Moal Coachbuilders, the shop that brought us the likes of Tim Allen’s one-time Licorice Streak Special, showed up in Monterey with not only that Tool Time-worthy hot rod, but also its new Gatto retro sports car. The bright blue coupe reminds us of something in the vein of an Aston Martin DB4 GT or a Maserati A6 GCS. It’s a beautiful shape that looks like it just stepped out of a ten year restoration… but it’s brand new. Well, most of it is.
Under the hood resides a very special V12 engine – a 300-horsepower V12 derived from a Ferrari 250 GTO. Don’t ask us how that came about, all we know is that the car was created for a wealthy California investment manager, and was built to his specifications. Besides that lustful engine under the bonnet, the Gatto also features a hand-built monocoque chassis, aluminum panels crimped directly onto the subframe to save weight, a Tremac five-speed gearbox, custom Borrani wheels, custom-fitted leather seats and straightforward analog gauges. One of the only modern touches is air conditioning.
It’s a gorgeous car, but the funny thing is, we almost walked right past it, thinking it was another of Bonham’s auction items or something. That’s the nature of McCall’s Motorworks Revival – so many great cars that sometimes things get lost in the shuffle. Thankfully not this time. Too bad we couldn’t get anybody to open the hood… Click below to see our high-res image gallery