This 1964 Apollo 5000GT is the second to last example of less than 100 built, and is available from Bobileff Motorcar Company in San Diego for $79,000. TME has known this particular car for some years, and it has covered just 2400 miles from new. It was previously owned by the car’s original designer, Milt Brown, who sympathetically recommissioned the car after decades of inactivity. It goes without saying that the car remains extremely correct and original.
Apollos are interesting and attractive cars that were built in Oakland, California using Buick’s excellent all alloy V8. This engine would later be known as the Rover V8 and would power all sorts of other interesting cars such as Land Rovers, Morgans, Rovers, TVR’s, MG’s, and Triumphs. The bodies were built in Turin by Intermeccanica, which helps to explain the car’s Italian look, Borrani wire wheels, and Italian sourced electrical components, which will look familiar to Ferrari enthusiasts. Available as both 3.5 liter and 5.0 liter variants, They are quite fast, and there is an excellent 1998 article on the car in Sports Car International magazine in which the testers dice with and outrun a contemporary Corvette.
The rear of the car is not quite as successful as the front, with a slightly hunchbacked appearance not unlike that of the E-Type coupe. The roadster variant of the Apollo is much rarer and does not suffer from this idiosyncrasy. Of course they are much more expensive as well. Nevertheless, they are attractive cars with a very 1960’s sports car feel because of the styling and detailing.
The interior has an equally 60’s European sports car feel with full complement of Jaeger instruments, wood-rimmed steering wheel, delicate chrome trim and accessories, and bucket seats.
The engine has a much more American feel with large circular air cleaner and finned valve covers that resemble a small block Chevy engine. The Apollo 5000GT badge is a neat touch, while other details such as the windscreen washer fluid bag are very Italian.
This is a totally unique opportunity to acquire a an attractive and unusual car that has all of the benefits of Italo-American hybrids such as mechanical robustness and lovely styling and detailing. This example is marvelously preserved with freakishly low mileage and has to be the most original example in existence.