Barn Find: 1982 Aquila GT
The Aquila GT kit car amounts to an automotive Rorschach test. Some see Bricklin in its lines, some see Lamborghini, or BMW M1. I see Pantera, until the gullwing doors open. Whatever you see, the Aquila GT was the only product of Robert Mueller’s American Fibre Craft, founded in Cupertino, California in the early 1980s. About 150 kits were made, destined for VW Bug pans. This is #141, listed here on facebook Marketplace in “barn find” condition with an asking price of $2100. The new owner can collect the car and its parts from Lapeer, Michigan. Ted and JimA found this tip for us – thanks, guys!
Most Aquilas we found had simply adopted Volkswagen’s Bug engine as well as the pan, but this one has an air-cooled 140 hp flat-six Corvair engine residing in its rear. It hasn’t run in thirty years, and the seller indicates he’s soaking the internals to free up the pistons. No word on the transmission. It sits on a 1973 pan; in that year the Bug was equipped with double-joint rear axles. The chassis is said to be in rust-free condition, excellent for its age.
Though this interior is a shambles, the Aquila was known for a high-quality layout. The kit arrived with most of the ingredients required to assemble a comfortable cabin resembling the Lotus Europa, with contoured seats designed to hug the occupants, a high center console, and a rational gauge arrangement. These gauges are VDOs. All the glass is present. The door windows angle out for ventilation; American Fibre offered an optional hood with two small scoops, suggesting these would aid air conditioning. Recommissioning the gullwing doors, where new hinges are required, will be challenging.
This view reminds me of the ground-pounding Pantera, but the tire/wheel combination tells the tale of something much tamer. The bumpers were touted as a safety feature, though they are easily removable. In fact, the body was made of 16 pieces, bolted together, while many kit cars were made in single or few pieces. Presumably, if an Aquila was involved in a fender-bender, the separate panels would aid repair. Finding any Aquila for sale is difficult, but it looks like around $10k is top dollar for these models. Here’s a running, driving example still looking for a buyer at $15k, listed for more than ten months. How would you build this kit car?
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Comments
Interesting.
The front is very long and disproportionate.
Primitive design.
Curious.
Ricardo Ventura, think Cheetah, and Shelby Daytona Coupe.
Good comparison.
I would also put the Jaguar XK E.
They all have an elongated front end, however, the designs are much more harmonious compared to the kit car in question.
It’s just an opinion, but it’s still interesting
.
Although It looks like it was “designed by committee”, it’s a Very cool ride for $2100.
A challenging project for certain.
The rear reminds me of the AMC AMX IIl.
Or 2 door Matador
Or a BB.
Never heard of one, never seen one, and wouldn’t buy one, not this one or any other one. Interesting design and I suppose someone somewhere will be interested in it. My biggest problem with it is the VW platform, (even though the Corvair motor would at least make it a little mor peppy.) Also, kit cars are historically a pain, particularly to attempt to restore. That being said, I wish the seller, and any potential buyer the best of luck. They are going to need it.
Sold …
Never understood sporty looking kit cars on VW chassis. Yes they were cheap but you had a sporty looking car that was slow and unsporty. Maybe someone can explain.
sure, looks.BUT…
“…How would you build this kit car?”
tube chassy.
Any of the kits, if of remarkable beauty, I’d start w/a custom ‘frame’.
Get that same panatera motor – for bent8 fans, I like the i8 or i6 so might take the M1’s i6 (M88/1 & a zf 5 speed) or Crown’s JZ (2JZ-FSE) as they run it on the automatic transmis. But…
no room in the garage for anything that doesnt earn it’s keep (workers only).
If you say so. ????
I imagine the new owner gathering his family around and singing-
” I have an Aquila, have an Aquila”
From a packaging / design stand point, It doesn’t make sense. The engine is rear mounted so why the elongated front end ?
I see an AMC Matador in the rear quarters!
The price is right and it probably won’t last too long for sale.
Almost Aston Martinish…..
nope
Shouldn’t a car that looks like this have a V8 in it? It’s a muscular, if unbalanced, look.