Tjaarda and Detomasso X1/9

[thadk@domain.elided (Thad Kirk)]

Dwight writes:

"B) The spider was designed by American Tom Tjaarda who was employed by 
Pininfarina."

Yup.
I knew of this info from a book I read about Detomasso. Tjaarda also
designed some of the Pantera and was the person who designed the real dash
for the Jeep Wrangler after it was a steel face buster. 

There was an interesting story about Detomasso getting some pictures of
Fiat's still undisclosed X1/9 in the early seventies and pictures of the
car he built that copied it. It was actually built before Fiat built their
first proto type. The car looks exactly like an X. The Detomasso had a
Ford mid engine and Ford would not buy the car from him. Obviously they
eventually did buy the Pantera.

If I find the pics of it again I'll put them up on the web if anybody
wants to see them.

Thad Kirk -tkirk@domain.elided
79 Fiat spider (nice car) with quiet rear-Thanks Bruce.
81 Fiat spider (not nice car)
http://www.geocities.com/motorcity/5479
http://members.aol.com/fiatspider