Hi Gang… Last week we were honored to be guests on a podcast produced by Greg Stanley called the Collector Car Podcast. Greg is an RM Sotheby’s Car Specialist Consultant and has over 25 years of experience in the collector … Continue reading
Hi Gang… As you’ll see, we’ve been busy during the quarantine – all our teams have been quite busy. And everything came together nicely on May 23, 2021 at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. I think this may have been … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Exciting news for one of my favorite handcrafted cars of the 1950s – the Grantham Stardust. While we have an unrestored example in our collection, Undiscovered Classics has partnered with David Deluca to restore and show his Stardust … Continue reading
Hi Gang… More and more we are using Dan Palatnik’s renderings to “light the way” for our restorations of handcrafted American sports cars. In addition, these renderings showcase each car in a beautiful presentation the way the cars were meant … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Great news…..you can now create your own Undiscovered Classics collection and save some garage space while doing so. Thanks to the efforts of Alex Kotyar of Esval Models and some keen rendering work of artist extraordinaire Dan Palatnik, scale models of a 1953 and 1954 … Continue reading
Hi Gang… More and more we are using Dan Palatnik’s renderings to “light the way” for our restorations of handcrafted American sports cars. In addition, these renderings showcase each car in a beautiful presentation the way the cars were meant … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Be careful what you wish for. That’s all I can say. I’ve been hunting down lost sports cars, race cars and sport customs in earnest for the last nearly twenty years – and much to my surprise, with … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We’re excited to share great news – The “Undiscovered Classics Collection” of 1:43 scale models has now been released by Esval Models. To help promote these scale model cars, we put the talented artistry of Dan Palatnik to … Continue reading
Hi Gang… The guys at JR’s Speed Shop in Venice, Florida are making good progress on several American Specials that they are working on including one of the Woodill Wildfire’s that starred in the 1954 movie “Johnny Dark.” We checked … Continue reading
American Rides: Glasspar Richard Vining and Edge Motor Museum MUS Today: Spring, 2020 … Continue reading
Hi Gang… The 2020 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance was quite an event. Three different American Specials in three different classes which included a 1958 Victress S1A sports car, the one-off “1952 Voodoo Gardner Special” and today’s story – a 1959 … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Our enterprise, Undiscovered Classics, is all about research – especially the hard to get to “stuff”. Undiscovered Classics is about: Uncovering the history of the early postwar sports car marques such as Glasspar, Victress, and more. Revealing the … Continue reading
Hi Gang… This is a remarkable car with a remarkable story which begins… “Boy builds car. Car helps find girl. Boy and girl get married. Then children, grandchildren, awards and more.” How much better of a story can you get? … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Even though its estimated that over 100 Skorpion cars and bodies were produced over the years, we rarely see any on the street or at shows. Well that’s going to change with the LeMay Automotive Museum’s recent acquisition … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Back in 2016, Undiscovered Classics worked closely with Bill Warner and Mark Becker of the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance to host a class of cars called “Concepts Beyond Detroit.” The class included the following cars: 1961 Tiburon Porsche … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Back in 2014, we were honored to participate in the Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance with our 1955 Californian Sports Car (later identified as the LeGene Sports Car). The class was arranged by Paul Sable and it was called … Continue reading
Hi Gang… The 2020 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance was quite an event. Three different American Specials in three different classes which included a 1959 Devin “D” sports car, the one-off “1952 Voodoo Gardner Special” and today’s story – a 1958 … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Participating in the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance is always an honor, and none more than this year when we shared the responsibility in debuting an Undiscovered Classic, the 1952 Voodoo Gardner, with its new owners, Brian and Sue … Continue reading
Hi Gang… The Undiscovered Classics community is big – and it takes some big equipment and the right people to move our inventory. Time and time again we have called on Bob Sellers and the folks at Reliable Carriers to … Continue reading
