The 1961 introduction of the new Buick Special, and its lightweight aluminum 215-cubic-inch V-8, paved the way for California engineer Milt Brown to realize a longtime dream: to build a European-style GT car.

The resulting Apollo 3500 GT was unveiled in late 1962, bearing many of the hallmarks of contemporaneous competitors like the Jaguar E-Type, Corvette Sting Ray, and the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2.

The fledgling Carrozzeria Intermeccanica hand-built steel coachwork to a design by Art Center graduate Ron Plescia, which was mildly reworked by the renowned Franco Scaglione (best known for designing the Alfa Romeo BAT cars).

Trimmed with luxurious leather interiors, the frame-mounted bodies were then shipped back to Brown’s Oakland-based International Motor Cars for installation of the drivetrain, including the V-8 and numerous other running gear elements from the Buick.

The automotive press was delighted with the Apollo’s nimble handling, powerful acceleration, and Italian styling.

As th...