The Road of Maharajahs
Paris, 12th. October 2008/B.A.
Car designer Tom Tjaarda and George Huisman (car and parts builder) got together twice in Paris recently.
The first time they met was at the recent Paris Motor Show and the second time they proceeded to the check the 12 cars that are going to be involved in a tourist rally event in India that is going to be called "The Maharajah Road".
These two outstanding personalities of the automobile world will participate in that private event along with people who have a passion for India and for classic Mustangs.
This prestigious event will also result in a documentary film that will present some of the most magical places on earth. The rally will start in Bombay and end in Jaipur via Udaipur and Jaisalmer and many other wonderful towns and cities of Rajasthan, the place famous for the maharajahs.
What makes the road trip very exciting is traveling on Rajasthan's roads on board 12 legendary GT500 Mustang Shelbys (models from 1965 to 1970).
Film director Dominique Martial wants to pay tribute to the legend of the famous actor Steve McQueen and so he has asked Tom Tjaarda and GH to prepare a replica of the Mustang GT390 that had Inspector Frank Bullitt running amok through San Francisco's steepest streets in the movie BULLITT.
Tjaarda and GH managed to gather very comprehensive information through unseen images from the just released Blu-Ray version of the cult movie.
After having carefully examined each detail they have initiated the transformation of a real GT390 (VIN is 8R02S119026).
For instance, they studied the new rear skirt, the half-moons purposely sealed and the rusty exhaust.
Anyway, there is no point in spending time on numerous details, it would be much better to see the outstanding film images that will speak for themselves.
To be continued ....
All pictures by Philippe POTHON
George Huisman, owner
of Classic Design Concepts in the US has a deep interest in the BULLITT.
CDC made a big splash at the SEMA 2007 with its Flashback, a modern
interpretation of the 1967 Mustang body style based on a Dynacorn recreated body.
It's logical that they thought about something
spectacular for this years SEMA .....
It would be however nothing new and really exciting for a 40th Anniversary of
the BULLITT movieto build a 1968 replica with a 390 and paint it DHG. The
car had to be something special and most important - it had to be driveable and
offer ultimate performance.
Picture by Philippe POTHON
Tom Tjaarda is very well known in the Ford scene for his design of the De Tomaso Pantera.
But he also had his hands quite often on Ford designs and even Mustangs starting in the late 60ies up to the recent electric powered EVX Mustangs.
In 1960 he designed the Ford dragster
project IXG, in 1962 worked on a Pininfarina Corvair project. It's a mystery
to have some touching points with Phil Clarks vita here, as we found IXG
pics in Phil Clarks material and as you might know Phil worked on some
Corvair designs while being at GM. We've yet to find out, wether they ever
met or had some contact or at least knew of each other.
In 1969 he designed the De Tomaso Mustela while being at Ghia followed by
the De Tomaso Deauville and De Tomaso Pantera in 1970. In 1971 he worked on
the De Tomasa Zonda and a Mustang design.
In 1973 another Ford Mustela II was shown around the country, later followed
by Ford Maverick designs and Ford Mustang II design studies for Ghia.
Tom Tjaarda has been creative and active ever since, his latest better known
project being the Qvale Mangusta, based on the Shelby Series 2, and more
recently the EVX Mustang and HST Cobra.
You can take a closer look at his car on http://www.tom-tjaarda.net/cars.htm
But few knew that Tom Tjaarda is not only a
lover of the BULLITT movie, but had some greater things in mind, when
joining this exciting multi-facette project that we will follow until the
movie Road to Maharaja comes out
Source: autolit.com
Look rather to the left of the lady and you'll see the
blacked out interior.
Read more here about the
EQUUS 500
1969 Tom Tjaardas Mustela I - picture archive
Ch. Wehde Th e car was also shown in green metallic paint
Another Tom Tjaarda design that lead to a Mustang in October 1971- courtesy Ch. Wehde archive
A rare studo design shot of a De Tomaso Zonda, Capri and a Mustang
design proposal shown in October 1971
- courtesy Archive Ch. Wehde
The new Tom Tjaarda designed EQUUS was presented by CDC at the SEMA 2008 show.
