Hi Gang… Checkout the article below that appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times talking about the 1954 Chicago Auto Show already in progress at the time in 1954. Here’s some of the highlights of this article Excerpt From Article Below Twelve … Continue reading
Hi Gang… With each passing year we’re getting better organized and more focused here at Undiscovered Classics. As restorations wind down we always have given thought to what cars should come up next. But it’s been a wild ride these … Continue reading
Hi Gang… You know the cars still out there gang….beautiful sports cars, crazy wild customs and everything in between. We’ve found so many that were thought extinct or gone for decades that I always begin my research with the 100% … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We rounded the corner into 2021 and came out fighting. That is, Rob Hernandez our restorer for the 1966 Cannara came out fighting and has been making great progress since. And that’s good news for all of us … Continue reading
Note: This is a multi-part story. Click here to view all parts of this story Hi Gang… When we acquired the 1955 Californian Sports Car (now confirmed as the “LeGene”) we were at the very beginning of our research and … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Today’s story is the first in a series on the 1955 Siebler Special. This car is nearing its finish in restoration and we will be debuting the restored car at the 2022 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. There’s lots … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Recently I’ve been peering deeper into the mysterious and never-ending Petersen Digital Archive. Last time I found a very interesting unknown car from 1956. Click Here To View the Last Mystery Car I Found and the Story About … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Looks like we’re going to finish up 2021 with a bang. We’ll be attending 3 different concours in the next 3 months which is a new record for us, and we’d enjoy seeing you at any or all … Continue reading
Hi Gang… And we’re off…..so far, 2021 is an interesting year for Undiscovered Classics. We’ve had our biggest year ever at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance with three cars on the field. And…..we have three more concours events to attend … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We last updated you on the restoration of Guy Dirkin’s 1966 Cannara back in July, 2020. In the last 12 months our restoration team led by Rob Hernandez, has made great progress. And that’s a lot to say … Continue reading
Hi Gang… With only about 125 Victress S1A bodies produced back in the day, we don’t often see a new one – a car we haven’t see before – pop up on our radar. This one showed up on Facebook … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Each car we find has a story. Sometimes we’re lucky and have some basic information down when we acquire the car. Other times we’re not so lucky and research begins in earnest. But with the Wellman Special which … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Dennis Kazmerowski loved the lines of the XKC Special when he first saw them around 2017. The car reminded him of a Jaguar XKE and there was a reason why. Dennis ended up buying the Special and luckily … 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
Founding Fathers: Bill Devin, Bruce Meyers and Tony Baumgartner Hi-Performance Cars: Jan-Feb, 1987 … Continue reading
Maverick: 1952 Edition Special Interest Autos: February, 1990 … Continue reading
Glasspar: Fiberglass Revolutionary American Car Collector: May-June, 2019 … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I love seeing progress and today’s story is no different. Charles Le Menestrel of Belgium is a fan of handbuilt American Specials. Today he’s beginning the “build” of his Allied Swallow shown in today’s story with sights on … Continue reading
Showcase 1953 Maverick Sportster – (to be completed) Owners: Tom Chandler and Undiscovered Classics (insert slide deck here) History of This Car “The Maverick Sportster is a Land-Bound Pegasus with airborne power and cloud-like riding quality” (Maverick Sportster brochure, 1953) … Continue reading
Hooray For Hollywood Movie Cars Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance Program: 2017 … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Many years ago when I was out west on one of our car adventures I stopped by and visited with Erich Schultz. At the time, we were testing out a sectioned piece of glass from a 1955 Ford … Continue reading
Hi Gang… One of my favorite concept / show cars from the 50s was the Lincoln Futura. Designed in America and built in Italy, it represents to me an enthusiast leap toward the future with extravagant style – design that … Continue reading
Hi Gang… What’s better than having just one Glasspar G2 to restore? Well if you ask Tony St. Clair it’s having TWO Glasspar G2 sports cars to restore. And in the last few months, Tony has kept us busy here … 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… Back in 1952, Sterling Gladwin set out to build a beautiful boulevard sports car that would make a statement no matter where it appeared – and he met that objective in every way. The Maverick was always fitted … Continue reading
Maverick Grabber Special Interest Autos: July-August, 1971 … Continue reading
Showcase 1953 Woodill Wildfire – 1 of 2 Johnny Dark Movie Cars Design By B.R. “Woodill” and Bill Tritt Owner: Jack Farr, Cresson, Texas — Johnny Dark Movie Car Starring Tony Curtis and Piper Laurie — History of This Car … Continue reading
Big Bangert Theory Kit Car Magazine: July, 1997 … Continue reading
