Zunder Porsche 1500 1961

[Zunder_Porsche1500]

Hello Everybody. My name is Ramiro, I'm from Cordoba, Argentina, and i´m the owner of a very unique car, a 1961 Zunder 1500. For those who´ve never heard of it, this car was made in Rio Cuarto City, Argentina, in the early 60s, and was factory equiped with many Porsche 356A Componentes: Engine (Typ 616/20), gearbox, front axle, brakes, wheels, and vdo Gauges. It has a Steel Chasis, and a Fiberglass body with a very particular design (Many people define it as: Ugly!). It´s known that the the lights were inspired by the 1959 Lincoln Continental.

It´s highly probable that you've never Heard of it, so I´ll try to sum up the story:

The factory was called “Industrias del Transporte Automotor S.R.L.” and was founded by two brothers, Nilson José Bongiovanni and Eligio Oscar Bongiovanni.
They designed a tubular chassis, a fiberglass bodywork, and imported the mechanical components directly from Porsche. They originally thought they should use a Volkswagen engine, but they found it underpowered; so they finally decided that the Porsche Typ 616/20 (1500cc, 58 hp) was the ideal engine for the car. The Bongiovanni Brothers invested a lot of their own money in building a brand new factory from scratch. The eventually ran out of money so they found 2 bussiness asosciates, The Garcia Brothers, who lend then money in order to continue with the Project.
The first prototype was ready, and The Zunder 1500 was finally presented On September 28, 1960, at the luxurious Alvear Palace Hotel, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Many importante People assisted to this event, including the Secretary of Industry and Mining from the National Government. We have some newspaper and magazine clippings from that time, where all this is documented. In many of this articles, It´s mentioned that the Porsche factory sent one of its engineers, Emil Rupilius, to attend the presentation ceremony of the car. This engineer was very happy with the product, and gave his seal of Approval.

The car was offered in advertisements and brochures as “Porsche-Approved”.

We strongly believe that one of the main reasons that this car was so requested by the customers, are precisely the Porsche components that equiped the car. We had the opportunity to interview with one of the former employees of the factory, who told us many interesting data, and He told us that the manufacturing capacity was very low compared to the high demand from customers. As soon as the employees finished a unit, that car was inmediately sent to a dealer in order to be delivered to a customer as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the factory only lasted about 2 years; the serious economic problems of the country, added to the impossibility of importing more engines, and a huge amount of bills to pay, forced the factory to close for good in 1962.

In many articles it is said that 200 were built, but there are no oficial record. The reason many articles take the number 200, is because at that time, in early 60s in Argentina, there was an industrial promotion law, and the government forced new factories to reach quickly the amount of 200 cars made, and then increase that number in the years to come. We were able to speak to a former employee, who told us that the exact amount of cars made was 76: 74 Zunder 1500 + 2 Zunder Coupe (The Zunder Coupe was a copy of a Karmann ghia, with Zunder chasis, Porsche mechanics and a fiberglass karmann ghia body). The number of surviving cars is still uncertain; the 2 Zunder Coupe still exist, and the number of Zunder 1500 it is believed to be around 12.

I started the restoration of my Zunder 1500 about a year ago, and I know two guys who are starting to restore 2 more.

I Will share the pictures and the progress of the restoration with you, I hope you are excited with the Project as I am!

I hope I haven´t bored you! Ramiro




Ps: I Know of course even my Vehicle has the Porsche 356 mechanichs, is NOT a Porsche, but is not a Replica either. I Didn´t know what was the correct forum section to put this topic. To the admins please move it to the correct place. Thanks in advance

[Glenn]

Sure is an oddball.
https://www.google.com/search?q=zunder+1500+porsch...nt=gws-wiz

Welcome
_________________
Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"

Member #1009

#BlueSquare

עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל חַי

[wagen19]

Thank you very much for your post.
Imo, you are here just right.
Already knowing that Zunder exists, not many pics of inner structure is known (to me). Would be very interested, to see and learn more about that exotic cars.
Is the wheelbase of all zunders the same as 356 A, 2100 mm?
Has Zunder tried with beetle froorpans with 2400 mm wheelbase and also with Porsche engine and brakes? Thinking towards a Porsche equipped "pre VW type 3", but with 1500 S engine? End 1959 the 356 Super 90 was launched. Beeing afraid, that H. Nordhoff had liked that, around 1959, 60.

The Coupe, the shortend Ghia looks optical very well balanced to me. (have a 356 A and some type 14.) The synthesis of a (lowlight) Ghia and a 356 A or B is a very good thing.

(Have heard, in Argentina, ther were many 1500 ccm Porsche industrial engines and because of taxes, 1600 ccm was too expensive or not allowed to import, that time. Is this correct?)

[Zunder_Porsche1500]

[Zunder_Porsche1500]

[wagen19]

[Zunder_Porsche1500]

[wagen19]

[wdfifteen]

Following this thread. Very interesting information. Thank you!!