Hi Gang… It’s significant to look back over time and consider changes we’ve seen in celebrating Undiscovered Classics cars. Recently we shared the increased appearances of handcrafted American sports cars at events across the country including the Amelia Island Concours … Continue reading
Posters – New and Vintage Check out our poster selection below and download for free. To download a copy, right click on the image of the poster you are interested in. Next, click on “Save Image As” to save the … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We attended the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance last weekend and helped present the 1952 Voodoo Gardner on the field with its owners Brian and Sue Ford of Christchurch, New Zealand. And while that was exciting for myself and … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Today I’m honored to appear on Mark Greene’s “Car Yeah” automotive show. Since I first met Mark and appeared on his show in 2014, he’s expanded into TV with a first season under his belt last year. Earlier … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Each year many people visit Undiscovered Classics from near and far, and increasingly, many of those visitors are from other countries. While our available time to host visitors is a welcomed challenge, when we do so we have … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Tom Cotter sure gets around the country in his ultra cool Woody Wagon and uncovers the most amazing finds. As an author, Tom has continued to pen books on his travels and we’ve been honored to be in … Continue reading
Johnny Dark (1954) Starring Tony Curtis, Piper Laurie & Don Taylor 100+ Movie Stills The official movie stills from Johnny Dark are numbers on most of the photos – from 1751-1 to 1751-55. Within these numbers are letter designations which … Continue reading
Hagerty Classic Car Magazine, Video Archive And Valuation Tool Stories on Undiscovered Classics Automobiles Click On The Following Links To Learn More Classic Car Magazine Tom Cotter’s “Barn Find Hunter” TV / YouTube Series Hagerty’s Valuation Tool For American Specials … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Many of you know that I own the 1959 Moon Transporter. Actually, it goes by many names: Norm Holtkamp called it the “Cheetah Transporter” Others refer to it as the “Moon Transporter” because Dean Moon owned it and … Continue reading
Cobra in the Barn Great Stories of Automotive Archaeology Author: Tom Cotter – Published 2005 … Continue reading
Johnny Dark Movie American Specials of the 1950s at Their Best Universal International: 1954 Overview Review the stories below to learn more about this film Johnny Dark The Post World War II Sports Car Craze Played out on the Silver … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Alan and Jen Mortlock are getting ready to move back to the UK, and I’ll be sad to see them go. I met Alan and Jen over 10 years ago when they first acquired their Glasspar G2 sports … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Sometimes it comes down to one piece of information….and sometimes it takes a convergence or several multiple pieces of information which together help confirm the history of the car. Research and validation of a car’s history is what … Continue reading
Hi Gang… This past weekend we participated in our final concours d’elegance event of the year – the Cigar City Concours d’Elegance of Tampa, Florida – and we were honored to attend. For this event we did something a bit … Continue reading
Hi Gang… The challenge was on – two cars to show, two cars to tow and two trailers to go – 16 wheels on the ground in total – 30 tires to check and more before we left for the … Continue reading
Hi Gang… November is going to be great fun this year – for us and those of you who are fans of Undiscovered Classics. The Cigar City Concours d’Elegance has officially accepted the 1949 Panache Sport Custom for presentation on their field next … Continue reading
Stude Sportster: Pretty Enough To Be A Movie Star Virgil Rice’s Johnny Dark Victress Special Car Craft: February, 1954 … Continue reading
Tom Cotter Barn Find Author, Collector, TV Personality About Tom Cotter Interview Listening Time: 38 Minutes Cars Yeah! November 14, 2014 Undiscovered Classics Appearances TV, Videos & On The Web Barn Find Hunter, Tom Cotter: Hagerty TV Episode #72 Viewing … Continue reading
Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance Hemmings Motor News: December, 2013 … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Another one of our “Undiscovered Classics” cars has made its debut this past weekend on the lawn of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. This special car was an Allied Swallow that appeared in the Preservation Class and is … Continue reading
