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Undiscovered Classics

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Category Archives: Lancer

Glasspar G2 Production Locations: Site 1 on Industrial Way, Costa Mesa

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Geoff HackerMay 5, 2020
Reply

Check Out The Roof Trusses in both photos – This Match Helped us ID The Building

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 →

1953, July: Nation’s Business – Little Detroit

California’s  Little  Detroit Nation’s  Business:  July,  1953 … Continue reading →

Plastic Cars Are Here – Westways Magazine: July, 1952

Posted on December 3, 2019 by Geoff HackerMay 25, 2020
3

  “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 →

Now Showing… Johnny Dark Race Scenes in High Definition Too!

Posted on February 8, 2015 by Geoff HackerJuly 21, 2020
8

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 →

1951 Petersen Motorama Video and Program: Glasspar, Lancer, Skorpion & Wasp Debut

Posted on October 29, 2014 by Geoff HackerAugust 7, 2020
8

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 →

High School Sports Car: Cars, October 1953 – Part 2

Posted on April 30, 2014 by Geoff HackerMay 4, 2020
3

Hi Gang… I shared the first part of this story back a few months ago, and now let’s review the rest of the story.  Click here if you would like to review part 1 of this story. As I mentioned … Continue reading →

High School Sports Car: Auto Sportsman, August 1953 – Part 1

Posted on January 27, 2014 by Geoff HackerMay 4, 2020
4

Hi Gang… It’s taken me about 5 years of research on this one but now I can say…this is a two-part article., and today is part 1 of this series.  For years all I had was this article and at … Continue reading →

Fiberfriends Deliver! Bob Cunningham Finds First Color Photo of 1951 Lancer

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Geoff HackerApril 17, 2020
5

Hi Gang… The best part of being part of the “Forgotten Fiberglass Faction of Friends” is the wide variety of neat, interesting, and great people you get to meet – and often become friends with.  Such is the case with … Continue reading →

Lancer Brochure 1955: Fiberglass Sports Bodies For Your Chassis

Posted on April 8, 2012 by Geoff HackerMay 4, 2020
2

Hi Gang… We try and keep a full head of fiber-steam going here at Forgotten Fiberglass.  One of our goals is to share all the literature each of these companies produced and printed in the ‘50s and ‘60s.  And I … Continue reading →

John Bond From Road & Track Shares: “How To Build A Fiberglass Body…” January, 1953

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Geoff HackerMay 27, 2020
3

Hi Gang… This article was a very important article for John Bond – new owner of Road and Track Magazine as of November 1952 – just three months prior to this article’s publication.  How could I know this article was … Continue reading →

The First Fiberglass Construction Book: Building The Plastic Car (1952) by Eric Irwin

Posted on November 20, 2011 by Geoff HackerMay 4, 2020
6

Hi Gang… I wish I could have had a chance to meet Eric Irwin.  I’ve been a fortunate researcher in many ways. I got to know and became friends with Bill Tritt of Glasspar and his family.  I visited with … Continue reading →

Eric Irwin’s Lancer: “The Cleanest Two-Seater Roadster That The Post-War World Has Produced”

Posted on September 15, 2011 by Geoff HackerJune 3, 2020
1

Hi Gang… Finally….after more than three years of searching, my copy of the British publication “The Motor” dated January 30th, 1952 arrived.  I really mean it.  I’ve been waiting for 3+ years and looking daily for a copy.  I must … Continue reading →

“Car Buff Tony Curtis Pitches For Toledo Premier of ‘Johnny Dark’ (Toledo Blade Newspaper, November 22nd, 1953)

Posted on May 18, 2011 by Geoff HackerJune 1, 2020
2

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 →

Extra…Extra…Read All About It!!! World Premier of Johnny Dark Hits Toledo Ohio (June 16th, 1954)

Posted on April 1, 2011 by Geoff HackerJune 1, 2020
Reply

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 →

The Lancer Vs The Glasspar G2: March 1952 Popular Science Showdown

Posted on February 2, 2011 by Geoff HackerMay 4, 2020
Reply

Hi Gang… Fiberglass cars were introduced to the public at the November 1951 Petersen Motorama to great acclaim.  Two of the cars produced were designed and created by Bill Tritt and Eric Irwin of Costa Mesa, California.  Not only did … Continue reading →

Nick Adams and Natalie Wood’s Lancer – AKA the Dean Banks Lancer Special

Posted on February 1, 2011 by Geoff HackerMay 4, 2020
Reply

Hi Gang… Rick D’Louhy and I have a special affinity for the history around Eric Irwin and his Lancer Sports Cars.  Partly it’s because a Lancer is one of two cars we found that rekindled our friendship in 2006 and … Continue reading →

