Last year, a blazing fire destroyed the facility of Exotic Illusions, the Pennsylvania-based company that manufactured classy and sexy Fiero-based Lamborghini replicas-25th Anniversary and Diablo models. The company lost three cars and all of its molds. After 23 years in business, Exotic Illusions was down but not out.
Six months later, after construction of a new facility and new molds, Exotic Illusions (EI) is back in the exotic kit car business with its sexy cars, rising from the ashes with grace, beauty, and style.
As an example of Exotic Illusions' return to production, Gerry Fontana of Old Forge, Pennsylvania, offered his newly completed kit, the Lambo-inspired creation that EI calls the "Eurosex 1000."
Fontana, a cabinet maker, and SCCA event driver, wanted "something more exotic" than the normal car, after previously modifying a Chevy Nova and three Porsches. After talking with EI's owner, Demetrios Koroneos, he chose to make something very quick and sexy out of Fontana's already very quick, fine-handling Fiero. He chose to rebody and remake his Fiero into the Eurosex 1000.
With the help of a buddy and the crew at Exotic Illusions, he finished off his Eurosex 1000 in about a year and came away with something we find very exciting and very exotic.
Fontana and his friend, Tony Karasinski, started with an '84 Fiero chassis and modified it with Ryan Motorsport Slalom font and rear suspensions. The frame, carrying a wheelbase of 93.5 inches, was modified with Ryan tubular A-arms, Fiero drop spindles, and coilovers. An '84 Fiero rearend was used, and 13-inch Wilwood brakes were added, front and rear, for stopping power. The team then added a Wilwood power booster and Ryan Motorsports master cylinder.
To keep the original Lambo body length, Koroneos and his son, Nicholas, cut and moved the rear wheels forward by 5 inches.
To propel this Pontiac-based, Lamborghini-inspired vision of speed, Fontana selected a 350ci Chevy mill, machine 30-over by Scoggin Dickey of Lubbock, Texas. A Spal cooling fan and CSI water pump were added, as were Chevy 202 Angel heads that were ported and polished. Then, the engine was painted DuPont Brandywine, to match the sensuous, hand-laid fiberglass Brandywine-painted body, which Koroneos proclaims "is a real woman magnet."
The engine had originally been sprayed black and the engine harness had been modified, so Koroneos took the car into his new shop, took the engine out, washed it down, removed all the old Fiero insulation, rubber hoses, and unnecessary brackets, changed the water pump, installed new all-aluminum 1-inch automotive insulation, added new wiring and stainless steel braided hoses, and recommended the new, sexier paint job.
An aluminum Edelbrock Torquer II manifold, Holley 650-cfm double-pumper carburetor, and K&N air cleaner work in concert with an Isuzu four-speed transmission, Centerforce clutch, Fiero short shifter, Hooker headers, and Hedders manifold, to produce about 400 horses and 375 lb-ft of torque at 5,500 rpm. EI builders believe this will afford a top speed of 140 mph. To clear the car's rotors, 17-inch Diablo wheels were installed.
A Momo steering wheel, two-tone gray leather upholstery from Rich Warren, gray carpet, Auto Meter gauges, and stock EI dash finish off the interior. An alarm system and remote entry was installed by the EI crew, and this sweet project was complete.
After seeing this baby, we can certainly tell you that Exotic Illusions is back in business, rising from the ashes in as electrifying a way as ever before, and the EI Eurosex 1000 is back, as sexy and classy as ever.