Dr. Norbert McNamara's one time 450SS Hai

The former owner owned a few ATS cars maybe 3 and had a fantastic collection, but now is switching to Zagato

Can you imagine owning the 450 Hai and the Bizzarrini targa oh ya the Monica too!

http://www.bdmclassiccars.com/MonteverdiHAI.html

 

Hello "V2"; With a MASSIVE 426 Hemi, would you happen to know what the car's weight distribution is?....I'm always surprised that these speciality cars did not use ALL aluminum Chevy ZL1, V8s as their power plant of choice, considering the ZL1 weighs 575lbs vs the 426 Hemi at 725lbs....a 150 lb DIFFERENCE!!!.....Mark

 

2700 lbs 49/51 ratio
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I folded myself into it when it was at Fantasy Junction a few years back. I was left with the impression that seats and seating position was an afterthought - which is a shame, because I loved the looks.

 

THANKS!!! "V2"!!!...Your collection of photos is quite IMPRESSIVE!!!...the body construction reminds me of the GT 40...LOTS of places for water to collect & the subsequent rust. Where is the fuel tank located?. The sound of that Hemi, inches away from the driver's ear must be deafening!!!!....Mark

 

The Hai was used in a UBS ad campaign in 2010 or 2011 here in Switzerland. Was Red in the ad.
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I remember this ad, because I travelled to Zurich in the beginning of 2011 and it greeted me on an airport billboard right as I exited the plane. My father asked me if I'd ever seen the car before, I told him I hadn't but I was sure it was a Monteverdi, because other than those crazy Rinspeed cars it was the only swiss manufacturer I knew. I couldn't read the copy because it was in German, but I later saw the ad in english, and sure enough, I was right.

That was the first time I saw a picture of the Hai.

 

That may be a different car

 

Just to help you solve the mystery. I made that UBS ad and the car in question came from the monteverdi museum in binningen. Nothing was done to change its appearance.
On the subject of Mc Namara, as a child I lived in Belgium and once in a garage in brussels came a cross a bizzarrini stradale. It was pale gold/sand coloured and had a screaming eagle sticker on the back.Must have been early seventies.
I was told it belonged to Robert mcNamara, i thought the former ford boss and minister of defence (or whatever that is called in the US) and someone my dad knew. At the time I never bothered to ask.
Maybe it was your norbert on the other hand.
P

 

The Hai was such a superb looking piece of kit, there isn't a wrong angle on it. Does anyone here have any seating-time in one?

 

Do you honestly think jack that when you go through the trouble of organising a shooting as done for this ad, and getting the museum to give us the car in the first place we did not spend time with it??
Seriously now,to me it was like an underdeveloped, overpowered pantera. A very very brave statement, never meant to be commercialised i think, and a credit to a strong willed man.
Very 70's.
Far as I know they made three. Two early on and one as a continuation. All 426H.
Always liked the 375l though, and the barchetta, in spite of the terrible rust issues. Good car to buy still.
P

 

The book Modern Classics, by Rich Taylor of Vintage Rallies fame, has a chapter on Monteverdi and he talks about the Hai. Although the book is decades old, it's still a great, 'one mans view' read on sports cars.

I wish I'd bought some of the cars he touted. Even some of the ones he doesn't really like (Guilietta/Guilia Sprint Speciales) too.

 

I have the same book and it really was years ahead of it's time. Rich Taylor spotted many the hot cars we lust over decades early. At that time there was nobody that wrote in that in your face style.

 

I have a very rare copy of the 1994 Vol 3 No. 2 Autophyle that had a 12 page review of the Hai This may be the the most in depth review of the car ever done. Autophyle was one of the best glossy car magazines of it's time.

Autophyle reports that Mr. Monterverdi took the Hai out for a extensive drive and said it was too noisy, too hot, too cramped, too uncomfortable and that he would not put his name on it even though he had orders for 25 cars.
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Hi Paul,

Thanks for that. What a pity the Hai was never developed a little more then, it would have been great.

Yes, I also like the 375 series cars, but have absolutely no experience with any of them: they are so rare! All of them had nice, simple lines, classic looking, powerful engines and beautifully made interiors. A class act. The class went down the drain with things like Safari and Windhound. Too bad.

 

Come to think of it this mcNamara also owned a Lamborghini 350 gt. it was dark blue and had hand painted Ivy going up its c pillar. This may sound silly but it looked absolutely stunning.
It had us military Italy plates on it.
Saw it several times at shape headquarters in Belgium.
The hai had the front of the engine producing into the cabin between the seats covered only by a leather covered panel which was screwed into place.
Any one going to Switzerland I can warmly recommend going by Basel to binningen wher the Monteverdi museum is located. It is run by mr Berger , Peter Monteverdi's longtime partner.
Closed to the public he will probably let you in if due notice is given. Worth the trip since good examples of all cars are there.
The 375's were closest to the Isos in engineering terms except of course engines and gearbox which were mostly 440 Chrysler. But they had the same de Dion rear set up which was pretty good.
They were better built than the isos (of which I had the fortune of owning 3 over time) and if I'd see a good one I'd probably buy it.
Peter Monteverdi did design and build the first series four door range rover, much to his credit.

 

I would imagine that a cast iron hemi in the rear might make the thing a hand full as well.

 

Jack KD Hartog helped me on this here it is at Quail

Car # IA3*0297

History:
197? Prof. Norbert McNamara (“bought in Germany or Italy”)
1981 Tim Ritter, Belleview, Illinois
1982 James (Jim) Mathews, TMC Motorsports, Mishawaka, Indiana
1982 Thomas W. Mittler, Mittler Supply Co, Mishawaka, Indiana.
2011 July Classic & Sportscar: Offered “from the Tom Mittler collection” by Morris & Welford, USA
The number #312 is stamped on parts all over the car ……
2012 Ray D. Bowling, USA
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Yes the whole suspension system is very similar to Iso Monterverdi didn't have to do that much engineering, he just called the Iso suppliers.

 

How many bespoke Monteverdi's were built? Talking about 375, Hai, not Sierra oe other modified cars. I can't remember seeing one for sale, other than the Hai at FJ. I wasn't particularly looking, just didn't see any anywhere.

 

A few years back there were two for sale in LA and Wayne Carini had one too. I know of one currently in restoration in LA and a second one in Aussie land, but it's in very bad shape.

 

I was given approx prod numbers seen we did the shooting, but need to look. Most prolific was the 375 l.
Then the 375 s and the prettiest of the lot the berlinetta and the palm beach convertible version were not even a handful.
Plus of course a small number of limos, mostly sold to the middle east.
There is an L for sale at godin banks in UK for £990000. It is rhd.
P

 

Sorry 99000