachet. Milt
also hoped the connection with Buick would give him access to their
vast dealer network, but that deal never worked out, as General
Motors would not allow another sports car to potentially take sales
from the Corvette. Brown then partnered with the Canadian-born
entrepreneur Frank Reisner of Carrozzeria Intermeccanica in Turin,
Italy. At Reisner's suggestion, the famous Italian designer Franco
Scaglione was brought in to refine the design, lending the project
serious credibility. Scaglione added rear quarter windows, reworked
the tail, and shortened the nose to create a beautiful and balanced
fastback coupe. Intermeccanica handled the construction of the
chassis and body, then shipped the trimmed and painted cars to
Oakland, California, where International Motors fitted the running
gear, rear axle, and suspension. Upon debut, Road & Track lavished
praise on the new Apollo GT for its balanced handling, refined
comfort, and exciting performance. Despite the favorable press, the
project faltered due to the costly assembly process, lack of dealer
network, and shaky funding. The more powerful, 4.9-liter
Skylark-powered 5000 GT helped matters, but the financial problems
were too much to overcome, and Brown soon lost control of the
project. An additional 11 cars were assembled in Texas and sold as
the Vetta Ventura, but in the end, just 88 examples of the 3500 GT,
5000 GT, Apollo Convertible, and Vetta Ventura were produced in
total. This 1964 Apollo is a fine example that has been lovingly
maintained and prepared for rallies and fast-road events. It is one
of just 11 known convertibles, and it was built by Milt Brown from
the remnants of his severely damaged original 5000 GT convertible,
using a new-old-stock, never registered 3500 Coupe rolling shell as
a basis. The Scaglione-designed convertible shares very few panels
in common with the coupe, making such a conversion a significant
undertaking. In the care of its most recent owner, this Apollo has
been dialed in for fast road use and has thusly seen many miles of
enjoyment on tours and rallies. As offered here, the Apollo
presents in very good order, finished in classic red over natural
tan leather upholstery. The body is in excellent condition, with
good definition to the gracefully formed coachwork. Convertibles
were distinguished by their vented front wings, enhancing the
already beautiful design. Chrome is used sparingly on the Apollo,
primarily on the bumpers and headlamp trims, all of which are in
excellent order. Proper details include period-correct Carello
headlamps, polished Borrani 5 x 400 wire wheels (stamped RW 3796
all around), shod with the correct 165 x 400 Pirelli Cinturato
tires, a Monza-style fuel filler, and discreetCarrozzeria IMbadges
on the flanks. Overall, the paintwork is attractive, though some
blends and minor imperfections are noted on close inspection. It
has plenty of presence and will undoubtedly turn heads out in its
natural element, carving up twisty back roads. A characteristic of
all Apollos is the remarkably comfortable cockpit, and this
Convertible is no exception. Tan leather is used on the seats and
door cards, with subtly contrasting brown piping providing a
pleasing accent. The seats are well-bolstered and supportive -
perfect for long-distance touring. The leather is in excellent
order, showing light use on the seating surfaces consistent with
this car's usable character. Oatmeal-colored carpets are in very
good condition, as is the canvas soft-top. The cockpit is finished
with excellent, fully restored Jaeger gauges, a lovely thin-rimmed
steering wheel, and proper switchgear. At the heart of this Apollo
is Buick's 4.9-liter "Nailhead" V8, shared with the Skylark. While
less exotic than the all-aluminum 215, this cast-iron unit offers
considerably more grunt. The most recent owner reports numerous
period tuning parts are fitted, including 'slipper skirt' Olds
pistons, which effectively stroke the engine to 348 cubic inches. A
three-angle valve job and aluminum intake manifold improve airflow,
ensuring the Buick packs a mighty punch. Paired with a 4-speed
manual gearbox and a ~2,100-lb curb weight, it is a thrilling drive
and can easily hang with more exotic machinery on the road. Further
upgrades include dual electric cooling fans and a Wilwood brake
master cylinder. Hiding behind the Borranis are cross-drilled brake
discs at all four corners, ensuring ample stopping power. The
undercarriage is tidy overall, indicative of its consistent road
use. The Apollo has proven to be a fast and effective tool on
numerous rallies throughout the Southeast, New England, West
Virginia, and a 1500-mile event in Canada. After the restoration,
marque historian Robb Northrup selected this car to feature on the
cover of his book, Apollo GT: The American Ferrari. While Milt
Brown's dream of building an American-bred exotic sports car was
ultimately short-lived, his automobiles are celebrated for their
style and substance - as well as the can-do attitude represented by
cars like this marvelous 5000 GT Convertible. Offers welcome and
trades considered For additional details please view this listing
directly on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/7181-1964-apollo-5000gt/
