RE: De Tomaso Longchamp: You Know You Want To

[jensenhealey2]

Rumblestripe said:

I have to say that, aside from the exclusivity and the "what is that car?" thing it has going on, I'd rather have a Jensen Interceptor. Around the same money and rather nicer proportioned IMHO. The Longchamps has some very awkward angles (front 3/4) whilst looking striking from other (rear)

No thanks from me.

+1

[22rgt B Squadron]

dinkel said:

Phils beastie:

2007 Sunday Service


2008 Ace Caf Eve.

It's big, it's very stylish and it has that addictive FORD rumble.

Skate board style wheels with what looks like aftermarket stuck on arches, not really their best ever design..

[dinkel]

Late 70s these really stood out.

[Transmitter Man]

22,

Too many cars coming out of Italy in the 70's & 80's had said arches, stick-on or otherwise.

You love them or hate them.




But of course the Italians were not the only ones at it;


Anyways, back to De Tomaso.

One of the prettiest IMHO;



Phil

[Pesty]

Transmitter Man said:

22,


Anyways, back to De Tomaso.

One of the prettiest IMHO;



Phil

Nice what is it.

[Transmitter Man]

Hi Pesty,

The early 70's De Tomaso Vallelunga.

Mid mounted 1600cc Ford Cortina engine producing 104bhp & 134mph.

Phil

[delboyGT5]

This Longchamp GT5SE used to belong to my wife up until around 3 years ago. It's a cracking car and had a goodly sum of money spent to make it an excellent and reliable car too.The 'box suits it; it trundles along until you apply some right foot and then it reallys picks up. The engine was rebuilt while we owned it and it certainly goes. I sat in the passenger seat whilst an Instructor drove it on the track at Goodwood and it handles too.

I'm a bit biased, having had a GT5 Pantera up until last year and now being on my third Deauville, but if anyone's genuinely interested in the car, e-mail me and I'll happily give all the information I have.

[Junglehop]

Lovely motor! the red does it no favours though..

[dinkel]

[jsc15]

The red Longchamp sold for £19040 at yesterday's auction

http://www.historics.co.uk/buying/auctions/2013-03...

Priced a bit high at £30k, but £19k looks like a bargain.

I think that if a dealer bought it, I'm fairly sure who it'll be (not saying in case I'm wrong though!)

[dinkel]

. . . or would sir prefer a Kyalami?

http://www.maserati-alfieri.co.uk/alfieri36ll.htm

[AutoEvo]

I'm happy to say the red car is now in my collection.

[Transmitter Man]

Congratulations Steve,

I hope you decide to stretch it's legs once the warmer weather comes around.

Phil
1979 Longchamp GTS 3061

[Martin 480 Turbo]

B A R G A I N

[Finlandese]

Twincam16 said:

Just out of interest, when did he say that? Because I've asked him about it and he dismissed any notion of it being influenced by Jaguar. They were developed around about the same time, but you can see the way the XJ6 evolved out of the 420 shape, whereas there's a definite squareness to the Deauville that was way ahead of its time. The press did call it an 'overpriced mock-Jaguar', but in reality the styling had been finalised before the Jaguar had come out. Unfortunately they spent two years fine-tuning the ride, handling and NVH and it ended up looking like they'd just copied it. All rather unfortunate really.

The De Tomaso blaming Tjaarda thing (which may have happened in connection with this) sounds like something he told me regarding a sports car concept released in 1971. De Tomaso managed to get his hands on the design sketches for the Fiat X1/9 before Fiat had a chance to put a prototype into production for the motor shows, and really did ask Tjaarda to copy it to make it look like Fiat had nicked his idea. They appeared at the same Turin show and the press gave De Tomaso a bking - criticism he passed in the direction of Tjaarda, claiming he knew nothing about the Fiat plans. Tjaarda stressed that this was the first and last time he was ever asked to copy anything.

I spoke with Tom in Lahti Classic Motorshow in 2011, when he was checking out my Longchamp proto-recreation. We spoke about the Deauville in passing, while leafing thru my research material for my project(amongst others, a "spy" drawing of a Longchamp - drawn by Tom´s friend, it turned out!).

Tom spoke more about Deauville´s conception in the Classic and Sports car 3/04. According to Tom the original desire for Jag competitor came fom Lee Iaccoca. The brief itself came from DeTomaso. "As a designer you´re given a brief and you stick to it. Alejandro told me to do a car like Jaguar `but make it different`. It´s difficult to take someone else´s concept and make it your own. They do look different, but I never made any secret of the inspiration behind the Deauville".

According to Tjaarda, De Tomasos Fiat X1/9 came about as De Tomaso had seen the body buck for the upcoming Fiat, and summoned Tjaarda to the body shop, where Tjaarda was given an order to copy the car. When the excrement eventually hit the fan, De Tomaso fired Tjaarda! Then he called him the next day, and wondered why he wasn´t at work... I think De Tomaso did the X1/9, just to ps off Bertone, and Fiat.

You maybe right, but I would be very suprised, if De Tomaso spent two years fine tuning anything.. In my opinion, He was a man of ideas, not so much of fine tuning.

[Coatesy351]

Thought the shifter looked familiar

[digger the goat]

I think De Tomaso did the X1/9, just to ps off Bertone, and Fiat.

Dallara.....

[cramorra]

ZF conversion possible?
Edeöbrook quad carb?