Hi Gang… One of our favorite show cars of the 50s is heading to auction later this week – the Manta Ray. We were honored to help debut this car at the 2016 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance where it was … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Great news gang. The Cigar City Concours d’Elegance has officially accepted the 1952 Glasspar G2 for presentation on their field later this year in November, 2019. We at Undiscovered Classics are excited to be showing the car on behalf … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Great news gang. The Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance has officially accepted the 1952 Voodoo Gardner for presentation on the field at their event in March, 2020. We at Undiscovered Classics are excited to be jointly showing the car … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Great News to Share The new owner of our 1953 Kaiser Dragon, Sam Haberman, had his car accepted at the Concours d’Elegance of America in Plymouth, Michigan. This is one of the top concours in the nation, and … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Our 1937 Gougeon Steamliner (aka the “Whale”) and our 1954 Frazer Custom (also known as the “Orca Special”) will “surface” for a one-day event on Saturday June 8th, 2019 at the “Show Cars From The Sea” extravaganza in … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We’re honored to have distinguished folks who help share the story of American hand-built specials to world-wide audiences. This week, we had a great discussion with the team at No Driving Gloves, and we’re excited to be able … Continue reading
Fifty Shades of Rust (Book) By Tom Cotter Foreword by Wayne Carini Introduction by Tom Cotter and Geoffrey Hacker Ten Stories of Handcrafted Cars Published 2014 … Continue reading
Forgotten Fiberglass American Sports Car Specials Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance Program: March, 2010 … Continue reading
2017 Click on the Following Links To Review Each Article Concours d’Elegance Appearances Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance 1956 Bangert Manta Ray March 9-11, 2017: Amelia Island, Florida Museum, Event and Exhibition Appearances DuPont Registry Show June, 2017 Exhibited: 1956 Bangert … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Earlier this year friend and Barn Find Hunter Tom Cotter paid us a visit here at Undiscovered Classics. We are honored that Hagerty Classic Car Insurance featured a video on his visit on their website. On the second … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Earlier this year friend and Barn Find Hunter Tom Cotter paid us a visit here at Undiscovered Classics. Today, we are honored that Hagerty Classic Car Insurance featured a video of his visit on their website. Click on … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Timing is everything in life and the timing of today’s story sets the perfect stage for those wanting to learn more about Victress. Why might you ask? Because in less than a week a beautifully restored and built … Continue reading
Hi Gang… During the time folks were in Tampa preparing for their visit to the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, we had a chance to visit not only “Fiberglass Farms” but also our workshop – “The Glass Menagerie.” The photos below … Continue reading
Hi Gang… The day before the Amelia Concours is my favorite – mostly. Rick D’Louhy and I we tend to run to the last minute, which makes it an exciting day, but one that I feel I need to “prep” … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Fiberglass Farms has been around for nearly a decade. Wow! That’s longer than I would have guessed 🙂 It started out small but has steadily grown as Rick D’Louhy and I have picked up the pace in saving … Continue reading
Hi Gang… For the last several years we have done small “tours” of Fiberglass Farms as time allowed and interested folks surfaced. Time and time again we’ve been asked about the origins of this special place, and we’ve shared the … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Rick D’Louhy and I are not alone in our race to get our car ready for the 2015 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance – now 12 days away. Tim Suddard of Classic Motorsports is nipping on our heels with … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We’re honored this year to again participate in the 2015 Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance in Boca Raton, Florida – and we want you to join us this weekend too! Last year we showed our vintage 1955 Californian Sport … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Recently one of the steely-eyed researchers in our group – Bill Foss – noticed that the movie “Johnny Dark” had been digitized and released – but with a twist. It was a hi-def version on DVD but only … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Last year we had the honor of working with Ray Evernham for an upcoming Spring 2015 episode of his car-themed history-oriented TV show AmeriCarna. Here’s how Ray describes his TV show: AMERICARNA – NOUN (AH-MER-I-KAR-NAH) – The History … Continue reading
Hi Gang… In yesterday’s story on the history of the Johnny Dark Wildfire, we established that there were three Woodill Wildfire Series 2 sports cars used in the movie. This was confirmed through careful review of the film and through … Continue reading
