Bob Norwood is building the P4 again.

The first of Bob's aluminium-bodied cars (built for the late Joe Marchetti, of the Como Inn, Chicago), which has carried #5 race numbers for most of it's life, and was featured in R&T Exotic Cars Quarterly 3/90 (source of that photo in post #35 ) had the Ferrari 400GT V-12.

Hope that clears it up.
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Is the pic in post #35, with Dale driving, not the original replica, but a subsequent one?? I went back to "the real world" of the family business, not seeing Bob or the shop for several years. I wasn't aware of any newer replicas until the late 90's, when he was building several improved versions (since improved even more by the latest series), with two chassis under construction when I dropped in to the shop off of NW Hwy. I never saw any other P4 replicas at any of the other shops in the years between when I did occasionally visit.

And yeah, it's STILL my favorite, most memorable "job" I've ever had.

 

It sorta does....the picture is getting a focus of sorts.

Was the 3/90 referring to the date of the ECQ, putting it around 1990?
Whomever is driving in the pic is a dead-ringer for Dale, if it's not him. If it IS Dale, and some 6 years later, he didn't age at all (from what I can tell in that pic).

edit: Just checked the linked threads by Olczyk, looks right, makes me sad, though, in that condition.

 

Kurt. I hope my previous two posts have answered your question. If not, just to clarify ....

The fibreglass-bodied, BB-powered car is the original Norwood P4, built in 1982, which most people have forgotten about.
It is effectively (discounting David Piper's 'continuation cars') probably the very first P4 replica per sé ever constructed.

The '#5' 400GT V12-powered car is the first of Bob's more familiar aluminium-bodied cars (first series) probably laid down around 1988.

Yes.
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Yours and a good few others, Kurt. Anybody recognise this big hairy guy welding up Norwood P4 chassis's ?
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It's Jim Hopperstad - long time friend and ex-employee of Bob Norwood, now owns a bike shop in Carpinteria near Santa Barbara.

See: http://www.bikesmiths.com and particularly: http://www.bikesmiths.com/biography.html (scroll down).
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I don't recognize him, possibly brought in just for the chassis fabrication. Could possibly, maybe (a little hedging here) be Bill (Wild Bill, drove even further than me to get to the shop, but no grey hair - in 1984, at least).
That's still the Tracy St. shop, during those years I didn't get back to Dallas, but James Patterson should know. Bob brought in people for specific jobs sometimes - the most memorable, to me, being the panel-maker for the TR replicas. Amazing to watch him work.

I've got pics, shot on Kodachrome, somewhere, that I've been meaning to digitize......someday. Lots of interesting stuff.

edit: Gotta learn to type faster.

 

To the FChatter whom I traded PM's with, yesterday, who replied:

As I said in my PM, the car has been parked in the roped-off areas outside The Breakers in previous years (2003, 2004, 2005 below) ....

.... but this year, Ed Cohen will be displaying his Norwood P4 at Palm Beach Super Car Weekend - not going to Cavallino Classic in it.
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Just gave Jim Hopperstad a quick phone call.

He remembered the person driving the Norwood P4 in the Garrett Lai-penned 1990 R&T ECQ article (photo in post #35) as Dale Baldelli.

Two different 'Dale's maybe

 

Paul,

Where did you get all your pictures of Norwood Autocraft projects? It is very much appreciated that you are sharing. In the photo of Jim H. working on the chassis you can see the picture of the 206 SP chassis Bob did for Marchetti on a jig. Do you have any photos of that car or know what happened to it after Marchetti's collection was broken up?

Thanks,
James Patterson

 

The P4 car from Marchetti's collection ended up in another Chicagoland collection and looks the same, still carrying #5. I have some recent pics of it that I will post later. The other Norwood P4 (I think, THINK, it was the 3rd built), that was in Oak Brook, IL (sported #23 at the Chicago Historics) is long gone, but I did see it for sale at an exotic store in Texas a few years back.

As for the 206, it went to a well known heart doc in the area. I've seen it up at Lake Forest Sorts Cars a few times. Unless the doc bought a real one, but I am pretty sure its the ex-Marchetti 206.

 

I'm somewhat amused on how little flak these Norwood creations get on here. I mean after all it is a kit car with a Ferrari engine. Folks who have used real Ferrari chassis and modified the body have been tared, feathered, hung and crucified on here. Double standards?

 

Nope, that should be the same Dale. I just couldn't recall his last name. He was sorta Service Writer/Parts/Manager/Billing/etc. for the shop, from what I can remember. Last time I saw him was about 1986, in the dimly lit Rio Room nightclub. Last time I saw Bob and we were discussing the "old crew", he told me he had run into Dale not too long before.
Thanks for the nudge to the old cranial cobwebs.

A 206?!?!?!?!? Jeeeeeeeeeez, I missed some good stuff in just those few years away.

I really need to dig out those pics for James, F-chat, and myself.

 

I think they get group aproval because they are true to the original Ferrari spirit. I think Ferrari should be making cars like Bob is making.
From what I can see the quality and the engineering is great. I am very impressed as a car builder.

