Custom Sport Coupe

The Sport Custom movement was in it's heyday just after World War II, and it produced this fabulous creation, the CaddyStutz! Sport Customs were custom built cars usually on an American chassis, with 2 seat roadster coachwork and a one-of-a-kind flair. In the words of respected automotive historian Ken Gross in an article written for the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours program: " Viewed today, sport customs represent a triumph of individual automotive expression. They don't resemble other cars of the period, they're often much more fanciful. They don't look like more conventional custom cars, or even much like one another. Rarely seen, they still turn heads and fascinate people".


The Spectacular CaddyStutz Sport Custom! With Stutz DV-32 Engine and chassis! The custom bodywork was very well done, and is presented here in mostly bare metal. This allows us to see the construction details and the high quality lead filled bodywork, impossible to re-create today!


We date this sport custom to the early 1950's - Although the chassis is from 1932, The sheetmetal is based on a 1949 Cadillac. We think they had a nearly complete '49 Caddy to use, because much if not all of the body components are '49 Cadillac. Sport Customs have become appreciated for the special design creations they are - there was a class for this type of car at Pebble Beach in 2012 !


Two Tailfins are just not enough. No. we need THREE of 'em! Note how the bumper was done to match the center fin! The bodywork on this car was really well done and carefully thought out.

Note that the gas tank filler is underneath the center fin.

The genuine article, The Stutz DV-32, so named for the number of valves! 8 Cylinders and 4 valves per cylinder! One of the most exotic powerplants of it's day - indeed, dual overhead cams and 4 valves per cylinder were only offered by Stutz and Duesenberg in the US, and Alfa Romeo and Bugatti in Europe. I'm talking about Production cars you could drive on the street! There were a handful of DOHC 4 valves in racing cars of that era, but the point is this - in 1932, this was the height of technology and sophistication.

This is a late production DV-32. The Serial number is within about 40 of the last known DV32 Serial number, and the carburetor is a downdraft Stromberg EE3 dual throat carburetor. The earlier DV32's had the updraft Schebler unit.

Mind boggling! Only about 400 of these engines were ever made. Not only exotic, but extremely rare, too! Oh, and we got it running! It starts right up, it has good oil pressure, and doesn't make any bad noises. We have driven it about 3/4 mile in total. The tune-up could be better, It backfires sometimes due to a sticking valve, but I can tell you it was a thrill to fire that thing up for the first time in many years!. You should trailer the car rather than drive it to wherever you live.

Ce modèle en photo a été vendu dernièrement par Auto Folies en France !!!

chuis totalement fan des sports customs !   elles sont pas toutes elegantes, loin de la, mais elles sont toutes touchantes : fabriquer un engin unique a l'allure fine et racée a partir d'une grosse berline familiale ou d'un ensemble de pieces de differentes voitures recupérées a la casse c'est pas une mice affaire  : :jason:  : 

mes préférées sont sans conteste la Durso ( malheureusement massacré par le dernier prorio   )

quand elle etait belle     :







et la Fitzpatrick   

Moi aussi je suis bien fan de ces caisses    Je me souviens de la version de la Durso, en effet dommage, mais restaurable dans sa forme originale heureusement  

c.c. alexanders 1950 ford built by doray, inc. lowered, sectioned, shaved, you name it,,it was done to this car...all seams were welded, making the entire body three pieces: the tilt nose, the cockpit, and deck area......you wanna talk RADICAL,,,,,this car is the epitome of radical,,,,,,,i'm planning to clone this car one day.

