1967 Vetta Ventura

The 1950s and 1960s were a glorious time for the automotive industry and continued the long and proud tradition of dramatic designs with creative technological advancements. Hot Rodders had their theory on the automobile which was 'there was no substitute for cubic displacement.' Where the American market often excelled was their potent powerplants stuffed in a body in true Hot Rodder fashion. On the other side of the pond, aesthetics often outflanked high-revving performance. Many tried, some rather successfully, to marry these two into the ultimate package. Carroll Shelby was one of the first and most successful with the Cobras. Another was the Apollo sports car featuring a body designed by Ron Plescia and Franco Scaglione and built by Carrozzeria Intermeccanica. It was launched by Newt Davis and Milt Brown in fastback GT configuration. The body was lightweight yet sturdy aluminum built atop a ladder-type tubular steel frame. The use of aluminum was also in the engine, which was a Buick V8 powerplant; other Buick parts were utilized such as a Buick suspension. Unfortunately, the Apollo was never a success. Only 88 examples were ever created with 76 being coupes, 11 convertibles, and a single 2+2 coupe prototype.

The Apollo cars had nearly everything they needed to be successful; attractive styling and potent power. What they lacked was the necessary marketing, dealer network, and financial backing. Another shortcoming was the expense of the cars and the poor reputation of the Buick V8 engine.

Production continued until 1964, after that, they supplied the bodies to a Texas-based firm for their Vetta Ventura. They were, in many respects, an Apollo car with a 'Vetta' nameplate. Many refer to them as the 'Texas Apollo.' The cars were produced by Vanguard Motors in Dallas, Texas, and featured unique frames, suspension and drivelines, and bodies similar to the Apollo. Production lasted two years with only 19 examples ever created. These cars were hand-created which means no two were exactly alike.

by Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2007