1966 Fitch Phoenix Prototype
The 1966 Fitch Phoenix stands as a solitary example of what could have been a remarkable series of grand touring cars.
Created by racing driver and engineer John Fitch in collaboration with illustrator Coby Whitmore, this unique prototype combined Italian coachwork with modified American mechanicals. The sleek steel body, crafted by Intermeccanica in Turin, was paired with a substantially enhanced Chevrolet Corvair powertrain.
At just 2,150 pounds (about 975 kg), the Phoenix featured an air-cooled flat-six engine producing approximately 170 horsepower through triple Weber carburetors.
This configuration delivered impressive performance for its time, reaching 60 mph in about 7.5 seconds with a top speed reported around 130 mph. The car utilized fully independent suspension with coil springs at all four corners, Girling disc brakes up front, and 9.5-inch drum brakes at the rear.
Distinctive design elements included differently sized front and rear wheels (requiring two spare tires) and the unusual touch of mounting those spares in the front fender wells. Though the Phoenix created a sensation when unveiled in July 1966 with an $8,700 price tag, its timing proved unfortunate.
New federal safety and emissions regulations, along with the winding down of the Corvair program after 1969, effectively ended production plans, leaving this single example as John Fitch’s personal car and enduring legacy.
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