 

Don't know that I would call them "Kit Cars". They were done true enough to correct original design and construction specs to be in at least the same spirit as what Enzo himself would create, and more than a few parts were provided by Marenello when it couldn't be donated, sourced, or fabricated locally. There was somewhat of a relationship throughout, as well as Bob's involvement in customer support on and off the track for the mark.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm the biggest fan of these kind of cars and projects. But I remain a bit puzzled about the so far warm welcome the Norwood P4s get around here. Folks who invested an equal amount of money and resources into equally accurate 250 GTOs have been dragged through the mud on here and called some of the worst names. Might be because the thread is in the general forum and not the vintage section.

 

Im not sure about everyone, but I think what I have seen stirs up most people is when someone cuts up a good car, like a GTE, and takes the chassis to build the 250 you mention. The first car is no longer, and the second car seems to have stolen something. At least in the case of the Norwood cars he built them totally from scratch. And if he got a nod from the old man, that should be good enough for anyone else. Remember, to Enzo the engine was the heart, the car that came with it was more or less meaningless. But like everything else in life, its probably more about who you know. I bet if anyone else built them Ferrari would have a fit.

 

Crikey, where do I start, James.

O.K., I guess I need to thank (at least) the following:

Bob Norwood himself; Tim Taylor, (his current business partner in the Norwood P4 project); Jim Hopperstad; David Moore; Dr. Bill Gordon; Rod Bender, and a good few others whose names I can't recall at this very moment. Basically, anyone I've come in contact with will tell you that I've asked them for old photos of Bob's P4's. Apart from building a mini-archive, it also helps me with my research, when I'm trying to track down these cars for my register - certain recogniseable features, unique to particular cars, etc..

As I in turn appreciate the kindness of those who have shared their photos with me.
I've got lots more besides the couple I've posted, and will upload a few more to illustrate future posts as neccessary.

I don't personally, but I know Andreas Forrer ('Tifosi12') must have, because he posted some of them here:

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showpost.php?p=135706138&postcount=111

Sorry, no idea what became of Joe Marchetti's Dino 206S replica. I only track P4 replicas for my register - obsessively.

 

Yes, last I heard it was in Dr. Jan Friburg's collection. I don't think he'll mind his name being mentioned on here, because he has, in the past, invited local FChatters to his home, who have seen it there, and overtly photographed it - parked next to his 512BB LM.

Thank you, Michael - that would be much appreciated. .

Yes - the P4 originally built for Dennis Machul of Oak Brook, IL. It 'disappeared off the radar' for a little while - but the same car (now obviously minus the #23 roundels) is currently hung on the wall in Jean-Pierre Slavic's collection in Mies, Switzerland. Trust me.

See my post #44 of this thread: http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showpost.php?p=137405621&postcount=44

It took me nearly 3 years (on and off) to finally track it down.

Marcel Massini posting those photos here: http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showpost.php?p=135705312&postcount=92 was what finally clinched it for me.
I'd tracked it through auctions; Symbolic Motors, La Jolla; sale to Robert J. Pond and charitable donation to the Crystal Cathedral.

There is some footage of the car filmed in Symbolic's showroom (taken from the Duke Ferrari 40th Anniversary video) on YouTube, here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOMewNQK8QY .... about 1 minute 30 seconds into the clip (after 412P #0850 at Goodwood '97).

Note the blue seat padding. That (amongst other things) was one of the giveaways. Compare Marcel's photo of the car's interior.
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.... and me, please !

Blimey. I just noticed this thread has had over 1700 new hits since I bumped William's original thread (a single post) three days ago.
Not bad going for a 'P4 replica' thread - and not too much 'negative feedback'. .... Can't wait to get onto the new Norwood P4's.

 

See this somewhat obscurely titled thread in the Florida section: http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=132990 ....

.... for more photos of John Schumann's Norwood P4 (taken at Sebring). You'll need to scroll to the end of the thread (post #18).
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Ok Paul, I knew you were obsessive about the replicas, but I didn't know you were compulsive!

I have some pictures of a yellow Norwood car when it was in the shop on NW Hwy. James probably remembers. If I recall correctly, it had just been sold (by Exotic Car World?) and James had something to do with the transition between seller and new owner. I don't remember if he'd done some work on it or if he was just keeping it until it could be shipped. My car was there being worked on and the P4 was sharing garage space.

I'll see if I can find the photos and post them here.

 

He looks really comfortable, lol, guess you need to be 5 foot nothing to sit in one.

 

Bone fide absolutely, completely and utterly - Certifiably compulsive obsessive, Jim !!

Please do, Jim.

In the meantime, here's a few older shots of the (ex-Bill Gordon) yellow Norwood P4, from various sources, as credited in my post #68.

Don't let me put you off posting yours though, Jim - as the saying goes - 'the more the merrier'.

Driver in the bottom one, at Road America is David Moore, I believe possibly with Bob Norwood's wife, Margie?, in the passenger seat.
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Paul,

A bit of trivia you might not know is that Machuls P4 and the first Yellow P4 were used in a commercial around 1990. If I remember correct it was for Radio Shack, we took both cars to Ennis so a video company could film them at the drag strip in a 'pit stop' type scene. I saw the commercials air around Christmas time of that year. With your research skills I would not be surprised if you where able to locate video footage of it.