Hi Gang… One of the most famous fiberglass sports cars of the 1950s is the lead car from the 1954 movie Johnny Dark. Much speculation has taken place over the last many years concerning whether the car survives and who … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We are honored here at Forgotten Fiberglass to have folks interested in what we do and the cars we study. Last month I received a call from Jeff Shade of Classic Car Garage TV and Radio. Jeff’s enterprise … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I recently became acquainted with a great new website called “Cars Yeah” stewarded by Mark Greene. I had become aware of it via a recent interview that appeared there featuring good friend Pete Vack from Veloce Today (click here … Continue reading
Hi Gang… A long time ago in a far, far away place I saved my first fiberglass vehicle – a 1962 Shark Roadster. It was a memorable experience and had a lifelong impact on my interest in cars. Click here … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We search long and wide for detailed information about the vintage handcrafted car builds of yesterday, and recently we hit paydirt – video (actually film) from the 1951 Petersen Motorama. Wow! It’s hard to believe that it survived … Continue reading
Hi Gang… If you’re here at Forgotten Fiberglass, then you HAVE to see this 1954 movie starring Tony Curtis, Piper Laurie and Don Taylor. It’s manna from heaven if you like the handcrafted sports cars of the 1950s and includes … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Have camera….will travel. In this case to Amelia Island in 2010 and later the following week to Fiberglass Farms. Back in 2010 we had a class of Forgotten Fiberglass cars at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Click here to review the cars … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We’re part of a movement gang – a “barnfinders” movement. More and more the cars we seek – the handcrafted cars of the 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond – are coming out of the woodwork. That is, they … Continue reading
Hi Gang… When Rick D’Louhy and I started down the path of researching and celebrating the rich and detailed history of vintage fiberglass sports cars in America our first and most enthusiastic supporter was Bill Warner of the Amelia Island … Continue reading
Hi Gang… You thought I may have finished with our stories of Carlisle this year? But wait – there’s more! Quite a bit more and several more stories. And off we go… One of the stars of the Carlisle, … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Rick and I chase down the neatest automotive history stories and many times – the cars that go with them. This time, we actually caught the car first and we’re in search of its build story – second. … Continue reading
Hi Gang…. “So how was Carlisle?” you might ask….” In one of our last stories back in early May, Rick D’Louhy and I were prepping for our trip to participate in the Import and Kit Nationals held yearly in Carlisle, … Continue reading
What People Are Saying About Undiscovered Classics We’ve honored to be recognized by established leaders in the field and fledgling writers and historians too, and we hope we can continue living up to and exceeding your expectations. Here are a … Continue reading
Hi Gang… As you’ve recently heard, we’re taking the Forgotten Fiberglass show on the road next week and are very much honored in participating at the 2014 Import & Kit Nationals held in Carlisle, Pennsylvania – click here for more … Continue reading
Hi Gang… The “Import & Kit Nationals” show at Carlisle, Pennsylvania which is being held later this month keeps getting better and better. I covered the seminar that we’ll be hosting in a story here last week. Click here to … Continue reading
Hi Gang… As a source of inspiration, one of the first books I read when we began our quest to find lost and forgotten cars of yore was Tom Cotter’s “Cobra in the Barn.” This is a book chocked full … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Happy New Year!!! Our first story for 2014….. The quest for more information on Grantham Stardust sports cars continues. This car has always been special to me. It was one of the first cars that Rick D’Louhy and … Continue reading
Hi Gang… For you Atlas / Allied Swallow owners out there… here’s a short one-page article from Motor Magazine in February, 1949. It’s nice to see how they presented the car with specs on the basics. It makes a nice … Continue reading