Showcase 1952 Manta Ray Designed and Built By Glenn Hire and Vernon Antoine Owners: Donald and Lori Lacer, Junction City, Kansas — One of America’s First Postwar Show Cars — Best Viewed In Landscape Mode Use On-Screen Arrows To Move … Continue reading
Showcase 1956 Bangert Manta Ray Design by Noel (Marshall) Bangert Owner: Jack Farr, Cresson, Texas — Based on The Styling of the Buick Wildcat II Concept Car — History of This Car Noel Bangert launched his first car to … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Another beautiful Devin sports car is being offered for sale and this one by one of our Undiscovered Classics friends – Brian Miller. Brian has been a Devin enthusiast and a vocal advocate of handcrafted sports cars since … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I’ve been tracking Mike Akens Victress since he bought it in a remote location of Colorado back in 2014. Right from the start, Mike jumped on its restoration and hasn’t looked back. You can check out his first … Continue reading
Steve Steers Victress S1A Hemmings Motor News: February, 2012 … Continue reading
Steve Steers Victress S1A Hill Country Car Culture: Nov – Dec, 2016 … Continue reading
Frank Cornell Archives Woodill Wildfire Historian Emeritus From The Desk of Frank Cornell: December 25, 2019 I’d always been a “car guy”, and mostly into sports cars. I didn’t get interested in fiberglass until the early 70s when I purchased … Continue reading
1953 Mameco-Ardun Glasspar G2 A Fiberglass Flyer Returns Old Cars Weekly: September 1, 2016 … Continue reading
Hi Gang… And we’re off! Today, Dan Palatnik and I are releasing another poster of these cool, handbuilt sports cars that appeared across America in the early postwar years. This is the third in a series of posters that we … 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… I first heard from Joseph Aufenanger back in April of this year – and I was immediately jealous. He had found and purchased a Fiberfab Centurion body. These are one of my favorite bodies of the 1960s and … Continue reading
Hi Gang… The next phase of the Cannara restoration has begun. Rob Hernandez has put his pedal to the fiberglass (so to say) and has had a chance to assess the project and begin the work. This phase of the … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I’ve admired the work that has come from Simpson Design several years before I got the chance to talk with and meet Jim Simpson. Since that day, Jim and I have been fast friends and on several occasions … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I’ve known Jim Scudder since 2013 when he acquired his first Byers SR-100 out in California. But Jim reminded me recently we actually met in 2012 at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance when I was showing my 1947 … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I was honored to call Ed Almquist a friend – and what an amazing life he led. The people he met, the business he built and the automotive times he lived through were some of the most exciting … 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… Recently I heard from the owner of a car we sold that was shipped to Asuncion, Paraguay. That’s a new location for me! I wish I could travel the world like some of the cars we shipped over … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Time and time again, Stan Fowler has restored cars, built cars, created cars, raced cars and more. There’s no limit to his talent and I’m honored to call Stan and his wife Ann friends. I first met Stan … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Tom Kubinec and I have known each other for nearly ten years. Our friendship started when he bought his Almquist Sabre out of Morehead, Kentucky via eBay around the end of 2011. He got it home to Syracuse, … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Today I’m honored to share an article by our friend and intrepid “historian-adventurer” Bob Cunningham. Bob has always had an affinity for small cars, lost marques and their history. Today’s article is about a car that both Bob … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We’re still working on gathering the story of this Victress S5 VW Special to share with everyone here at Undiscovered Classics, but I thought we would start out with a bit of history on the car and the … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Just 3 photos – that’s all we get. But what tantalizing clues there are to perhaps finding this car – and maybe it survives today. I know our friend Gordon Maltby of the Porsche 356 Registry would be … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I love Singer Specials. Strong engine with overhead cam. Custom bodies – usually lightweight fiberglass, and all usually built in the 1952-1955 era. And besides…..Singers are fun and Singers are rare. These cars tick all the boxes for … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Rollie Langston has continued to be an advocate of handcrafted sports cars since he started building his first one at age 14 – and he finished it 3 years later. Now in his 70s, he’s building his second … Continue reading
