Hi Gang…

More and more, Rick D’Louhy and I are trying to get to different parts of the country to meet and greet all the fiberglass folks, see their restored cars and projects in process, and hear fantastic fiber-stories too. Such was the case at Carlisle this year.

About two years ago, Rick and I met Theresa and Tim Alsfeld.  Theresa and Tim had called and shared with me that they wanted to find a home for Theresa’s Victress C2 coupe.  Yes…it was Theresa’s car and she had it for nearly 20 years.  When she first saw the coupe years ago, she fell in love with its design and had to have it.  And she has loved the look and size of the car ever since.  The Victress C2 is small – it was designed to fit an MG sized chassis with a wheelbase of around 94.”

After all these years, she had decided that she wanted to find someone that could restore / complete the car and asked if we could help.  Enter Clarke Taylor of New Hampshire.  Clarke and I had met when he sought us out and shared with us the story of finding a Byers SR100 years ago.  Ultimately this car was sold to Phil Fleming who sold it to George McGuire – and I’m pleased to say that the car is nearing the completion of its restoration.  (More about that in a future story here at Forgotten Fiberglass.)

Clarke and his family visited the Fiberglass Forest here in Tampa, Florida in 2013 and during the visit he asked if I knew of any vintage American fiberglass sports cars built on a British chassis that were available.  That’s a rare question – most of what was produced back then was for the 100″ wheelbase sized cars and Clarke was looking for something in the 94″ wheelbase range – “British.”  It took a few minutes, but I recalled Theresa’s car and put them together and it was a match made in fiber-heaven.

After Clarke picked up the car, I asked him if he would consider taking the car to Carlisle in 2014.  Merrill Powell from Victress would be there and he could reunite Merrill with the C2 Coupe – a car Merrill designed for Victress in 1953/1954.  His answer – “yes.”  And then I knew Carlisle was going to be a super year in 2014 🙂

Merrill Powell Meets Clarke And His Victress C2

In the photos below you can see Clarke and Merrill with the C2 – the first time Merrill had seen a Victress C2 in over 50 years, and what fun this was for Merrill and all of us to see.  A man and his car back together again after such a long time.

Here (below) Merrill and the Victress C2 pose with Clarke Taylor, Bob Murray and Bob’s grandson Marck Barker.

Merrill Powell Signs His Victress C2 Coupe:

And of course, how could such an event be without a “signing” so, with pen in hand, Merrill Powell signed the Victress C2 as a way of wishing great fortune to Clarke in the beginning of his restoration efforts on the car.

We very much thank both Merrill Powell and his wife Gerianne for traveling to Carlisle this past year and to Ed Buczeskie of Carlisle Events for making this possible.  And of course….great thanks to Clarke Taylor with his Victress C2 Coupe in tow for making this year even more memorable for all of us.

What a great event this was in 2014!  We hope to see all of you there next year too 🙂

Summary:

We’ll keep you posted on Clarke’s efforts on his restoration which, I’m pleased to say, has already begun.

Hope you enjoyed the story, and until next time…

Glass on gang…

Geoff