Postwar American Sportscars - Forgotten Fiberglass

Postwar American Sportscars - Forgotten Fiberglass
Postwar American Sportscars - Forgotten Fiberglass cars
Date published: 07/05/2013

Darrin Fiberglass prototype 1946

Darrin Fiberglass prototype 1946

Postwar American Sportscars - Forgotten Fiberglass
By Rick Feibusch 2012


The sportscar was a concept brought back to the States by GIs who had been stationed in Europe and England after WWII. While Americans had seen a number of powerful sporting cars before the war like the Stutz and the Deusenberg, and hot rodding had a begun in Southern California before the war, these cars were generally big powerful smooth road machines or home-built roadsters that performed well because of a lowered center of gravity and lightened weight. Sports cars, especially the cars from the UK, inspired American car enthusiasts well beyond putting twin carbs and dual exhaust on a Ford V8.

The MG that GIs encountered in England caused many to be shipped Stateside and commercial importation was being initiated because there was quite a demand, and England, needing American dollars to help rebuild its war-torn cities, instituted an "Export Or Die" policy to auto manufacturers that linked steel allotments to how many foreign dollars the firm into England. The car that changed it all was the Jaguar XK120, arguably, one of the prettiest cars ever built. Beautiful from any angle, the XK120 was THE car that embodied all things sportscar. The problem was that you had to be quite well off and on the waiting list for months to get one.

Ford Glasspar Roadster 1951

Ford Glasspar Roadster 1951

By the early 1950s, American car companies were working on designs of their own (still mostly big powerful "parade floats" with huge postwar V8 power) and rodders, many fresh from military motor pools and aircraft mechanic work, were trying to make sports cars out of parts from prewar cars. Most were quite crude and home shop metalworking was in its infancy. Along came a wonder material.... Fiberglass.

Fairly easy to work, especially compared to creative metalworking, a number of small firms all around the country started to try their hand at small scale custom body building. Many were based on the shape of the Jaguar, but had a obvious American accent, as the design sensibility was tempered by the "hot rodders" who were building the bodies.

Nash Healey 1951

Nash Healey 1951

Domestic carmakers were all taking different approaches. Nash contracted with Donald Healey, later of Austin Healey fame, to produce the Nash Healey that combined Italian built bodies with British chassis development and American running gear. These were first built out of aluminum, then steel. These were stylish (Gayle Storm drove one in the early TV show My Little Margie), hand built and expensive. Ford was planning a cut down two-passenger Fairlane that was quite a hit when it showed up in Ford showrooms in late-1954. But there still was the new wonder material that had to be domesticated for commercial production. Both Kaiser and GM opted for fiberglass - the outcome was the Kaiser Darrin and the first Corvettes.

There was still one major concern. These all were generally too expensive for young enthusiast, especially since so many were raising families at the time and had the time and expertise to build their own cars. Small firms started offering body kits and accessories along with plans to shorten and rework old production frames (usually Ford - remember, these were hot rodders who were quite familiar with the components) to fit under the new sporting bodies. If skilled and willing to spend countless hours hand fabricating many of the parts that were not in the kits or at the wreckers, one could build a credible sportscar for less money than a second hand convertible.

There now is a website, forgottenfiberglass.com, Edited by Geoff Hacker. specializing in these wonderful "missing links" between the famous sportscars of Europe and England and our own domestic sportscars like the Corvette and T-bird. He covers much about these cars as they become more popular, get restored and finally get enough respect to be included in some of the most prestigious Concours d'Elegance around the country.

Bosley GT Mark I 1953

Bosley GT Mark I 1953

One of the first Hollywood connections to these cars was in a 1954 release of a racing film starring Tony Curtis called Johnny Dark. (The 1954 Movie Johnny Dark prominently featured 5 fiberglass sports cars including the Woodill Wildfire, Victress S1A, Glasspar G2, Grantham Stardust, and Irwin Lancer. Other cars included the Chuck Tatum Sports Car, a Kurtis Sports Car (KSC), and a Sport Custom roadster built by Bohman and Sons called the "Bohman Special." Source: Forgotten Fiberglass Research Team, 2008.)

You can see the original trailer and some of these 'glass wonders' on 'YouTube'.
© 2012 Rick Feibusch

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Buick LeSabra 1951

Buick LeSabra 1951
Submitted by Rick Feibusch, 2012

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Chrysler Ghia 1953

Chrysler Ghia 1953
Submitted by Rick Feibusch, 2012

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Marquis Renault 1953

Marquis Renault 1953
Submitted by Rick Feibusch, 2012

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Gazelle roadster 1953

Gazelle roadster 1953
Submitted by Rick Feibusch, 2012

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Allied Falcon MG roadster 1953

Allied Falcon MG roadster 1953
Submitted by Rick Feibusch, 2012

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Maverick Kit Car 1953

Maverick Kit Car 1953
Submitted by Rick Feibusch, 2012

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Clearfield Plastics roadster 1955

Clearfield Plastics roadster 1955
Submitted by Rick Feibusch, 2012

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Glasspar roadster 1954

Glasspar roadster 1954
Submitted by Rick Feibusch, 2012

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McCormack 1956

McCormack 1956
Submitted by Rick Feibusch, 2012

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Meteor SR100 1954

Meteor SR100 1954
Submitted by Rick Feibusch, 2012

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Multiplex Singer 1954

Multiplex Singer 1954
Submitted by Rick Feibusch, 2012

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Multiplex-Allied 1953

Multiplex-Allied 1953
Submitted by Rick Feibusch, 2012

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Paxton Phoenix 1954

Paxton Phoenix 1954
Submitted by Rick Feibusch, 2012

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Victress Ford 1955

Victress Ford 1955
Submitted by Rick Feibusch, 2012

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Woodhill Wildfire-FI Corvette 1954

Woodhill Wildfire-FI Corvette 1954
Submitted by Rick Feibusch, 2012

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BMC fiberglass sportscar 1952

BMC fiberglass sportscar 1952
Proposed design to Kell Qvale (BMCD in San Francisco) to be built in California on a Singer 1500 Roadster chassis
Submitted by Rick Feibusch, 2012



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