Hi Gang… What a year 2013 is turning out to be: * First, in March, 2013 we debuted our 1962 Shark Roadster at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Click here to review the story on the road to Amelia. * … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Come one, Come all….The Forgotten Fiberglass Gang is heading north in May, 2013 to participate in theCarlisle Import & Kit Nationals. Good friend Marvin McFalls, President of the Renault Owner’s Club of North America, put us in touch with Ed Buczeskie, Events … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I dedicate this story to a friend who recently joined us here at Forgotten Fiberglass – Howie Wold. Howie and I first met when he contacted me about his memory of visiting Vale Wright, designer and builder of … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Come one, Come all….The Forgotten Fiberglass Gang is heading north in May, 2013 to participate in the Carlisle Import & Kit Nationals. Good friend Marvin McFalls, President of the Renault Owner’s Club of North America, put us in … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I’m lucky to have an absolutely wonderful car museum close to me and this is the Sarasota Classic Car Museum in Sarasota, Florida owned by good friend Martin Godbey. Last year during one of my visits, I had … Continue reading
Hi Gang… The fantastic – and sometimes overdone – customs built by Spohn in the postwar years have captivated my attention for many a moon. And I pine and wish that maybe…just maybe…someday I will find a neglected or forgotten … Continue reading
Hi Gang… For those of you who have been a part of LaDawri.com and Forgotten Fiberglass these past many years you have witnessed an evolution. We started our focus on just one marque with Jon Greuel’s website on LaDawri sports … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Well….we did it. We made it with the Shark to Amelia with a gaggle of glass guys in tow. And it was nothing short of a miraculous effort by friends, family, supporting businesses, and probably mysterious unknown fiberglass … Continue reading
Hi Gang… If you love the vintage fiberglass cars of the early ‘50s – the 1954 movie “Johnny Dark” is for you. It has everything a car guy would want in “car guy” movie: Sports car races – one actual … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Blame the title of this story on good friend Jon Greuel – founder of LaDawri.com and LaDawri Coachcraft celebrateur. He’s returning from nearly a year overseas in the military and wrote in: “Geoff….any ‘glass on the grass’ that … Continue reading
Hi Gang… When good friend Will Silk contacted me about a show that benefits our four legged friends, how could I resist? And it’s up to us to see what we can do to participate gang. The best car shows … Continue reading
————— Note: This is a multi-part story on the advertising, flyers, and brochures put out by Hellings in support of Victress sales. These primarily occurred when Hellings was the exclusive distributor for Victress in ’53 and early to mid ’54. … Continue reading
Hi Gang… The saga of a nearly 60 year old unfinished fiberglass body continues. You just can’t stop the potential in this car body! Here’s what has happened so far in our story: Produced in the mid ‘50s in the … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We’re off and running for 2012 and Forgotten Fiberglass – and it’s only 11 days into the New Year! Earlier this week I posted information about an upcoming Concours d’ Elegance in the first half of the year … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Be still my heart… I hope we have enough restored ‘glass out there to fill the demand, but Forgotten Fiberglass cars are finally enjoying their day in the sun. Two events are scheduled for this year, and the … Continue reading
Hi Gang… When’s the last time you visited a Smorgasbord? I grew up in the ‘60s and it became a word our family used quite a bit. These were the first “buffets” that I can remember and this is exactly … Continue reading
Hi Gang… As promised earlier, I’ll show “more” and talk “less” about each of the cars that appeared at the Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours d’ Elegance on August 28th, 2011. Click here to read more about the success of vintage ‘glass … Continue reading
Hi Gang… As we’ve discussed in earlier stories, the Victress S1 body became available to the public in late 1952, and by the summer of 1953, Hellings was the sole distributor for the company, and had completed one of the … Continue reading
Hi Gang… As promised earlier, I’ll show “more” and talk “less” about each of the cars that appeared at the Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours d’ Elegance on August 28th, 2011. Click here to read more about the success of vintage ‘glass … Continue reading
Hi Gang… As promised earlier, I’ll show “more” and talk “less” about each of the cars that appeared at the Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours d’ Elegance on August 28th, 2011. Click here to read more about the success of vintage ‘glass … Continue reading
Hi Gang… As promised earlier, I’ll show “more” and talk “less” about each of the cars that appeared at the Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours d’ Elegance on August 28th, 2011. Click here to read more about the success of vintage ‘glass … Continue reading
Hi Gang… As promised earlier, I’ll show “more” and talk “less” about each of the cars that appeared at the Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours d’ Elegance on August 28th, 2011. Click here to read more about the success of vintage ‘glass … Continue reading
