Most early Ford show cars were sent to be destroyed after serving their duty, but this special car, a one-off Thunderbird called the "Italien" managed to escape the crusher. The story goes that this special Thunderbird was displayed at the 1964 New York World's Fair (the one and only time it was shown), and was destined to be destroyed after the show. Instead, it was sold to actor Dale Robertson, and later in 1986 sold to Ford collector Don Chambers. Chambers owned the car for twenty years, and then sold it to Thunderbird restorer Tom Maruska, who brought the car back to its original condition as seen here. Design features of the "Italien" include a fastback roof line and a unique leather interior.
The gavel price (before auction fees) of $600,000 wasn't cheap, but it seemed like a steal for a one-off concept car, especially with the Pininfarina Rondine concept going for $1 million more just moments earlier and concepts from previous years going for much, much more.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jay @ Jan 20th 2008 12:19PM
[Age] I remember that car at the 64 World's Fair[/age]
mr.ed @ Jan 20th 2008 1:28PM
Maybe it went for relatively little (!) is the relatively minimal work done to customize parts of the body and little of the interior. The basic engineering is untouched. Frankly, I think the prices are a little high, say, by a zero or two, except for the older, custom-bodied Duesenbergs and such.
duders @ Jan 20th 2008 4:10PM
You've got to love the chrome accents. What ever happened to putting those on new models? I love that, but I guess they wouldn't fit well on the newer models anyways, look out of place clipped onto some plastic bits.
William C. Warner @ Feb 11th 2008 3:40PM
For almost nothing but the promise to return his beauty to mint condition, my Father sold this wonderbird in the early 70's. That promise remained unkept while my Dad lived. However glad I am the late Don Chambers later purchased it into safety, I am most thankful to Tom Maruska for buying, meticulously restoring, and finally selling the streamlined candy-apple vision to an automobile museum where everyone can share our dream once lost.