Hi Gang… In the 1950s most of the designs we study were unique – original designs formed in fiberglass and offered for sale in body or completed car form in low numbers. In the 1960s, as Harold Pace taught me, … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Back on August 8th, 2016, we invited Ray and Esther Cannara to the home of Undiscovered Classics to see Ray’s car – the Cannara I. The last time he had seen it was in 1979 and he had … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I love Renault based American Specials – and most of you know why. My first fiberglass sports car was the 1962 Shark Roadster – a Renault based American sports car that I’ve had nearly 40 years. That car … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Ah…the good ole days when Kyle was an intern with us here at Undiscovered Classics. He started with us back in 2014 and I don’t know which of us have gotten more benefit – or which of us … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Our thoughts and the use of imagery for our Undiscovered Classic cars has evolved over the years, and during this time we’ve walked step by step with our friend Dan Palatnik. Dan and I first started out with … Continue reading
Hi Gang… There’s a beautiful Glasspar G2 sports car for sale right now in Germany – and it’s one that I’ve been tracking for 10+ years. I first learned about this G2 from the Hoover family. Bill Hoover was an … Continue reading
Hi Gang… So many stories….so much opportunity to share with you what’s going on with the rebirth, resurgence and restorations of American Specials across the land. I’ve been tracking this particular Byers for years and the story originally started with … Continue reading
Hi Gang… When I finally share the final story on the Sieber Special, it will end with a statement something like “so we finally found all three Siebler Specials – maybe more.” But the story couldn’t have started out farther … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Recently we introduced you to Guy Dirkin’s latest restoration – his 1966 Cannara sports car. Click Here To Review Stories on the Cannara Restoration started earlier this year with one of our tried and true restorers – Ralph … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Dave Peterson’s telling of the story of his two cars – both built by Leo Snedecker – really underlines the fact of just how “handcrafted” these special-built sports cars were across America. And as you’ll read, Leo didn’t … Continue reading
Hi Gang… In the last two years, several of our Undiscovered Classics aficionados have begun restoration of the Victress C3 coupes – and that’s great news. We have Rodney Packwood in California restoring his Packwood Special, John Steggles in Canada … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Back around 2012 I heard from Kip Fjeld who had found an Almquist body. He was very excited about his “find” and quickly shared plans that he and his friend Dave Lambert would be making a mold from … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I’ll be showing progress soon on the restoration of Paul Sable’s 1955 Debonnaire, so I think it makes sense to share the history of this car and the marque as I did so in September, 2018 for Reincarnation … 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
Kjell Qvale BMC Singer Articles About Kjell Qvale and BMC Singer Click Here To Learn More Audio Interview Recordings With Kjell Qvale 14 Minute Interview: January 7, 2010 Audio Interview Recordings With Dan Nichols Memories on the BMC Singer Sports … Continue reading
Sebring Racing Program Sebring, Florida: March, 1954 … Continue reading
Plastic Bodied Singer Autocar (UK) October 23, 1953 … Continue reading
The Glass Menagerie The Vibrin Roadster Revealed NASOC: Issue 4, 2002 … Continue reading
Vaughn-Singer Glasspar Dream Cars: Trend Book #107, 1953 … Continue reading
Plastic Sports Car Glasspar Vaughn-Singer and More Auto Sport Review: July, 1952 … Continue reading
Indianapolis Custom Auto Show Vaughn-Singer Appearance: 1952 … Continue reading
Plastic: Its Promise and Problems Glasspar, Vaughn-Singer and More Motorsport: August, 1952 … Continue reading
Vaughan Wildcat Part II June 7, 2014 … Continue reading
Vaughan Wildcat Part I June 6, 2014 … Continue reading
Fiberglass VSS Wildcat – Follow – Up July 21, 2013 … Continue reading
Fiberglass VSS Wildcat Singer February 22, 2012 … Continue reading
Another Glasspar Connection February 21, 2011 … Continue reading
Perry Fuller and the Pre-Production SMX February 16, 2011 … Continue reading
More on Perry Fuller February 13, 2011 … Continue reading
Lost and Found February 10, 2011 … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Thanks to the help of Dan Palatnik, we’ve been releasing more artwork of Undiscovered Classic cars of late. You can see some of his work that we recently released via the link below: Click on this Link to … Continue reading
Lost and Found Hemmings Classic Car: January, 2010 … Continue reading
Another Fiberglass Singer October 16, 2009 … Continue reading
Plastic Fantastic – 1953 Glasspar G2 Gasoline Magazine (German): March, 20018 … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We’re proud to release a newly created section of Undiscovered Classics that focuses on the history of the Byers Sports cars. Our research into this marque started in 2007, and took the help of many to complete. This … Continue reading
History Byers Sports Cars (1955 – 1968) Design By Jim Byers — The World’s Most Beautiful Sports Car — Road & Track, February, 1957 Byers Sports Cars Road and Track featured a Byers SR-100 on the cover of their magazine in … Continue reading
Sportscar Specials Trend Book #196: 1960 Multiple Cars … Continue reading
Sportscar Specials Trend Book #178: 1958 Multiple Cars … Continue reading
Showcase 1956 Byers SR-100 Design by Jim Byers Owner: Jack Farr, Cresson, Texas — The World’s Most Beautiful Sports Car — Road & Track, February, 1957 History of This Car This car was originally built by two enthusiasts in the … Continue reading
