Undiscovered Classics / Forgotten Fibreglass (America)
Is an organisation run by Geoff Hacker, who has recovered and restored many early low volume/hand built classic cars and operates a very interesting and insightful web site chronicling the stories behind the creation and restoration of many of these vehicles.
Here are some of the perhaps less well know:
Testaguzza La Saetta (Thunderbolt)
Italian brothers Gino & Cesare Testaguzza, moved to America and worked for tFord, Kaiser, Nash, Chrysler, before embarking upon their own vehicle production in the early 50’s.
Designed and developed as a two-seater roadster base upon Ford, chassis with fibreglass bodywork and powered by Oldsmobile 88 straight-eight or V8 engine?
Production lasted only a few years until the mid 50’s during which time only 15 vehicles/kits are believed to have been produced.
Venus Sport Custom
Is a roadster designed and built by Kenneth McLoad, D.Y Gormann and E.F Rockett, (Venus Automobiles) in the mid 50’s America.
Built based upon a Ford 49-51 chassis with fibreglass bodywork and powered by a Ford 3.7litre straight-six or 3.9litre flat-head V8 engine with 3-speed Samual or automatic transmission
Only seven Ford Venus bodies were produced
Triplex Chicagoan-Lightning
In the early 50’s Triplex Industries created their ‘Safety K-Frame’ a ladder-frame chassis that could be sold to aspiring enthusiasts to build their own cars using fibreglass bodies. Robert Owens was commissioned by Frank Hinger to design a three-seat fibreglass sports body.
A prototype was completed powered by a Willys straight-six engine? and was first displayed at the Chicago Auto Show in 1954 initially as the Chicagoan and then changed to ‘Lightning’.
The chassis was developed to accommodate V8 engines and kits/cars sold through Ketchams Automotive Corporation.
Sales interest may not have contributed to more than 15 kits/cars being produced? with the business being sold by Hinger 1956 when production ceased.
Texas Sky-Fire
Built by Charles Goff in the mid 50’s America, based upon a Ford chassis and running gear with fibreglass bodywork (designed for five passengers), powered by a Ford flat-head V8.
Available as a finished vehicle and/or as a body kit, but it is unclear how many were produced beyond the initial prototype.
Grantham Stardust
Designed and built by William Grantham in the early 50’s, based upon a variety of chassis from Ford, Cadillac, Jaguar, Chevrolet, with fibreglass bodywork.
Each vehicle was basically a custom car with the last one created in the late 70’s on a Cadillac ElDorado chassis. But only a very small number of vehicles were produced.
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