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1954 Victress S1 – Motor Trend Victress
Owner: Guy Dirkin, Clermont, Florida
Trend Inc., Building: Circa 1954
History of This Car
When Fred Bodley started building his Victress in 1953, little did he know that it would ultimately represent the best of what American handcrafted cars were meant to be in the early postwar years. And this car and its history was nearly lost – save for a few lucky opportunities of chance.
Victress S1 roadsters were beautiful sports cars and with Trend Publishing headquarters located close to where the cars were manufactured, Bodley had easy access to learn more. In 1953 a Victress sports car set the world speed record at just over 200 mph at Bonneville, giving Victress the chance to advertise their car as “America’s fastest sports car body.” Perhaps it was for this reason that he chose this body for his sports car.
You had many engine choices in 1953, but the most popular engine for American sports cars at the time was a Ford V8 Flathead – a fact nearly lost to time.
Technical Specifications
Build Dates
Engine
Transmission
Wheelbase
Vintage Photos Showing Victress Inside Building / Showroom
Modern Photos
Articles To Read
Sports Cars Displayed In The First Building of Trend Inc.
Undiscovered Classics: Coming Soon
Bob Petersen and the Start of Hot Rod Magazine
Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Insider: 2019
The Petersen Photo Archives
Rodder’s Journal: Winter, 2017
Corvette In The Barn
The Lost Motor Trend Victress Special
Story Author: Guy Dirkin
Tom Cotter: Published 2010
The “Rise” of the The Lost Motor Trend Victress
Undiscovered Classics: February 4, 2010
Saving the “Motor Trend Victress Special”
Undiscovered Classics: November 29, 2009
Victress: Fred Bodley, Memoriam
Motor Trend, 1955
Additional Information
Click Here To Learn More about Victress Sports Cars
Click Here To Read More Stories About the Motor Trend Victress
Victress Advertisements: 1955
Motor Trend Magazine: December, 1955
Motor Trend: April, 1955
Chuck Glover Remembers
Chuck Was….Worked for Motor Trend
Audio Interviews
Bob D’Olivio
Donovan Fell
Jim Sitz
Chuck Glover
Victress Brochure: 1955
Featuring Fred Bodley’s Victress S1A Roadster
Click Here To View 1955 Victress Brochure
Three Photos Of Car Shown Inside Brochure
Who Was Fred Bodley
Auto Speed and Sport: August, 1952
How Car Was Found And Research Came Together
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