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
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
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
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
Buick LeSabra 1951
Submitted by
Rick Feibusch, 2012
Chrysler Ghia 1953
Submitted by
Rick Feibusch, 2012
Marquis Renault 1953
Submitted by
Rick Feibusch, 2012
Gazelle roadster 1953
Submitted by
Rick Feibusch, 2012
Allied Falcon MG roadster 1953
Submitted by
Rick Feibusch, 2012
Maverick Kit Car 1953
Submitted by
Rick Feibusch, 2012
Clearfield Plastics roadster 1955
Submitted by
Rick Feibusch, 2012
Glasspar roadster 1954
Submitted by
Rick Feibusch, 2012
McCormack 1956
Submitted by
Rick Feibusch, 2012
Meteor SR100 1954
Submitted by
Rick Feibusch, 2012
Multiplex Singer 1954
Submitted by
Rick Feibusch, 2012
Multiplex-Allied 1953
Submitted by
Rick Feibusch, 2012
Paxton Phoenix 1954
Submitted by
Rick Feibusch, 2012
Victress Ford 1955
Submitted by
Rick Feibusch, 2012
Woodhill Wildfire-FI Corvette 1954
Submitted by
Rick Feibusch, 2012
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