This car will play also star in the Road to Maharaja movie.
The EQ500 SEMA Showcar was built on the base of a real Shelby GT500.
In the movie you'll see a duplicate of this car built on the base of a 68
Fastback.
The mystery "driver" of the whole project and our source of information
is the owner of the BULLITT replica pictured above with George Huisman and Tom Tjaarda.
More much later
The luxury Mustang Milano - it died in
1971 after the show just because of the oil crisis, but now is the time for
such a car.
IN TOUCH WITH DESIGN -The Future of the Mustang world
Affordable sportscar versa Personalization and Individualism
The Mustang today has changed a lot from the ex-factory product that it was in the 60ies. At that time you could get any option from Ford and there was little more desirable from the aftermarket.
The Mustang GEN V is accompanied with a fuzzy zone of Ford linked outlets like Shelby, Roush, Saleen and many aftermarket companies. In some cases the later ones spent already even more money on body and parts design as the first mentioned.The future of the GEN VI Mustang will certainly see another Savings programm to get it further "down" to a more simple base car with a focus on the V6. The V8 will be maintained as an option pack.
But an important program is the Personalisation and Individuality programm that is expanded currently.
The new Mustang will allow more ample room for modular body parts that will allow subtle styling changes for the owner. The SEMA organised aftermarket will jump on the train for sure. Rapid prototyping has become a more affordable technics today that allows small batch production for a much lower amount than before. Designers with a name will be drawn to these opportunities and special fashion, movie or other celebrities SEs will be a snap.
The Classic Mustang Market will also benefit from this move
As an example for GEN 1 Mustangs, the Obsidian was one very special car, but rather a private project,with a radical design approach. Others have followed since and in parallel. The value of these cars is extreme and the Obsidian was recently offered for close to 1,7 million dollar. Unique GenV Mustangs catch easily 500.000 dollars and more. Did you expect this development from its heritage? Certainly not. Page up some of the Mustang mags or more serious collectors publications and you'll quickly notice a new trend towards Design, more sophisticated details and the growing importance of a new breed of personalized cars with no limit set. Customizing and Tuning was yesterday, though still profitable today counted in "parts per thousands" for those that offer the extra thrill. But there is much more to personalization beyond the steady increase of power. What started with the few Legends SEs like the Saleen PJ, needs a bit more quality for the luxury market.
Take the Giugario Mustang, that idea got really attention, did it? The Mustang Milano back then would have been the perfect luxury Mustang and most would have loved to see it being on sale. But the oil crisis let it die. Today is the market for it, even with the financial crisis, no one predicts the end of the luxury market, because there are so many new rich people from emerging markets looking for a car mirroring their individuality.
The Mustang has been designed in the 60ies "to be designed by you" with a huge portfolio of comfort and performance options. Performance had been increased to the max . If you've ever driven a GT500 or GT500KR, you know the platform has pretty much reached its top end with little to improve, it's rather gone over the top. Now striving for new profitable areas, the personalization factor is refocussed to the comfort and design options. One certainly remembers the Ghia route from back then and today it's easy to steer that way again. Giugiaro was only one milestone with his concept car, but while most attention went to the exterior, the cooperation did not end there.
Starting soon and way into 201X you will see a new breed of all generations of Mustangs that will feature Luxury and Design while maintaining the power options as long as they can last.
Mustangs will be even more valued on their individualized design and luxury appliques and new clients targeted.
The average Joe Mustang driver (me included) will still have something to enjoy with the route that Ford will emphasize to survive - the bread and butter sportscar - dreaming of a personalized and individual designed car with every option to achieve that goal.
More info here at www.ponysite.de/roadofmaharajahs.htm
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