Collectibles From the Movie “Johnny Dark” – Lobby Cards

Posted on January 15, 2011 by Geoff HackerJune 1, 2020
Reply

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 →

How to Build a Fiberglass Sports Car Body – The First Fiberglass Book Debuts

Posted on January 5, 2011 by Geoff HackerMay 25, 2020
Reply

Hi Gang… Rick D’Louhy and I continue to ferret out little known publications and booklets from the early and mid 1950’s on how to build a fiberglass car body.  After all, this was a time when sports car excitement was … Continue reading →

Which Fiberglass Sports Car Appeared First in 1950’s Magazines? Meet the 1951 Lancer by Eric Irwin

Posted on December 27, 2010 by Geoff HackerJune 3, 2020
Reply

Hi gang… Rick and I are always on the search for new information and new ways to understand the fiberglass cars movement of the 1950’s.  Sometimes this takes us on weeks and months long road trips.  Other times our research focuses on … Continue reading →

Modern Plastics February 1953 – A “Gaggle” of Glass For You to Review

Posted on May 16, 2010 by Geoff HackerMay 25, 2020
Reply

Hi Gang… “Watch 1953…..Plastic bodies are not only the coming thing – they have come, and they are too good not to stay”. That’s what Jim Potter, managing editor of Motor Trend wrote in December 1952 – and he was exactly right.  … Continue reading →

Eric Irwin and his Lancer(s) – One of the First Production Fiberglass Sports Cars

Posted on April 20, 2010 by Geoff HackerMay 4, 2020
Reply

Hi Gang… You’ll see in books and you’ll read on our website, time and time again….something like this: “The first 4 fiberglass production cars were introduced to the American public during the Petersen Motorama at the Pan Pacific Auditorium in November, … Continue reading →

The First Postwar American Hood Scoop

Posted on December 24, 2009 by Geoff HackerMay 4, 2020
1

Hi Gang… Maybe I have too much time on my hands.  I ruminate about various aspects of these vintage fiberglass cars and how they were ahead of the curve in terms of what the designers of the bodies – and … Continue reading →

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Class 1: Sports Cars of the 50s
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The  Latest  Comments

  • Juan on The Argentina Built Porsche Powered Fiberglass Bodied 1954 Justicialista Sports CarDear, I tell you that in 1954 the Justicialista car won the prize of elegance
  • Pete Montero on The Rise of the 1959 Lahti Special – By Robert Cunninghamhttps://www.motor1.com/news/64519/concept-we-forgot-1992-ford-ghia-focus/
  • Pete Montero on The Rise of the 1959 Lahti Special – By Robert CunninghamSo, this really can't pass without closing the loop on a Ford Ghia concept car
  • Matthew Kress on The 1970 Can Am 1 By Bolide Motors – An Extension of Borg-Warner and the CRVMust be of no interest to anyone, no responses or additional information on the site.
  • Jeff on Small Cars Are My “Thing” – Introducing The HMV Freeway By Kyle FellerAwesome arrival! I found one of these down in Florida were I live, the data
  • Michael Petti on Ask Merrill Powell – Victress Manufacturing Co-FounderDid Victress make the fiberglass front nose of the 1955 - 1957 Powell Sports Wagon
  • Christina Montoya on Lost Car Found – Meet The Super Safari Dune BuggyI suppose ably have a safari- it has a bump on the hood in front
  • Scott Morley on The Great New Devin Junior – Gas Engine Powered Miniature Sports CarWhen I was 10 or 12 years old we drove to San Gabriel, California in
  • Greg Smith on The Quarter Midgets Are Here! The Viking Craft Quarter Midgets Are Here! (1955)I raced out of Vegas 1956-59, Caruthers, Mantz, and Squalo Grand Prix, Showboat & later
  • Avi on Byers SR100 Bodies Back in ProductionWill you be selling the Byers Sr100 Corvette shells once again in 2020? I noticed

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“Dashboards on fiberglass sports cars of the ‘50s are like fingerprints to modern detectives. If a dashboard has been left virtually unchanged, the current configuration can be matched back to the handiwork of the original fabricator and car – as long as vintage pictures of the car with dashboard remain.”

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Geoff Hacker has pursued rare and unusual automobiles for over 40 years. He's recognized as the premier researcher, archivist, author and authoritarian for the history of American handcrafted sports cars. Hacker owns Undiscovered Classics which finds and restores these rare cars for collectors and museums across the world.
Geoff's stewardship of Undiscovered Classics has led to museum exhibitions, special appearances and multiple showings at prestigious concours including Pebble Beach and Amelia Island. His Undiscovered Classics Team and their cars have been seen on television and are published extensively in print and electronic media.

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