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CLASSIC CARS
Home | The Siata Ford Project | Siata SL0200 | Future Projects Wanted
The Siata Ford Project
Italmeccanica IT-160
My primary long-term restoration project is a one-off 1952 Siata-Ford.This car was originally commissioned by Jimmy Mulgrew of Euclid Ford (Ohio). Jimmy was part owner of the Euclid Ford dealership and had an interest in sports cars. At the time Dick Irish was working for Jimmy and they hatched a plan to build a special based on a Ford chassis. After being denied a Police Special chassis by Edsel himself, Dick was sent to Tony Pompeo's with a 1951 two-door sedan that had been sitting on the lot. Dick dropped it off at the docks - this must have been mid-1952 and approximately six months later it came back. By this time Dick was enroute to the service so a mechanic from the dealership was dispatched to collect the car from Pompeo. Everybody was expecting a hardtop like the Italmeccanica IT-160 (right), which was the inspiration for the car, but it came back as an open car. Reportedly Mulgrew wanted to add a continental kit but was dissuaded. Dick relates that the mechanic said the car "went like heck" but never drove the car himself.
The first set of photos (above) are courtesy of Dick who took them at the Euclid Ford Dealership. The next photo is a scan of an image from Sports Cars Facts & Figures by Austin Conley as published in 1954. The history of the car then goes cold. John deBoer's Registry of Italian Oddities indicates that the car was sold by Alfred Momo of New York in 1955. There were a couple Siata-bodied Fords so this may or may not be this car. Jimmy Mulgrew apparently sold his interest in the dealership and moved - west? sometime in the mid-1950s. In the mid-1970's Roland Wommack bought the car out of field in upstate New York along with the vignale-bodied Aston. At this time it was on an Illinois title.
Sports Cars Facts & Figures by Austin Conley, 1954
Known History
1982 Bill Lightfoot acquired the car via Bill Montcreif.
1985 Phil Goutell bought the car from Lightfoot - now know as the Lightfoot Siata
1987 Sold to Joseph Alphabet of Alpha Motorsports
1988 - Summer. Bought by Oliver Kuttner. During this time the frame, which had rusted through, was fixed and the engine reportedly rebuilt.
2005 Jerry Bensinger and Dan Rapley acquired the car from Kuttner.
2005 before restoration
The next picture (right) shows the car as I bought it from Bensinger. It was in very rough condition with extensive rust prevalent throughout. In mid-2005 I sent the car tomy friend Udo Bernhadt in Herborn Germany to restore the bodywork. I met Udo when I sold him an Abarth double bubble in the mid-1990's. His family's firm is Bernhardt Karosseriebau and he can be reached via email at u_bernhardt@gmx.de
Following is a picture of the Stabilimenti Farina body stamp (below, left). According to John deBoer's records this is the highest known Stabilimenti Farina body number. Stabilimenti Farina reportedly closed their doors in late 1952 so this is consistent. Interestingly, Dick Irish's notes indicate that the car was actually finished by Bertone. The accuracy of this is unknown. Additionally Udo has found that many of the panels show evidence of having additional material added around their perimeter. It is likely that the panels were intended for another car and diverted or recycled for the purpose of building this car.
The next photo shows the body entire stripped off and only the chassis remaining (below, center).
The body is now all together (below, right) and the car was shipped back to the States in late 2008. Progress has been slow subsequently with other projects taking priority.
Should you have further information about the history of this car or know what happened to Jimmy Mulgrew please don't hesitate to email me.
Siata Daina SL0200
In July 2009 I purchased another Siata, SL0200 sight unseen from Hawaii, where it had been since 1978 and apparently un-used since the mid-to-late 80's.
Here are some pictures of the car in the Seller's garage -
Known History
1960 Captain James W. Russell titled the car in California.
March 9, 1978 Matson Navigation Company ships SL0200 to Honolulu
August 15, 1978 title is transfered to George Nakajo
February 4, 1988 title is transferred to George and Carolyn Takamiyashiro from whom I bought the car.
Shipping the car from Hawaii proved to be quite a challenge, but SL0200 finally arrived in September.
The original idea was to have it running in time for the 2009
The Best of France and Italy on November 1st but when we pulled the head we found:
Obviously the car had been pulled off the road with a leaking headgasket and thirty years of muck had built up in the engine.
We were fortunate to be able to source parts from a variety of locations:
Gaskets from Sangalli Guarnizioni
NOS Bearings from Germany, the USA and Australia.
Liners from Darton Sleeves , who now have the pattern for Fiat 1400 cylinder liners in stock
The entire lot was machined by Toby's of Santa Barbara and carefully assembled by Dave Torry of Absolute Engineering in Goleta.
As of May 2010 the car is back running and driving. It still needs a complete restoration but it's intact and ready to go.
May 2010 rebuilt engine back in car
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Future Projects Wanted
I am always looking for my next project - if you have a special-bodied French or Italian car - Abarth, Alfa Romeo (2500 series and earlier), Bugatti, Cisitalia, Delahaye, Delage, Fiat, Lancia, Nardi, OM, Osca, Siata, etc. - for sale I may be a buyer for it.
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