Hi Gang… As promised earlier, I’ll show “more” and talk “less” about each of the cars that appeared at the Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours d’ Elegance on August 28th, 2011. Click here to read more about the success of vintage ‘glass … Continue reading
Hi Gang… As promised earlier, I’ll show “more” and talk “less” about each of the cars that appeared at the Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours d’ Elegance on August 28th, 2011. Click here to read more about the success of vintage ‘glass … Continue reading
Hi Gang… As promised earlier, I’ll show “more” and talk “less” about each of the cars that appeared at the Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours d’ Elegance on August 28th, 2011. Click here to read more about the success of vintage ‘glass … Continue reading
Hi Gang… As promised earlier, I’ll show “more” and talk “less” about each of the cars that appeared at the Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours d’ Elegance on August 28th, 2011. Click here to read more about the success of vintage ‘glass … Continue reading
Hi Gang… As promised earlier, I’ll show “more” and talk “less” about each of the cars that appeared at the Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours d’ Elegance on August 28th, 2011. Click here to read more about the success of vintage ‘glass … Continue reading
Hi Gang… As promised earlier, I’ll show “more” and talk “less” about each of the cars that appeared at the Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours d’ Elegance on August 28th, 2011. Click here to read more about the success of vintage ‘glass … Continue reading
Hi Gang… As promised earlier, I’ll show “more” and talk “less” about each of the cars that appeared at the Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours d’ Elegance on August 28th, 2011. Click here to read more about the success of vintage ‘glass … Continue reading
Hi Gang… As promised earlier, I’ll show “more” and talk “less” about each of the cars that appeared at the Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours d’ Elegance on August 28th, 2011. Click here to read more about the success of vintage ‘glass … Continue reading
Hi Gang… As promised earlier, I’ll show “more” and talk “less” about each of the cars that appeared at the Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours d’ Elegance on August 28th, 2011. Click here to read more about the success of vintage ‘glass … Continue reading
Hi Gang… As promised earlier, I’ll show “more” and talk “less” about each of the cars that appeared at the Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours d’ Elegance on August 28th, 2011. Click here to read more about the success of vintage ‘glass … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Well we did it – and we owe it to all of you who made this happen. The visionaries who saw what such a show could mean. The car owners and families willing to endure intense restoration schedules to … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We’ve talked about Strother MacMinn, Alexis de Sakhnoffsky, Hugh Jorgensen, and other designers. Now let’s talk about Richard Arbib. He designed the most fantastic concept car ideas I’ve seen, and even one of his futuristic designs was built – just … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Recently I was honored to get a call from Todd Ruel who runs a great website called “Gone Autos.” In the course of several conversations, Todd explained that he has been building a website dedicated to some of … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Let no one say that vintage fiberglass is long gone and forgotten. Actually….I can’t think of a more exciting category of cars that is rising in fame, interest, respect, and celebration as quickly as our glass beauties. “Let no … Continue reading
Hi Gang…. As Mark Twain said so many years ago….”Reports of my early demise are greatly exaggerated.” We’ve been busy at Forgotten Fiberglass headquarters down here in Tampa Florida – coming back from a trip where we saved the “Voodoo … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Ah….the “smoking gun.” Isn’t that what we’re always looking for? For me, the “smoking gun” has always been getting Tony Curtis’ detailed thoughts on the movie Johnny Dark – at the time the movie was filmed. And that’s…..what I … Continue reading
Hi Gang… There’s nothing better in this world than making new friends – and that’s exactly what happened when good friend Glenn Brummer sent in a link to a fabulous website run by Derek Redmond that included great information about the … Continue reading
Hi Gang… The golden age of building your own fiberglass bodied sports car was 1951-1956. This is what Rick D’Louhy and I call the “First Generation” of fiberglass sports cars because designing and building your own car from scratch was being … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Holy Toledo! What made this city “ground zero” for the debut of the fantastic film that starred forgotten fiberglass sports cars of the fifties? I think we may have finally figured this out, but it took meeting automotive … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Here’s one of my favorite cars of all time – the Grantham Stardust – built and sold by William “Bill” Grantham, and designed by Frank Evans in late 1952 / early 1953. Over the past few years, I’ve … Continue reading
