I tried, unsuccessfully, to find the thread that discussed recent IM history. This is pretty interesting in the “learn something new every day” sort of way.
https://www.speedholics.com/po...-of-franco-scaglione
I had no idea. About the Scaglione connection, the TVR connection, or the models other than the Italia. Which leads me to wonder “where are they now?”
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What an amazing life.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franco_Scaglione
dlearl476 Beautiful art-work; love seeing the initial line drawings of these creative minds that leads to the final design.
In '72. I was looking new car. Went to used car dealer in NJ just outside Phila. They had a used '67 IM Omega Italia dark green over black coupe for $3500 - 289 cc Ford with 4 speed. I passed on it and bought a '72 Porsche 914 for $4500. My friend, however, bought the IM. It was a gorgeous car. I just had to look up why his was an Omega --- 
. It's 14th Greek letter of alphabet and means great. It apparently was a rare 1-year-old version with very few made (33?). Lost contact with him when I left NJ for VA so not sure where the car got to. Wonder what its worth today is?
@WOLFGANG posted:In '72. I was looking new car. Went to used car dealer in NJ just outside Phila. They had a used '67 IM Omega Italia dark green over black coupe for $3500 - 289 cc Ford with 4 speed. I passed on it and bought a '72 Porsche 914 for $4500. My friend, however, bought the IM. It was a gorgeous car. I just had to look up why his was an Omega ---
I was curious to see what this car looked like, so went to the googlenator. A couple of them came up in the BaT past auction files.
They go for good money still. Henry restored one a couple of years ago.
@jesse postill posted:dlearl476 Beautiful art-work; love seeing the initial line drawings of these creative minds that leads to the final design.
Those drawing are by the author, not original Scaglione drawings. If you surf around a bit, he’s got some good articles. He’s an industrial design professor IIRC (and a good artist!)
What surprised me is that I never noticed the resemblance to a TVR Griffith 600.
@Bob: IM S6 posted:They go for good money still. Henry restored one a couple of years ago.
Bob, weren’t the Italias steel? I’d like to find some more info because I’m relatively certain TVR only made plastic fantastics.
Yes Italias were steel and all TVR (I'm aware of) were fiberglass. Years ago I looked at a TVR Tuscan with German (Capri) Ford V6 - nice car but engine locked up.
Try this for Intermeccanica history:
https://www.amazon.com/Interme...Credie/dp/1787112535
It's an interesting read, with lots of detail on Henry's dad's (Frank's) accomplishments.
Actually, if you read that book you will find yourself taken back to the early 60-70's where automobile company executives were beginning their careers and if you were an auto mag reader you will find yourself remembering them one by one. Finally then you realize that the Reisner's were involved with artisans and then with really big business that had their own ideas of what business was going to be and who was going to compete in their sphere. It must have been a trying time for them to build a company in Turin then California then north of the 49th. I loved the book.