Fashion Statement: LeSabre Show Car “Look-alikes” Collectible Automobile: June, 2007 … 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 the 1952 Manta Ray … Continue reading
Dan Palatnik Renderings 1952 Manta Ray … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Lost cars of fantastic design – how much better can a story be? And you might be the one to find this missing car. In the past many years, we’ve been fortunate to find cars hidden away for … Continue reading
Victress Manufacturing Home Page 1952 – 1961 This section of our website is under construction as of 10/1/2019. We will continue adding details and features over the next few months so check back and see our progress. And….welcome to our … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Our good friend Guy Dirkin wanted to share a preview of his latest project and did so today via Facebook. I asked Guy if we could share it here on Undiscovered Classics and he agreed. So here’s what … Continue reading
American Rides: Glasspar Richard Vining and Edge Motor Museum MUS Today: Spring, 2020 … Continue reading
Hi Gang… One of our good friends in Europe, Hans van Ingen Schenau, has decided to sell his LaDawri Daytona race car and I thought I would share the history of this beautifully restored car with you. This may be … Continue reading
American Treasure Smithsonian Induction of Glasspar G2 Kit Car Magazine: January, 2001 … Continue reading
Jean Poirier Archives Glasspar G2 Historian Emeritus In Process Newsletters Bill Tritt Video Smithsonian Induction American Treasure – Smithsonian Induction of Glasspar G2 Kit Car Magazine: January, 2001 1994 Letter … Continue reading
Hi Gang… The story on Warren Eding’s Wildfire continues – and it’s a great way to pay tribute to a car and the man who built it. Like so many of these handcrafted cars, it’s a story of what you … 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
Note: Click here to read part 1 of this story Hi Gang… “I’ll bring the car to you – it’s not that long of a drive.” That’s what Ron Pierce told me after I bought his Allied Swallow Singer Special … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I finally found one! A Singer Special. That’s what I said back in 2015 we we acquired a very nice example of a Singer Special built using a Allied Swallow body. We always call these cars “Allied Cisitalia” … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Today I’m honored to share an article by our friend and intrepid “historian-adventurer” Bob Cunningham. Bob has always had an affinity for small cars, lost marques and their history. Today’s article about the Floridian / Seagrave has never … Continue reading
Hi Gang… American handcrafted cars are being shipped across the world. We’ve sent our cars to Paraguay and Chile in South America. We’ve shipped our cars to the UK, Germany, France, Holland, Italy, Greece and more in Europe. Now we … Continue reading
Hi Gang… This is a mult-part story. Click here to read the other parts of this story. So we got the car to Tampa, and followed up on the documentation that the previous owner gave to us. And what a … 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… I like to put names, faces, locations – all of it together. Just like the first Glasspar location we’re discussing today. I was fortunate enough to get to know Bill Tritt and discuss his memories of Glasspar as … Continue reading
California’s Little Detroit Nation’s Business: July, 1953 … Continue reading
Plastic Bodies For Autos Life Magazine: February 25, 1952 … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I’ve been tracking and researching this car since good friend Paul Ingram owned and raced it in the early 2000’s. When he first found the car, he wrote in to Special Interest Autos for help on identifying its … Continue reading
Alkenly Beautiful Volks World: November, 2018 … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I’ve been waiting to tell this story for 10+ years. And this week the saga begins – for Tony St. Clair, myself and all of you who are part of Undiscovered Classics. Glasspar Found: Detroit Back in 2008, … Continue reading
Hi Gang… It’s great to see restoration plans being put in place for another LaDawri Conquest – this one owned by Mike and Bobbie Machado of Gardnerville, Nevada. Recently, Mike bought the LaDawri from good friend James Long of California, … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Undiscovered Classic cars are finding themselves across the world. Today’s story herald’s from the UK, but it started out in the 50s on a lost American road. And perhaps “you” may find the pieces to solve this puzzle. … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Those of you who are fans of business author Stephen Covey and his advice of “start with the end in mind” will understand how today’s story fits this advice perfectly. So here it goes… “We Found The Car … 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… Go Alken! We may have found just four (or perhaps five) Alken D2 sports cars so far but lucky for us – vintage information is still being shared and revealed from long lost archives across the USA. Recently, … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Today’s story is by one of our Undiscovered Classics aficionados – Kyle Feller. Kyle has been working with us for over 5 years and has participated in some of our best adventures which include our Leo Lyons Custom … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Recently, more information surfaced on the Sportstar sports car company of San Diego, California. We’ve written about the Sportstar Company before – a company founded in 1952 and whose first car, the Crosley-based “Torrey Pines”, debuted in a … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Undiscovered Classics is not an individual effort. It’s a collaborative, team effort that started before we got involved as folks like Fred Roth, Jean Poirier, Frank Cornell, Bill Hoover, John Gulow, Jon Greuel and others gathered information and … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I bet this car is still out there. I’ve said this many times about many cars, and more often than not – we find the car or the car turns up. Back in 2010 in the book “Corvette … Continue reading