Arguably the first production fiberglass bodied sports car, the Wildfire was produced by B. R. "Woody" Woodill, a California Willys dealer. Woodill wanted a sports car, and after deciding a Jaguar sports car was too expensive, he conceived a plan to produce a sports car based on American components. His first car, the Wildfire Series 1 in 1952, was based on a Willys 6 cylinder engine, suspension, and drive train. He commissiioned a modified Glaspar G2 fiberglass body from Glaspar ( Bill Tritt of Glaspar was an expert in making fiberglass boats and had recently started producing fiberglass car bodies), and a custom frame from Harold "Shorty" Post. Willys saw this car and expressed an interest in offering it through their dealerships, but later lost interest when they were bought by Kaiser (who had their own sports car project, the Kaiser Darrin). A total of 7 Series 1 cars were built.

After unsuccessfully trying to sell the program to other auto makers, Woodill developed the Series 2 design, based on a 39-41 Ford engine, suspension, and drive train; chosen because they were readily available. The body was a completely original design by Tritt for Woodill, and included a larger interior and an opening trunk. Woodill would supply a body, a frame, or a complete car. It is estimated that about 100 bodies were produced, and about 30 remain today.

With the complete Wildfire kit, you could buy a 39-41 Ford and use the components to build your very own sports car. In fact, this was done in 4 hours on the TV show "You Asked For It" in 1955. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIGAooBGSUw) Woodill was also ver aggressive in the marketing of this car, and the Wildfire was featured in several movies of its era: "Johnny Dark" with Tony Curtis, "Knock on Wood" with Danny Kaye, and "Written on the Wind" with Rock Hudson.

The particular car for sale here is an early Series 2 car, completed and titled in Southern California in 1955. We have early pictures of the car as well as the original pink slip. It went through 3 owners, and eventually ended up in a field in Connecticut. It was completely restored in 2011, and has since been shown at the Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours, the Hemmings Motor News Concours in Saratoga Springs, NY, and was an award winner at the 2013 Goodguys Nationals in Columbus, Ohio.

It is a very correct car built on an original Wildfire frame, with 1939 Ford suspension, transmission, and driveline, with shortened torque tube and modified radius rods as supplied by Woodill. The engine is a period correct 322 cu in Buick V-8, with Isky cam and 3 carbs. The car now has a clear Michigan title, listed as Woodill Wildfire WW9915 (the original Woodill serial number).

1959 Studebaker
One Of A Kind Hand built Roadster 1959

Features:
Year: 1959
Make: Studebaker Frame, Chassie, Engine
Model:
Miles: 10,881
Engine: 259 cu in V8
Body Style: Fab. Body
Color: Red/ White
Transmission: 4 spd.
Description
Hand Fabracated Body... Original Stromberg Carb...Spinner HubCaps... Steel Belted Radials



Car was originally built in Keyser W.V. I have owned it for 10 years. Body is Thick hand laid fiberglass, This is not a kit car

Long before Barry Goldwater would suffer a crushing defeat at the hands of Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1964 presidential election, the politician apparently had a taste for wildly customized cars. Unsatisfied with the exquisite design of his 1953 Jaguar XK120, Goldwater commissioned the legendary George Barris to turn the car into something special. Barris took the time to work in headlight and tailfin assemblies from a '53 Buick, along with a Lincoln Continental-style spare tire carrier and a shortened Cadillac rear bumper. Inside, the dash was reworked in unfinished aluminum, complete with an array of aeronautical gauges. We're quite sure we prefer the bog-standard XK120's sheetmetal, but this car's interesting history and one-off nature is hard to ignore.



The car has spent the last 20 years of its life tucked away in a California shop and has emerged via the glory of eBay Motors. The body has weathered the years between 1953 and now without too much wear and tear, though the interior has moved on to the great beyond. The car's 3.5-liter, DOHC I6 is still in place, as are all of those oddball gauges. The car is available in Newport Beach, California with its reserve not met at $15,639 at the time of writing. If you want it, hop on over to eBay and get to clicking. There are only four days left on the auction right now.

