[DeTomaso] Factory/Yellow SI/Pushbutton Pictures

[Richard Greenblum]

All,

I got messages saying my files were too big.  So, I learned Dropbox (need it
for work anyway).  In case even my message didn¹t come through:

First, please excuse the poor picture content and quality.  I was deployed
to Aviano supporting the no-fly zone over Bosnia.  The Air Force Public
Affairs Office at Aviano Air Base made contact with the Modena Chamber of
Commerce (Automotive Section) because the DeTomaso factory wasn¹t giving
tours anymore.  The Chamber arranged for the tour on the basis that a US Air
Force Captain (it was a long time ago) had returned to Italy to see the
birth place of his beloved Italian car.  Corny, yesŠbut it got me in the
door, a personal tour from the general manager, a ride in a test mule Guara,
and a meeting with Isabella DeTomaso.  I was actually greeted at DeTomaso by
the head of the Auto Section of the Chamber who offered to take me to see
other factories, he named Lamborghini, if I had time, which unfortunately I
did not.

Due to their involvement, the Air Force saw fit to send a Public Affairs
officer with me and she took the photos, and wanted me in them.  If I had
been able to go on my own, I would not have appeared in any but a couple
pictures (for posterity of course).

I¹ve named the photos based on the main theme of the shot.  The ³Factory²
pictures are around the facilities with nothing in particular in the
foreground; ³Guara² and ³Guara Ride² are obvious, as is ³Yellow SI.²  The
pictures named ³Museum² are of cars and engines they were preparing to put
in what became a new display that I think many of you have seen‹they were
really looking forward to completing that work.

The ³Pushbutton² pictures are of a red ¹71 Euro pushbutton I mentioned
before.  A kid came from Italy and was attending the University of Houston.
The story goes  he just partied and did poorly.  His parents got pissed and
told him to come home, and to leave his Pantera with ³ROMA² license plates
behind.  I worked at FoMoCo at the time and someone called me and said they
had a Pantera that had been reported stolen, and was for sale.  I ran the
VIN in the Ford system, then called DMV.  Apparently, the kid wanted some
money so he reported it stolen, collected some insurance money, and sold the
car.  Because it wasn¹t hot, and couldn¹t verify the insurance story, I
bought it, then promptly got a Texas title.  Drove it a few times.  The car
had been wrecked with serious damage to the front and while it drove okay,
it couldn¹t be properly aligned.  Of course it had the Euro motor, which was
untouched, and ran extremely well.  The ZF was smooth and quiet.  I sold it
to a friend in Dallas who drove and worked on it for a couple of years then
sold it.  I never heard who the buyer was.

If you have questions about any of the pictures, I¹ll jog my memory and try
to answer them.

I¹m going to try to send a few at a time (starting with 6 of the 12 Yellow
SI pictures) because I don¹t know how to use Dropbox yetŠ

Richard
Austin, TX  




-------------- next part --------------
   All,
   I got messages saying my files were too big.  So, I learned Dropbox
   (need it for work anyway).  In case even my message didn't come
   through:
   First, please excuse the poor picture content and quality.  I was
   deployed to Aviano supporting the no-fly zone over Bosnia.  The Air
   Force Public Affairs Office at Aviano Air Base made contact with the
   Modena Chamber of Commerce (Automotive Section) because the DeTomaso
   factory wasn't giving tours anymore.  The Chamber arranged for the tour
   on the basis that a US Air Force Captain (it was a long time ago) had
   returned to Italy to see the birth place of his beloved Italian car.
   Corny, yes...but it got me in the door, a personal tour from the
   general manager, a ride in a test mule Guara, and a meeting with
   Isabella DeTomaso.  I was actually greeted at DeTomaso by the head of
   the Auto Section of the Chamber who offered to take me to see other
   factories, he named Lamborghini, if I had time, which unfortunately I
   did not.
   Due to their involvement, the Air Force saw fit to send a Public
   Affairs officer with me and she took the photos, and wanted me in them.
    If I had been able to go on my own, I would not have appeared in any
   but a couple pictures (for posterity of course).
   I've named the photos based on the main theme of the shot.  The
   "Factory" pictures are around the facilities with nothing in particular
   in the foreground; "Guara" and "Guara Ride" are obvious, as is "Yellow
   SI."  The pictures named "Museum" are of cars and engines they were
   preparing to put in what became a new display that I think many of you
   have seen--they were really looking forward to completing that work.
   The "Pushbutton" pictures are of a red '71 Euro pushbutton I mentioned
   before.  A kid came from Italy and was attending the University of
   Houston.  The story goes  he just partied and did poorly.  His parents
   got pissed and told him to come home, and to leave his Pantera with
   "ROMA" license plates behind.  I worked at FoMoCo at the time and
   someone called me and said they had a Pantera that had been reported
   stolen, and was for sale.  I ran the VIN in the Ford system, then
   called DMV.  Apparently, the kid wanted some money so he reported it
   stolen, collected some insurance money, and sold the car.  Because it
   wasn't hot, and couldn't verify the insurance story, I bought it, then
   promptly got a Texas title.  Drove it a few times.  The car had been
   wrecked with serious damage to the front and while it drove okay, it
   couldn't be properly aligned.  Of course it had the Euro motor, which
   was untouched, and ran extremely well.  The ZF was smooth and quiet.  I
   sold it to a friend in Dallas who drove and worked on it for a couple
   of years then sold it.  I never heard who the buyer was.
   If you have questions about any of the pictures, I'll jog my memory and
   try to answer them.
   I'm going to try to send a few at a time (starting with 6 of the 12
   Yellow SI pictures) because I don't know how to use Dropbox yet...
   Richard
   Austin, TX