Hi Gang… There are a lot of cars out there that are beautiful, rare and deserve more attention than they typically have received. That’s the case with today’s story and a brochure on the Brazilian designed and built Ventura. Our … Continue reading
Hi Gang… There’s so much good information to be had in vintage magazines – but the articles are just the tip of the iceberg. Crucial information is often found in the editorials – like the editorial we found in the … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Today I’m honored to share an article by our friend and intrepid “historian-adventurer” Bob Cunningham. Bob has always had an affinity for small cars and their history and this story is about a different “BMW” than you’ve heard … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We haven’t had a chance to write about the Victress S4 very much in the past and that’s been for two reasons. First, the Victress S4 sports car is quite rare – even by my standards for our … Continue reading
Hi Gang… There’s a quote by Mark Twain that I enjoy and while I often paraphrase the quote, the gist of it is this: “It Takes A Long Time To Write A Short Letter” Today’s story is ten years in … 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… Fiberglass sports car specials shined back in the 1950s – they were often the “rock stars” of their day appearing on magazine and book covers. So far we’ve found more than 50 vintage and modern cover appearances and … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Today’s story is courtesy of one of our Undiscovered Classics fan in Europe – Luis Alarcos – of Spain. Luis collects and restores Renault specials including those that were built (or found) in America. Recently Luis has been … 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… 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 the 1947 and 1948 … Continue reading
Hi Gang… One of the items that has been lacking for most of our cars are logos, firewall plates and other marque-specific items. These are needed to identify the car at car shows and other events as well as celebrate … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We have Richard Brown to thank for today’s story. Richard recently updated us on his sport custom find – the 1953 Porter Pegasus. Click here to review that story. Today’s story is about another rare car Richard researched … 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… And we’re off! On the heels of releasing our first poster of America’s Handcrafted Cars last week. Today, Dan Palatnik and I are releasing our second poster of these cool, handbuilt cars that appeared across America in the … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Today I’m honored to share an article by our friend and intrepid “historian-adventurer” Bob Cunningham. Bob has always had an affinity for small cars and their history and this story includes a car that has been “lost” and … Continue reading
Hi Gang… More and more we’re seeing handcrafted American sports specials being “discovered” and written about across America. But something else interesting is happening too. They’re being restored – just like Mike Akens’ Victress S1A roadster in today’s story. Mike … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Our good friend Nick Whitlow recently completed a book on the history, design, development and production of the CRV / AMT Piranha – and he’s exactly the right person to have done so. We’ve known Nick for nearly … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We’ve been working up a new tool for current enthusiasts and newcomers to Undiscovered Classics – a tool where you can learn more about these handcrafted cars via a single page. And this new tool is ready as … 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
Hi Gang… There’s never a dull moment here at Undiscovered Classics. And although the 2020 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance ended mere hours ago, Dan Palatnik and I have been hard at work the last week to bring artwork on handcrafted … 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… One of our Undiscovered Classics aficionados alerted me to this article about “Sports Specials” that was published in the winter of 1983 – that’s 37 years ago folks. I had just turned 21 years old, and I already … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I recently had a chance to chat with one of our Undiscovered Classics aficionados – Greg Kishline. Greg’s home is in Kenosha, Wisconsin and from there the handcrafted restorations of full-size and scale size cars comes forth. And … Continue reading
Hi Gang… While we may think that Glasspars, Wildfires and Victresses (the big 3 of handcrafted cars in the early to mid 50s) are plentiful given the number of stories we share here at Undiscovered Classics – nothing could be … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Early on, one of the individuals who coached me on the history of postwar American Specials was Fred Roth of Thousand Oaks, California. So much of the history of postwar handcrafted cars was undocumented and details were scarce … Continue reading
