quote:Originally posted by Stosh:
...Need some details! You've piqued my interest...
This is one very hyped automobile. John Guanci was apparently a businessman involved in building Cobra kit cars, Barrett Jackson has sold several of his Cobras. The SJJ1 was last sold at auction November 2006, for $34,100. It sold for $15,000 in 1996 (Barrett Jackson lot #433). It seems to swap hands a lot, and a previous owner named Jeff, who posted here about the car in 2005, worked very hard to sell it, posting stuff all over the internet about the car, asking $50K in one spot, $40K in another. On another forum he claimed it had sold at Barrett Jackson in March 2005 for $68,200. I found no record of that auction. I found things posted about this car on French websites too, including French ebay.
Here's some details from the November 2006 auction, it is full of BS:
Quote:
The 1979 Guanci SJJ1 GT
This custom-built sports car is not a kit car or a replica. It is, instead, one of only two cars ever built by the automotive dream team that was Guanci Automobiles Inc. This automobile was scheduled for full production.
In 1977, Chicago-area businessman John Guanci dreamed of his ideal car … one that would rival the finest European sports cars. Although lacking in formal automotive engineering or design education, Guanci applied his business acumen to organize a team of America…trades top automotive talents to build the SJJ1. The team included:
- Bob McKee. McKee had designed, developed and built race car frames and chassis since 1961. His efforts included USAC champion Roger Ward…trade;s Group 7 car that led to the rear-engine design that dominated Can Am road racing. McKee also developed the Howmet Turbine cars that established numerous international records.
- Mike Williams. Williams, who had worked as an automotive design consultant and for both Chrysler and the Kaiser Jeep Corporation as Automotive Designer, was the body designer for the Guanci SJJ1.
- Steve Norcross. Norcross brought his racing and fiberglass construction and engineering expertise to the Guanci SJJ1. His role was to handcraft all body panels, fabricate all specialty hinges and latches and to engineer body and interior components.
- Dick Kleber. Guanci…trades Director of Engineering applied his knowledge and skills in automotive suspension systems. His work in transverse engine orientation, packaged mid-engine placement and rear suspension components was critical in the development of the SJJ1.
For power, the team chose the race-proven and highly dependable L82 Corvette engine. This was an engine that could be easily modified to produce huge amounts of horsepower while also being easy to service. A special differential was designed to allow the engine to be mounted crossways just behind the driver…trade;s seat adding greatly to the performance capabilities. The frame, aluminum-clad steel, was lightweight but extremely strong. This car was designed to exceed normal stress requirements by 3 times. An aerodynamically flat, stainless steel belly pan makes this performance machine very stable at high speeds. Four-wheel independent suspension using nickel-cadmium plated stress steel was also a feature incorporated from the race circuit. Four-wheel disk brakes gave it optimum stopping power. This automobile was designed to be a street-legal race car that was ready and willing to play with the top exotic European machines.
Over $875,000.00 (that…trades nearly $1.5 million in today…trades dollars) and thousands of manhours later, out rolled two (one red, one blue) exquisite Guanci SJJ1 GTs. The cars were put on display at the Chicago Automobile show, where they were a huge hit (see the attached pictures). The Guancis had a whopping $54,000 list price and were equal to the finest European cars in performance and price. (In 1979, Mustangs and Cameros retailed at about $4,000.)
Tragically, after the first two Guancis were built, the company…trades financier died. Unfortunately, unrest in the Middle East, the hostage crisis, interest rates in the double digits and an American recession, made other investors leery. Investors simply did not want to risk money on such a radical and expensive automobile at such an uncertain time in American history. The Guanci was to go, as so many other automobiles ahead of their time had already done… into history.
The Guanci SJJ1 GTs were production automobiles. The first of what was meant to be a long line of production automobiles. The Blue SJJ1 GT was sold before the company ran into trouble to a private individual for $49,000 (about $80,000 in today…trades dollars). This was the only Guanci produced and sold, making it one of, if not the rarest, automobile in the world! John Guanci himself kept the red one.
Mustangs selling for $4K in 1979? My arse! That "special differential" was a 3 speed transverse automatic transaxle from a front wheel drive Cadillac! This car has nothing to do with DeTomaso, that was just a leading comment for Geoff to get his foot in the door. Calling this car a production automobile is a stretch. The first several units are normally delivered to the government for crash testing and emissions testing. This one was sold to a collector? This indicates to me by the time Guanci had one or two cars assembled, the decision had been made to scrub the project. Does that sound like a production automobile to you?
We have this list of people involved with the car, but the financier remains nameless. He just so happens to die. Sad story.
The name Guanci has little value in the automotive world, the only way to sell this car is to hype it. One of the rarest cars my arse. It looks like a converted hatch back Monza. Its as rare as a VW dune buggy conversion. I get a mite nettled when scalawags come on these forums and try to scam our members.
rat faced bastards
cowboy from hell
