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Jack's Toy Is a BMW Isetta
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Films:
The Uncompromising Legendary Lancia Stratos
When we bought our Stratos to race (looooong story) we had to drive it nonstop from Torino thru the mountains and across France to Cherbourg to put it on our boat to NY. A storm meant we offloaded it in Boston and drove it to Oklahoma. As a new car it was just a fine little machine–no weird noises or smells or anything. next year (’77) in Torino alluvasudden Lancia wanted to sell us 1 or 2 or 3 at $12k or heck make an offer. I kinda felt we shoulda. But we didn’t. Car now lives in Dallas with all its racing parts, etc…..
Thanks for the video. Wow. I rode in one once when I was a little kid. I couldn’t see out of the windshield because I was so short. I do remember the sensation of noise – for maybe a 15-minute ride, I thought the car would just explode or fall apart. And I also vaguely remember the distinctive smell of gasoline… What an amazing car though, it always was my favorite “super car”. It just looked, and still does, purposeful to me even though I didn’t know what the purpose was for. Both rally version and Group 5 version always look spectacular. It’s kind of a shame that there are so few of them made, and so bloody expensive…but I’m just glad that it exists.
Matthew – totally agree about the M1 and the Renault in the background, those are classics worth hearing about too.
I find it funny/odd that the car’s name is always printed “Stratos” but it clearly has an apostrophe in it, so it’s really a Strato’s. Odd grammar there. You can see the apostrophe at 3:26 in the video.
Terrific interview. “Vaguely disastrous noises” conveys so much about driving older, sporty cars. Love it.
This looks very much like a Stratos I tried to buy several years ago. Can’t really call it a missed opportunity if the seller won’t respond to phone calls or email, but it still feels like “one that got away.”