Hi Gang… It’s been awhile since we heard from our friend Nick Whitlow and his research into and restoration of an AMT Piranha. Last time we checked Nick was working on a Piranha that has since been sold to a … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I’ve always considered the pinnacle of the car hobby to be designing and building your own car – for those with the talent and skills to do so. Think about the passion one must have to consider all … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We often think of all fiberglass car activity having occurred in California during the 50s, but that’s far from the case. We estimate that about 80% of the companies were in the Los Angeles, California area but others … Continue reading
Hi Gang… The story on Warren Eding’s Wildfire continues – and it’s a great way to pay tribute to a car and the man who built it. Like so many of these handcrafted cars, it’s a story of what you … 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
“The other day I had a thrilling ride in an amazing car. The car was the Lancer, built in Costa Mesa by Eric Irwin. We scooted around 90 degree corners at 50 miles per hour with negligible side-sway, over … Continue reading
Appraisal Sample For An American Special 1955 LeGene “Californian” Overview The example below is an appraisal completed for a customer who owned a restored 1955 LeGene Californian Roadster. This car was painted yellow and is shown in the appraisal below. … Continue reading
Valuation: American Specials Hagerty Value Guides For American Specials The Valuation Guides maintained by Hagerty continue to show excellent results for nicely restored American Specials that have been brought back to beautiful condition. Overview Currently Hagerty value estimates exceed $100,000 … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I first wrote about this Wildfire when it was spotted at the 2014 Retromobile Show in Paris, France. Click here to Read About The Woodill Wildfire Discovery in Paris France Since then we have become friends with the … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Meteor SR-1 sports cars are few and far between so when someone who owns one contact me I’m always interested to learn more. Especially when the ownership story goes back to the late 1950s. That means we can … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Most people don’t know that LaDawri Coachcraft sold a body who’s design was inspired by the Lotus 11 sports/race car. Les Dawes called it the “Firestar Mark II” – a very catchy name and evoked the space age … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We track down history here at Undiscovered Classics with one added bonus – ours come with cars. Now that’s cool! And before you go any further into today’s “part 2” of the story, be sure you read part … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Here’s a beautifully restored Woodill Wildfire that has been seen by tens of thousands of folks over the last nearly 30 years. How is that possible? Well…Collectible Automobile Magazine has featured this Wildfire twice – in 1992 and … Continue reading
1954 Woodill Wildfire At The Tip of the Fiberglass Spear Author: Jim Donnelly Hemmings Motor News: February, 2013 … Continue reading
Fanning a Flame: Woody Woodill and the Wildfire By Michael Lamm Collectible Automobile: October, 2005 … Continue reading
1953 Woodill Wildfire Collectible Automobile: February, 1992 … 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… Here’s a great story for your Kurtis fans out there. It’s a very interesting proposal from Road & Track, most likely written by John Bond who worked for a short while in the late 1940s for Frank Kurtis. … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Great news! The folks at Reincarnation Magazine did a superb job and featured some great photos and an excellent article on Steve Miller’s 1960 LaDawri Sebring. The story and photos are by Joe Greeves and the finished product … Continue reading
Hi Gang… At Undiscovered Classics we’re proud to have created a community that both helps with research and invites those with information about these cars to contribute – an active research and collaboration website. And its just these unique ingredients … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Tracking back the history of the cars we have today is always exciting, and today’s story is no exception. Les Zoller contacted me recently and shared with me that he had owned and restored Allied Kurtis KK500 chassis … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We continue to expand our recently created “Strother MacMinn Online Archive” to include articles, videos, books and other MacMinn related materials to share with the world. Today we added his 1959 book to the archives titled “Sports Cars … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Ted Griffin and I have been looking for this car for nearly 40 years. Ok….maybe 40 years for Ted, and less time for me. Ted first saw this Woodill Wildfire in much better shape in the early 80s. … Continue reading
1955 Woodill Wildfire: A Rare Orphan Vehicle Ted Griffin’s Woodill Wildfire Houston Chronicle: September 24, 2009 … 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
Showcase 1954 Debonnaire / Venture Design By Phillip Egan (from the Tucker Design Team) Owner: Paul Sable, Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania — America’s Boulevard Sports Car — History of This Car This was one of the Debonnaire’s built by the factory. … Continue reading