Hi Gang… So little time…..so much to do. Back in 2009, Rick and I were sending out e-mails as a companion to Jon Greuel’s website: http://www.ladawri.com/ These e-mails were a record of stories concerning vintage fiberglass cars as well as … Continue reading
Hi Gang… As you know by now, our big event for this year will be a “Fabulous Fiberglass” Category at the Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours d’Elegance held in August 2011. “Forgotten Fiberglass” cars that are tentatively scheduled to appear include: Geoff … Continue reading
Hi Gang… In celebration of the “Fabulous Fiberglass” class that will be featured at the Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours d’Elegance on August 28th, 2011, I thought it would be good to showcase the cars that will be participating. We’re getting closer and … Continue reading
Hi Gang… As most of you know, the movie “Johnny Dark” is an important piece of history for fiberglass cars of the 1950’s. After all, Universal Studios featured several fiberglass sports cars in the movie which included: Woodill Wildfire Victress … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Rick D’Louhy’s 1955 California Sports Special is finished and on the road. We’ve talked about this car before – most notably when it debuted at the March 2010 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Here’s a link to that story … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I have exciting news to share! Just on the heels of 2010 where cars of the “Forgotten Fiberglass” class debuted at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance and “Fantasies in Fiberglass” was a 6 month display at the Petersen … Continue reading
Note: This is the final installment of a 3 part series of articles on the Johnny Dark Victress, Virgil Rice, Mack Hellings, Bob Stelling, the Hellings Company, and Stelling and Hellings. Here are links to the other parts of the story: … Continue reading
Note: This is the second installment of a 3 part series of articles on the Johnny Dark Victress, Virgil Rice, Mack Hellings, Bob Stelling, the Hellings Company, and Stelling and Hellings. Here are links to the other parts of the story: … Continue reading
Hi Gang… That’s right. You too can help Glasspar win a race, but rather than on the racetrack, this one’s at the prestigious Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington D.C. I was contacted this week by Roger White, … Continue reading
Note: This is the first installment of a 3 part series of articles on the Johnny Dark Victress, Virgil Rice, Mack Hellings, Bob Stelling, the Hellings Company, and Stelling and Hellings. Here are links to the other parts of the story: Click … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Recently, Fiberglass Friend Tom Householder sent me a link to a website known as “IMCDB.org”. Haven’t heard of it??? Well… it stands for “Internet Movie Car Database” and it’s a great website to identify every car in every movie ever … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Today I’m pleased to present part 3 of “Fiberglass Day” which was held at the Petersen Automotive Museum on Saturday June 26th, 2010. During this segment, Merrill Powell from Victress takes the stage and discusses the history of … Continue reading
Hi Gang… This is part 2 of a series of stories showcasing “Fiberglass Day” which was held at the Petersen Museum on June 26th, 2010. Today’s video segment is 12 minutes long and showcases the talk by Frank Hecox – … Continue reading
Hi Gang.. Back on June 26th, the Petersen Automotive Museum scheduled a “mid-exhibit” event to punctuate their “Fantasies in Fiberglass” display that was being held throughout most of 2010. Click here for more information concerning this event held in 2010. … Continue reading
Hi Gang.. It’s with great excitement that I share with you the recent publication of the automotive book “The Corvette in the Barn” by good friend Tom Cotter. This is the most recent of a series of “…In the Barn” … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Film from the 1950’s showing how to build a fiberglass sports car is even more rare than the cars themselves. With the help of Greg and Ted Griffin (Woodill Wildfire owners and historians) we were able to find … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Sorry I’ve not been posting more stories of late. But I’ve had a great excuse…..we’re just just about 30 hours away from the start of “Fiberglass Day” at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California. And I’ve … Continue reading
Hi Gang… If only we could go back in time….I know exactly where I would go. To the 1950’s Petersen Motoramas. Back in 1950, Robert Petersen who started Hot Rod Magazine, Motor Trend, Car Craft, and others saw the unique … Continue reading
Hi Gang… In honor of the HBO Miniseries honoring those who fought in WWII – “The Pacific” – which just came to a close, I thought this might be a good time to discuss my good friend Chuck Tatum – … Continue reading
