Jump to content


Photo

Ford's 1950 Italmeccanica: Searching for information.


  • Please log in to reply
5 replies to this topic

#1 SpeedHunter

SpeedHunter
  • New Member

  • 2 posts
  • Joined: November 15

Posted 23 November 2015 - 18:12

New to this forum so please take it easy if I am already doing something wrong! 

 

I came across some information about a strange Ford from the early 1950s called the Italmeccanica IT160. 

 

From what I've dug up, and this is just googling, it seems that there were only 2 produced, and maybe a prototype. One of those was auctioned off by RM Sotherbys, but their description and information was very limited. 

 

Does anyone here have knowledge of these?

 

Cheers, Steve. 



Advertisement

#2 David Birchall

David Birchall
  • Member

  • 3,291 posts
  • Joined: March 03

Posted 23 November 2015 - 18:29

It sounds like an early Intermeccanica, of course, I could be wrong. They were in Italy, then the US and for many years here in Vancouver. I would suggest contacting Henry Reisner, son of the late founder Harry, at
http://www.intermeccanica.com/

Intermeccanica have a long and interesting history.

#3 JB Miltonian

JB Miltonian
  • Member

  • 548 posts
  • Joined: February 04

Posted 23 November 2015 - 19:36

The "Italian Car Registry" lists the Italmeccanica IT160 "Wasp" Coupe by Stabilimenti Farina from 1948 (?) / 1950, powered by a Ford V8 100HP plus supercharger.

 

There is a listing for an article in Motor Trend, August 1950, page 23, but I don't have access to that one.

 

The Complete Encyclopedia of Motorcars (Georgano) says the IT "...was a sports car with Stabilimenti Farina body and torsion bar suspension, available with various versions of Ford or Mercury V8 engines.  It was introduced at the 1950 Turin Show and intended mainly for the American market, but production never started."

 

Welcome to the forum!



#4 SpeedHunter

SpeedHunter
  • New Member

  • 2 posts
  • Joined: November 15

Posted 23 November 2015 - 19:49

I guess I have my new white whale to begin chasing!! 

 

JB, I came across the Motor Trend article somewhere in the vast expanse of the internet a while back myself, but forget where it was. 

 

From what limited amounts of pictures I have found from the RM site, it look to be a very beautiful car. Lots of hand built parts in the body, but the fact that it used a power-plant that was readily available is interesting to me. I write for a small car publication, and I feel as if this would be a great story if I can find enough information on them! 

 

Thank you two for the warm welcome! I don't always have this much time on my hands, but hopefully I can be of some use on this Forum! 



#5 dmj

dmj
  • Member

  • 2,250 posts
  • Joined: August 01

Posted 25 November 2015 - 07:50

Basically, what you find at auction site seems to be all that is known about that brand. Mike Lawrence mentions it in his book on 1945-1990 sport cars with more details than Georgano but auction text is by far the most comprehensive one I ever found. Car is a beautful beast indeed. Actually, I'm writing a sort of encyclopedia of past makes for a magazine here in Croatia and will surely research that brand more thoroughly when I get to letter ā€žIā€œ but it will take me a year or two until that. Currently, Belgian FN cars are what I'm researching. :D



#6 Rupertlt1

Rupertlt1
  • Member

  • 3,038 posts
  • Joined: October 10

Posted 25 November 2015 - 09:31

I recently tagged this at Revs:

 

https://revslib.stan...tem/db018fh6295

 

RGDS RLT