Showcase 1966 Cannara Built at the Beginning of the Wedge Car Movement — Strother MacMinn Was Ray Cannara’s Mentor at the ArtCenter — History of This Car Ray Cannara, a native Floridian was a successful designer from the start winning … 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
History LeMans Coupe (1958) Design By Strother MacMinn 1958 LeMans Coupe by Strother MacMinn — The Most Exciting Sports Car Design Constructed In The USA In Years — Robert Cumberford: SCG Magazine, March 1960 No other “Special” of the 1950s … Continue reading
Sarasota Classic Car Museum Undiscovered Classics Cars on Display Sarasota, Florida 2008 to Present Martin Godbey Owner and Curator: Sarasota Classic Car Museum Proprietor: Vintage Motors of Sarasota Cars In Museum (Scroll Down To See Photos of Cars) 1937 Long-Wheelbase … Continue reading
Dick Lane’s Kurtis-Sorrell SR-100 Roadster Rod & Custom: July, 2009 … Continue reading
Hi Gang…. One of our long-term Undiscovered Classics brethren, Guy Dirkin, has just completed the restoration of his super-rare TVR Tuscan with his friend and co-owner of the car – Paul Guinn. This is definitely not your ordinary TVR, and … Continue reading
1953 Victress S1 – Guy Mabee Special Links to magazine articles Film? Review Denny Larson’s story here (go thru recordings) … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Here’s an interesting time capsule that was sent in to us from Bill Quirk – foreman for Victress Manufacturing in the 1950s and early 1960s. While the article is about the culture of hot rodding in the San … Continue reading
Introducing The Victress S1 Sports Car Motor World Magazine: August 28, 1953 … Continue reading
Plastic Bodies For Home Production Hop Up Magazine: April, 1953 First known photo of a Victress S1A sports car. Person next to car is Jim Byers. Most likely the First Victress S1. … Continue reading
The 58th Variety: Steve Steers Victress S1A Hemmings Muscle Machines: May, 2011 … Continue reading
Hi Gang… For me researching cars began a long time ago – about 40 years ago to be exact. I bought my first “classic car” when I was 14 years old – a 1955 Cadillac Fleetwood (with my mom’s approval … Continue reading
Showcase 1954 Victress S1A Design By Doc Boyce-Smith and Hugh Jorgensen Owner: Guy Dirkin, Clermont, Florida — The Lost Motor Trend Victress — Built By Fred Bodley – Motor Trend Technical Editor History of This Car The 1954 “Motor Trend” … Continue reading
Hi Gang…. One of our long-term Undiscovered Classics brethren, Guy Dirkin, has just completed the restoration of his super-rare TVR Tuscan with his friend and co-owner of the car – Paul Guinn. This is definitely not your ordinary TVR, and … Continue reading
Thousand Oaks Car Classic Theme: A Salute To The American Sports Car Featuring: Bosley, Glasspar, Kurtis, Muntz, Kaiser Darrin and Skorpion Thousand Oaks, California: June, 1995 … Continue reading
Thousand Oaks Car Classic Featuring: Woodill Wildfire Thousand Oaks, California: June, 1994 … Continue reading
Woodill Wildfire Author: Michael Lamm Expert: Fred Roth (Remember this is 1974….wow!) Special Interest Autos: March-April, 1974 … Continue reading
LaSaetta Sports Car Car “Save” As Part of Pebble Beach Concours 2012 Trip Classic & Sports Car (UK): March, 2013 … Continue reading
Victress Brochures Catalog Featuring a Victress S1 and S4 1954 Hellings Flyer For Victress And More Various Years Catalog Featuring a Victress S1, S4, S5 and Dragster 1955 Sample Letters From Victress … Continue reading
Corvette In The Barn The Lost Motor Trend Victress Special Story Author: Guy Dirkin Tom Cotter: Published 2010 … Continue reading
1955 Glass Wonder Show Car (Later Identified as the John Dragich Special, 3 Made) American Car Collector: July, 2014 … Continue reading
Hi Gang… America is replete with stories on building your own car or car company in the early postwar years. While 90% of these stories came out of California, the rest of America was also busy – including Charles “Chuck” … Continue reading
Hi Gang… The 1950’s were filled with imaginative moments in transportation. Jet travel, high speed trains, rockets heading into outer space and cars that could fly. This was a time of ground-swelling American innovation. The Corvette and T-Bird hit the streets changing … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I love to see strong prices for the cars we appreciate and restore – the handcrafted American specials from the postwar years. Recently we saw a Glasspar G2 sell at the Sotheby’s Amelia Island Auction (2019) for $109,200 … Continue reading
Hi Gang… John Pascucci of JR’s Speedshop in Venice, Florida and I took a ride to Clermont, Florida yesterday to visit Guy Dirkin and see his 1956 Byers SR-100 and Victress S1A. We took some pix to share with you … Continue reading
Hi Gang… A Woodill Wildfire with Buick body modifications? Headlights, taillights and perhaps even more. And we’ve found several of these. How could they exist and what does it mean? Let’s dive into a bit of history with a recent … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Back in 1952 when Bill Burke took a mold from Robert Petersen’s Cisitalia 202 coupe, who would have guessed that the entire process would be repeating itself nearly 70 years later. But it’s a good thing to still … 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
Ship Shape: A 1953 Glasspar G2 is Restored and Ready to Make Waves Around Missouri Hemmings Motor News: April, 2012 … 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
Showcase 1952 Glasspar G2 Design By Bill Tritt Owners: Brian and Sue Ford, Christchurch, New Zealand Best Viewed In Landscape Mode Use On-Screen Arrows To Move Thru Photos History of This Car The Glasspar G2 is considered by many to … 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
