Attention: Guanci SJJ1 owners

I have the Guanci here in Calabasas California. Maybe you can help me. Is this a Detomaso or it is compared to that. Some sites mention it as a Detomaso and others deny it. Any help would be great as I am selling to car due to health reasons and I want to make sure I have my information correct. Thanks Geoff

Barrett Jackson's description of the Guanci SJJ1:

Quote:
"custom built by Mc Kee Engineering. GM 350 V-8 with an Oldsmobile Tornado transaxle"

DeTomaso did not design coaches, they contracted that work out to established designers. DeTomaso did not build coaches, that work was contracted to carrozerias. DeTomaso didn't build engines or transmissions, they used drivetrain built by others. DeTomaso assembled cars. If according to BJ this car was assembled by McKee Engineering, I perceive nothing that makes this car even remotely assoiciated with DeTomaso, unless DeTomaso contracted & paid for the project. Judging from the styling and the drivetrain, I would have guessed this car was a GM project, not Italian.

cowboy from hell

I had never even heard of a Guanci SJJ1 GT. Was this a one off? What kind of engine? Front, mid, rear engine? Need some details! You've piqued my interest!

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

I believe this car is built upon the chopped up chassis of a production economy car. It is not an original design. Except for the height of the belt line, it has the silhouette of a Chevy Monza.

I also believe there is only one car, it has been painted silver & more recently blue. I have not found a picture of a red version, nor have I found a picture of the two side by side.

below are some pictures from the 'net

For the previous thread on this topic, go to:

http://pantera.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/7650045562/m/7570073273/p/1

The previous owner, who posted as "Detomaso SJJ1" wrote some half-baked explanation of why this car should be considered a DeTomaso (basically he claimed to have photos -- which he did not post -- of Alejandro DeTomaso turning wrenches on the car). The fact is, the car was never referred to as anything other than a Guanci until this person decided to sell it. Even the January 1982 issue of Motor Trend Magazine, which he kept going on about, refers to the car as a Guanci. Still, being mildly curious, I decided to do a little detective work on the Internet. In particular, I noted Detomaso SJJ1's postings on the above-mentioned thread in September of 2005 when he wrote as follows:

"ok I sold the car for $75,000 to a museum in London England."

"I sold the car to the owner of the Southward Car Museum which is in Wellington, but the owner said the car was going in his private collection that he has in London England."

"Evidently the museum that bought the car knew more about it than I did because they have every model that De Tomaso has ever built including the other red SJJ1. They were all over this car like stink on crap. I have never seen anyone jump on a car so fast."

I sent an e-mail to the Southward Museum Trust, asking if they own or have ever owned any automobiles manufactured by DeTomaso. The reply is reproduced below:

Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2007 09:48:34 +1200 (New Zealand Standard Time) From: "Sue"
To: phavlik...
Subject: Re: DeTomaso cars
Reply-To: "Sue"
Hi Peter
No we have no vehicles manufactured by DeTomaso.
Regards
Stan Bellamore
Manager

After that, I wrote Detomaso SJJ1 off as not credible. However, I think more than one SJJ1 Guanci seems to have been produced (I have observed from various internet photos at least three distinctive front end treatments and perhaps four colours). If anyone is interested, here's a couple of links:

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=26571
http://clubopel.org/foro/viewtopic.php?t=13820&start=0&...e3b8b0bf3356af70bc27

If anyone wants to double check Detomaso SJJ1's story, then a call or e-mail to Tom Tjaarda should settle the following claim:

"Alejandro De Tomaso met John Guanci through one of John's best friends, Tom Tjaarda"

Personally, I don't plan to waste any more time on this.

Thanks for the follow-up Peter, your second link has a picture of a rather heavy frame with the SJJ1 coach sitting off to the side on the floor. So I am apparently wrong about the car being a chopped up economy car, however there is still only one car in that photo. I assume the gent in the photo is Mister Guanci himself. That frame looks more substantial than the frame of a cement truck!

I am not curious enough to register with the other forum in order to open their pictures. Pictures posted by Mister SJJ1 by the way, I assume that would be the Jeff who visited us back in 2005.

I think of note here is simply that this car is very hyped up, not a DeTomaso in any way, probably has as much collector value as the proof of purchase on a Wheaties cereal box. Or maybe that should be Fruit Loops. I feel sorry for this last guy, Geoff, he apparently paid $34K USD for the bloody thing. So now its his turn to hype it up, lie about it, spread rumors around the internet, until he finds a sucker with deeper pockets than his own.

cowboy from hell

It's funny, when I first saw the posted pictures, I thought that it was a modified Chevy Monza too! Just look at the doors & door handles. Glad to know that there wasn't a DeTomaso model out there that I didn't know about! Stop scaring me!

Wow Geo !

You are always the nice guy on this forum. Always kind to owners of other makes.

Did someone driving a SJJ1 run into your Pantera ?

quote:

Originally posted by Pantera#4134:
...Did someone driving a SJJ1 run into your Pantera...

No, somebody selling one tried to dupe the people I care about.

quote:

Originally posted by Pantera#4134:
Wow Geo !

You are always the nice guy on this forum. Always kind to owners of other makes.

Did someone driving a SJJ1 run into your Pantera ?

Yeah, next thing you know George is going to start dissing that other fine DeTomaso...... you know, the DeTomaso Omni 024!! (gag!)