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There beautiful. First gen looks like a modifed Gremlin. Not sure about the Second Gen. Third Gen looks like a modified Mustang.

 

Hey Everyone,
I've stumbled across a Santa Matilde Convertible from Brazil...

Cool looking vehicle. Looks a little "Avanti-ish" from the side.
Ron in Indy

 

Hey Everyone,
I'm getting tempted...(someone just shoot me now :banghead: )

Here's just a warning shot. It's a Brazilian sports car that doesn't really look that sporty and it's an automatic. I bet you're going to have some great adventures tying to find parts for it. Jerry

 

Santa Matilde



One thing it has going for it, is that it is all there except the drive train. It would sure make a conversation piece. With an american drive line you would have a very good driver, the only draw back that I can see is if you need a piece of glass or a body part you are pretty much up the creek. If it can be had cheap enough to make into a driver I say go for it if you can turn wrenches and fabricate mounts and a rear end set-up.

 

One thing it has going for it, is that it is all there except the drive train. It would sure make a conversation piece. With an american drive line you would have a very good driver, the only draw back that I can see is if you need a piece of glass or a body part you are pretty much up the creek. If it can be had cheap enough to make into a driver I say go for it if you can turn wrenches and fabricate mounts and a rear end set-up.

I think that the glass is from another common car. Body panels would still be a problem. But it's not like Rob puts a lot of miles on these cars. They aren't daily drivers.

 

It looks like a Fiat built by GM.


It is probably fiberglass and I'd be willing to bet all the glass, trim, and running gear were pretty much sourced from a parts bin. Kind of like a kit car, but not really. More like the Puma. That was sold here as a kit, but in Brazil they were sold as complete running cars. Nice little sporty things, but all aircooled VW under the skin. They made a body and used regular VW hardware for the fittings and trim.

 

Dang Rob, not only are your Canada connections unique, you must have a big barn I plan to see one day. This one would put you in Hemmings or another magazine for sure. Talk about orphans!

Whomever wrote the Wikipedia entry says this brand is "legendary" as I am sure you already know:
Santa Matilde - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The entry also says, "One car was produced by demand in 1997. It has inestimable value for collectors." My cars are also "inestimable," though I am a doubtful source of reality, a crackpot really, about my cars. Maybe this one is the real deal you could sell back to some Brazilian entrepreneur fat cat for a million bucks. They are down there.

The seams look good from here. And I'd be glad to change the oil for you, once you find an engine, or help you with that hardtop on a warm day in return for a ride. Even if the roof leaks it's a good trade for the Gremlin look of those hardbodies.

I will attend your museum opening for sure.

Bang!

Jim

 

There were half a dozen of them on Ebay Brazil. None Verts.

Ebay Brazil

 

Looks like someone took a Porsche 911, Porsche 914, and Mustang Gen 1 and 2; put them in a blender, pushed whip, sucked it down with a straw, then threw up, and that's what came out of it.

 

I think the car has real potential. I like the look of the interior, and especially the way the dash is laid out. I wouldn't shove a heavy SBC in there, but perhaps the aluminum buick/rover V8 would be a nice fit.

I'm sure we'll see it in Carlisle in a year or two...:lmao:

Todd K.