Showcase 1952 Voodoo Gardner Designed and Built By Jerry Gardner Owners: Brian and Sue Ford, Christchurch, New Zealand — The Mightiest Postwar Special Ever Built — Click on the Links Below For More Information Story: EXTRA EXTRA….The 1952 Voodoo Gardner … 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, two versions of the 1952 Maverick Sportster … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Acquisitions of special cars often take years to make happen – and this happens more than you think. We try and track down all the leads – lock, stock and barrel and today’s story about the Carl Luckenbach … Continue reading
Note: This is a multi-part story. Click here to view all parts of this story Hi Gang… We’ve been researching this car since 2008, but it took our appearance on Ray Evernham’s Velocity TV show “AmeriCarna” in 2015 for us … Continue reading
LeGene “Californian” Roadster Home Page Overview (Story below is in draft form as of 1/1/2019) Working on this story as of 2/24/19 Click Here To Review All LeGene “Californian” Roadster Stories on our Website Click Here To Review LeGene Sports … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Interesting letters come in all the time to Undiscovered Classics. Most times we can help and provide information quickly but some questions require research – and those can be the most fun types of letters. Here’s an interesting … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Today we’re honored here at Undiscovered Classics to share the story of Paul E. Gibbs and his Almquist roadster. Born in 1931, 88-year-old Paul Gibbs contact me via e-mail recently and over several phone conversations I learned about … Continue reading
Woodill Wildfire Collectible Automobile: October, 2005 … Continue reading
Glass Act: Woodill Wildfire Motor Trend Classic: Summer, 2014 … 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
DEVIN HISTORY History (Story below is in draft form as of 1/1/2019) Devin Panhard Designer: Devin Sports Car (27 different sizes) Designer: Devin SS Devin GT Coupe Vintage Brochures Vintage Ads Vintage & … Continue reading
LOST CAR The 1955 Jules “J” Heumann Singer Special Help Us Find This Car! We’ve found plenty of interesting, cool, and lost famous cars over the past decade or so at Undiscovered Classics. It’s now your turn. As we’ve often said….. … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We were pleased earlier this year to make the announcement via Hemmings Daily that Byers SR100 bodies would soon be back in production. Click Here To Read This Announcement As of this week, you can now order a … Continue reading
—————————- Click here to all parts of this story —————————- Hi Gang… Nik Gudmunds and Jerry Ball completed the Thor in 1958. Little did they know that they were making history by using a VW chassis and drivetrain. The VW Beetle first … Continue reading
—————————- Click here to all parts of this story —————————- Hi Gang… It all boils down to the name…. Tracking down people who built cars decades before has its challenges – but it always starts with a “name.” And when the … Continue reading
—————————- Click here to all parts of this story —————————- Hi Gang… I love mysteries….especially when they eventually get solved. Back in May, 2010 (wow – 7 years ago!) a car called a “Thor” surfaced for sale on the Samba which … 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… The Leo Lyons Custom Mercury Saga is now behind us and the car is tucked safely away and on display at the Sarasota Classic Car Museum in Sarasota Florida. I’ll write a bit about our experience with this … 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… Building your own sports car was often much more than a solitary event – it was something to celebrate….an adventure to remember and a story that became part of a family history – just as it did with … Continue reading
Hi Gang… In the last few years, we’re seeing fewer mystery cars from the 40s and 50s. We have expertise now that spans the world and are fortunate to have so many of you that bring your knowledge and research … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We track cars. We collect stories. We hunt down the tiniest of details to see if we can flush out any vintage fiber sports car build stories, period photos and cars from across the nation. And sometimes we find … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Another restored Glasspar G2 sports car is nearing completion. Hooray!!! Last week Jeff McKay shared an update of the restoration of his and his wife Anne’s G2 and it’s looking great! Let’s check out the known history of this … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I love the history of Howard “Dutch” Darrin and his postwar sports cars – most of them built in fiberglass. Although we mostly know him for the Kaiser Darrin sports car with sliding doors, he actually designed and … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Rodney Packwood, Glasspar Historian and wrangler of our Glasspar G2 Registry, and I have been tracking down the Glasspar G2 sports cars whereabouts for nearly a decade. And this process was started by others before us such as … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Not many people know that several of the fiberglass sports car companies of the 1950s sold smaller versions of their cars – typically for the younger set of the owners of these same cars. Smaller versions of the … Continue reading
Hi Gang… The cars are out there (ala the X-Files tv show…) that’s what I always tell folks. And with handcrafted specials from the 50s, they seem to be popping up all the time 🙂 As usual, this story involved many …