Hi Gang.. A few weeks ago I shared with you the theme of the 1951 Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) Exhibit in New York City that focused on “8 Automobiles” viewed as art. For me, it started the movement that views … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Rick and I have scoured the country looking for vintage fiberglass history and stories. During this journey, we’ve met and befriended many people, but I knew I met my match when I met Steve Cowdin of Colorado. What … Continue reading
Hi Gang… So the interior is restored, the body is painted, the engine is rebuilt, and what little chrome might be on your vintage fiberglass special is replated, repainted, or renewed. Wha ‘cha gonna to do about your wheels? Isn’t … Continue reading
Hi Gang… The Johnny Dark film is a ball to watch. It has something in it for everyone. If you’re a racing enthusiast – the real thing – then catch the first race in the movie. It was recorded on Labor … Continue reading
Hi Gang.. Rick D’Louhy’s California Sports Special is one cool build. Think unique. There are only three bodies of this style known to exist. Rick’s California Sports Special is a streetworthy vehicle with racing history (that’s still being researched), apparently built in the … Continue reading
Hi Gang.. Many of you have seen this video when I sent it via e-mail as a link last year. But… there are so many newcomers to our Forgotten Fiberglass Website that I thought we should highlight it again. Back in 1955, building … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Some of you may be planning to attend a wonderful show up in the Northeast – it’s called the “Carlisle Import & Kit Nationals” and is held at the Carlisle Fairgrounds in Carlisle Pennsylvannia. Harold Pace, (click here … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I know the automotive world is not all fiberglass. However, there are times when some of you…. or some of me…. will want to share something – not related to the fiberglass genre in any way. In this spirit, … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I love design and styling. Even if this exhibition wasn’t related to our appreciation of fiberglass cars in significant ways, I would have sought this information out for its own sake. I have always viewed cars from the 1930’s as … Continue reading
Hi Gang… For years I’ve searched for comparison photos of the 1946 Cisitalia 202 GT Coupe along side of Bill Burke’s 1952 Allied – a copy of Bob Petersen’s 1946 Cisitalia. This year, I hit pay dirt. First, at the 2010 … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Think back to 1953… a time when if you wanted your own American sports car, you had to build it. Yes…the Corvette was coming out the same year and just a few hundred would be available to the public. So … Continue reading
Hi Gang… What a year for fiberglass!!! First…. the exhibit at the Petersen Automotive Museum called “Fantasies in Fiberglass” opened in February. Next….the “Forgotten Fiberglass” class debuted at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance in March. Now….It’s already a week into … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I’m honored to present another car that participated at Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance in March 2010 – Guy Dirkin’s Byers SR-100. Guy was kind enough to summarize his work and experience with the car. Let’s tell the story … Continue reading
Hi gang… Thanks to Bill Warner and Tom Cotter of Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, we have permission to share the article about the Forgotten Fiberglass Class that was part of the event program all attendees received on March 14th, 2010. … Continue reading
Hi Gang.. As most of you know, we had a great time at Amelia Island on March 14th at the Concours d’Elegance. Bill Warner and Tom Cotter put on a masterful show – worthy of all recognition and respect for … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I’m back – and with more energy than ever…. What an amazing first three months of 2010 for vintage fiberglass cars. Just keeping up with the fiberglass events across the nation was hard enough for me. The “Fantasies in … Continue reading
Hi Gang… The Petersen Automotive Museum is opening 2010 by celebrating the designers and entreprenuers who created fiberglass automobiles from the 1940’s thru the present day. Leslie Kendall, the Curator of the Petersen Museum, and other luminaries within the Petersen organization have assembled a … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Amelia Island Concours d’ Elegance is right around the corner – less than 3 months away. Barely enough time to get ready, for some of us – including me. As a reminder of the event next year featuring … Continue reading
Hi Gang… You’ve heard me mention many times about how excited I am that the Amelia Island Concours d’ Elegance is hosting a class of fiberglass cars early next year. Amelia is one of the most recognized shows not just … Continue reading