1953 Jaguar XK-120 Roadster restyled by Barris Kustoms for well known politician of Phoenix, Arizona Barry Goldwater. [1] The Jaguar was built at the Lynwood shop for Competition Motors.[2] Long before Barry ran became a president candidate in 1964, he had Barris Kustoms to restyle his 1953 Jaguar XK-120. Barry had a taste for wild customized cars, unsatisfied with the design of his stock Jaguar, he had George Barris turn it into a unique ride. Barry's Jaguar was modified to feature frenched 1953 Buick headlight rims that were slightly recessed into the reformed fender tips. The rear quarter panels were modified with tailfin assemblies from a 1953 Buick as well, and the fenders were extended and the deck lid was reshaped in able to house a Lincoln continental kit. The stock Nerf bars were exchanged with cut down Cadillac units. Air scoops were cut into both rear fenders and in the bottom edges of the fadeaway fenders. The grille was modified by installing horizontal bars instead of the stock vertical bars. Custom side trim was made to match both the scoops and fadeaway fenders. The dashboard was reworked in unfinished aluminum and fit with an array of aeronautical gauges.[3]


Ken Helms painted the car in Mesquite, Texas sometime in 1969 or 1970. He worked at a bodyshop in Mesquite, and remembers when the car came to be painted. He remembers that it had a dash plaque that read "Built for Barry Goldwateer by George Barris Kustoms"[4]



Magazine Features

Trend Book 156 Custom Cars 1958 Annual








Since the 1990s, the car has been tucked away safely in a California shop. By August, 2010, the body was covered in primer and the interior was missing. The original DOHC I6 3.5 liter engine is still in place, as is the gauges. The car was listed up for sale on eBay in August 2010 located in Newport Beach, California.[3]

1962 Jaguar XK-E restyled in New Jersey by Dick "Korky" Korkes for Bobby Freedman. Built out of a fastback coupe, it featured a double Bubble Top split by a center panel with chrome bands across the roof. The hood was shaved and molded to the body to achieve a cleaner appearance. Side scoops trimmed with two chrome bars were made behind the front wheel openings. The headlights were tunneled into the body and the headlight housings were chromed. The Jaguar Bubble-top was powered by a fuel-injected Corvette engine. The car was fit with a pair of unique chromed pipe-style headers. Once the bodywork was done, it was painted Candy blue.[1]



http://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?title=Bobby_Freedman%27s_1962_Jaguar

The XK 140 MC is a beautiful example of mid century custom design and performance. The Royal’s long and colorful history begins when it was imported to the US in 1955, where it campaigned in 6 road races before being sold to Andy Anderson. Anderson’s goal was to modify the vehicle to create the best of both worlds, a show car and drag racer.

The engine was rebuilt by John Thompson of Paxton products, who arranged to use the jaguar as the prototype for a Paxton supercharger installation for Jaguars. The result, 312hp and 14.9 seconds in the quarter mile.

The body was created by the legendary metal shaper Joe Wilhelm in San Jose, California. Modifications include: Chopped top, one piece windshield, re-shaped and extended roof, glass sunroof, smoothed and shaved panels, extended hood and fender “catwalks”, handmade oval front grille, Marchal Optique Lemans headlights and driving lights frenched into the front fenders, bumpers replaced with nerf bars, cut away and teardrop reshaped fenders w/ polished chrome inserts, smoothed deck lid, filled fender seams, rear fascia extended, complemented by chrome wire wheels, chrome brake drums, and 12 coats Metallic purple and clear lacquer.

The Royale’s beautiful interior includes a custom wood dash and instruments, high quality sound system, and plush black leather interior. Chrome plated tools included.

This fine automobile showed and placed in multiple Concours events in the late fifties, including two consecutive invitations to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. It was Stored in the early sixties untouched, until 2004 when it was discovered. The Jaguar Royal is an example of the great design, craftsmanship, and performance of yesteryear, when Pebble Beach was “An automobile style show.”

http://public.fotki.com/Rikster/11_car_photos/beautiful_custom_cars/joe_wilhelm/andy-andersons-1955/