In 1968 , an ambitious undertaking was begun to impart to market a luxuriousness / carrying out motorcar that would contend favorably with Ferrari ’s legendary gran turismo auto . regard were General Motors and Luigi Chinetti , famous Ferrari race gondola driver and the exclusive Ferrari U.S. distributor from 1947 - 1970 . What ultimately develop was the 1970 Cadillac NART Zagato , with each bearer of that name play a life-sustaining role .
GM contributed the drivetrain : the Cadillac Eldorado ’s 472 - cid V-8 , as well as the Turbo Hydra - Matic and front - drive transaxle . The engine was rated at 375 bhp , though as installed in the NART 400 is claimed . The basic chassis was a modified Eldo unit , with the Caddy ’s drive social unit mounted at the rear , but override for rear - cycle effort . Perhaps it ’s the shorter fumes system that pumps out the extra 25 horse .
The NART connection came via Luigi Chinetti , who was creditworthy for direct the car . He had been the spark plug in founding NART : North American Racing Team . Its logo fuse a Ferrari prancing horse , conventionalize Stars and Stripes , and N.A.R.T. initial . NART chairperson emeritus George Arents has enounce that " Every Ferrari or Osca entry at Le Mans or other European racing circuit was under our banner , as was the mill Formula One effort from the middle of the 1964 time of year , which resulted in the world backup of John Surtees . " NART badging can be find front and rear on the car , and on the panache .
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The Zagato part of the name came from the noted coachbuilder that construct the railroad car , though Chinetti ’s Logos Luigi , Jr. , has been credited with the body innovation . Zagato built the coupe ( almost a 2 + 2 ) of aluminum . " Z " badge ride on the front fenders and the slightly modify 1967 - 1968 Eldorado hubcaps .
part for the NART came from many sources . Cadillac lend a splasher that was adjust and narrowed , the steerage pillar , four - wheel record brake , and more . ( Some say Olds Toronado parts were originally used , and many certainly would be interchangeable . ) Pontiac donated the tail lamp from its 1968 GTO , and European parts were liberally used .
Though involve in the NART project initially , GM drop out due to numerous delays and the economical difficulty of late 1969 . GM ’s departure ended hopes of putting the car into product , even though it was shown in Turin and New York . Orders were even take , but no automobile were deliver to the public .
Even so , the project progressed to a 2nd innovation stage for the coupe , with the destination of eliminating the " hump back " look . Car number three was a " bread field goal " design wagon . Neither got past the drawing off board .
Thus , the car seen on these pages is the one and only Cadillac NART Zagato : serial identification number 001 . Melvin A. Olshansky , of Glencoe , Illinois , acquired it after it had been in the Chinetti category through 1987 . It was amply restored in a 21/2 - year effort by Mill Creek Motors and Upholstery Unlimited , of Clinton , Iowa , and Baileywicks of Fulton , Illinois .
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