Buy your very own Thorndyke Special–Herbie’s nemesis–better known as the Apollo GT

Colin
By Colin Wood
Aug 17, 2021 | 5000GT, Apollo, Thorndyke Special

Photography Courtesy Fantasy Junction

Remember the Thorndyke Special from 1968’s The Love Bug? It’s actually a very real car made by Oakland, California-based car maker Apollo in the early-to-mid ‘60s.


Two versions were produced between 1962 and 1964, the 3500GT and 5000GT, with power, respectively, coming from 215- and 300-cubic-inch V8 engines. Both were sourced from Buick and backed by four-speed manual transmissions.

The one used in the film looks to be a 3500GT, though an example of the more powerful 5000GT recently became available for purchase, which you can read more about over on Classic Motorsports.

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Comments
ShawnG
ShawnG UltimaDork
8/17/21 8:47 a.m.

I know a guy who has one of those.

 

pres589 (djronnebaum)
pres589 (djronnebaum) UltimaDork
8/17/21 8:50 a.m.

Very pretty.  Nice mix of Ferrari and E-type going on here.  

Appleseed
Appleseed MegaDork
8/17/21 8:58 a.m.

It would be wrapped in yellow and black. Because you have to. 

RadBarchetta
RadBarchetta New Reader
8/17/21 9:12 a.m.

I can't remember the last time I walked into a car dealership and the salesman poured me a scotch. Ah, the good old days. Wait, no, that never happened...

Although one time in Mexico, I visited a gift shop where the owner served us tequila prior to entering. He made a few sales that day. Lesson: converting pesos to dollars is hard when you had a few.

Paul_VR6 (Forum Supporter)
Paul_VR6 (Forum Supporter) SuperDork
8/17/21 1:22 p.m.
RadBarchetta said:

I can't remember the last time I walked into a car dealership and the salesman poured me a scotch. Ah, the good old days.

I always just figured I was in the wrong kind of place. Or had the wrong shoes on. Or something.

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
8/17/21 1:49 p.m.

We need more metal-flake helmets.

 

Kreb (Forum Supporter)
Kreb (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
8/17/21 9:55 p.m.

Milt Brown - the biggest force behind Apollo lived the motorheads dream. After college he designed a successful formula car. Then, along with Ron Plescia and Ned Davis convinced Intermecanica to build aluminum bodies for the Apollo. They only made 88 of them, but they were pretty great cars for the day. Milt made a couple more cars over the years - the Verona, which was very similar to a Morgan, minus the wood chassis, and this little diddy:

As for the original car, I think that it looks best as a convertible:

 

GTwannaB
GTwannaB GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
8/17/21 10:24 p.m.

This is a car that some Silicon Valley tech billionaire weenie should recreate for an upcoming car week in Monterrey 

slowbird
slowbird UltraDork
8/17/21 11:20 p.m.

Y'know, when I was a kid, I never noticed how slow the other cars where going as Herbie passed them.

RichardSIA
RichardSIA Dork
8/18/21 12:31 a.m.

In reply to GTwannaB :

Some years ago (90's?) rumors were that Intermeccanica still had a few Apollo bodies in storage and that the bucks to make more were still extant.

Today, who knows?

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