The Italien

After Dearborn Steel Tubing Co. Finished building the 1963 Thunderbird Fastback concept car,
The ITALIEN,
it was slated to tour in Fords brand new Custom Car Caravan.

The Caravan toured from 1963 through 1966 throughout the United States to Autoramas held
in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, Detroit and other cities as well as
internationally to Toronto Canada and I believe but have not been able to confirm Europe.
In all, the Caravan visited nine cities in 1963.

The first known to feature the Italien was the Detroit Autorama held at Cobo Hall in January 1963.
It was announced in the Detroit newspaper and printed January 10, 1963.
The show dates for this show were January 11-13th.

Next in the lineup was the Los Angeles Winternationals
In February 1963.
This was announced with a large press release dispatched by the News Bureau
of Ford Division of Ford Motor Company.

The Winternationals was a major undertaking for the Ford Custom Car Caravan
which was headed up by Ak Miller, well known race car driver and builder in his new capacity as
"Preformance Advisor"for the Ford Division of the Ford Motor Company.
Also accompanying the Ford Custom Car Caravan to answer car enthusiasts questions were
well known customizing specialists Gene Winfield, The Alexander Brothers; Larry & Mike,
and Model Car Builder Budd Anderson from AMT.

Ak Miller Gene Winfield Alexander Brothers Budd Anderson

Also on hand was George Barris to talk about his creation
the Fairlane 500 "Starburst"
as well as Bill Cushenbery.
Bill was the newest and most promising customizer in the world at the time.

George Barris Bill Cushenbery

COBRA!
No, not a snake, but the famed "Shelby Cobra".
It made it's debut here at the Los Angeles Winternationals as announced
in the press release along with the "Italien" and the "Starburst".
It had a list price of $5,995.00.
In 1963 that was a lot of money!

The Italien was featured on the cover of Nationational Dragster
Magazine which announced the upcoming show dates as February 7-10th, 1963.

Here are a couple more pictures of the Italien
as it appeared in some of the Ford Custom Car Caravan shows

In January 1964 the Italien was displayed at Cobo Hall in Detroit once again.
This wasn't another Autorama, but the 1964 Society of Automotive Engineers exhibition.
The Italien was displayed in the Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporations booth.