I’ve Always Liked The Blade-Like Shape of the Cannara Design

Hi Gang…

The next phase of the Cannara restoration has begun.  Rob Hernandez has put his pedal to the fiberglass (so to say) and has had a chance to assess the project and begin the work.

This phase of the work is being done in a small barn near my home in Tampa, Florida.  It will be interesting when we get to paint phase to see if Rob uses this space in a creative way or we take the car to a different location.

In the photos below, you’ll see where Rob has begun to replace the rotten wood with composite materials in the door area.  Given that most of the cars we restore are around 60 years old, replacing wood becomes a necessity no matter the condition.

And of course when you are repairing doors, you don’t fix them in isolation – the fit has to be constantly checked throughout the work so that the motion works properly and the gaps are close and symmetrical.

And here are some miscellaneous shots from the day below:

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Developing the New Tail Piece

I stopped by to see Rob several days later and he was in the process of beginning the work to create the tail piece.  Here’s what the back of the Cannara should look like when done.  Pay attention to the black panel below the license plate – that’s what Rob is in the process of creating:

And here’s Rob’s work so far – and it’s just the beginning.  It still has to be shaped and a lip created to match the lip on the upper part of the body.  Mounting the tail piece has to be worked out too:

When I stopped back, both doors had been repaired and work was continuing on fitting the doors correctly to the car:

Renderings By Dan Palatnik Guide Our Restorations

We’ve done this with our 1962 Shark, our 1950 Leo Lyons, the Voodoo Gardner Special and more.  Our “artist in residence”, Dan Palatnik, is part of our “working team” here at Undiscovered Classics and he is instrumental in setting the standard for how each car will be finished – the Cannara is no different.

Dan recently created a poster for the Cannara I which is shown below.  We’ll be sharing this poster throughout the restoration and after the car is completed so feel free to download a copy and enjoy it on your own computer now.  And….great thanks to Dan Palatnik for creating this for us and being part of the team 🙂

Summary:

There’s still much to do in restoring the Cannara I but we’ll be tracking the progress and sharing it with you here at Undiscovered Classics.

Rob’s shop is the closest shop to me yet – just a few miles away so this will be a fun watch to watch from so close by – and I can get lots of photos and perhaps a video or two.  We wish both Guy and Rob the best of success as they move forward with their project.  Those of you interested in learning more about this car and related topics, click on and explore the links below:

Click Here To Learn More About the Cannara I, its History and Restoration

Click Here To Learn More About Guy Dirkin, His Writings and His Cars

Hope you enjoyed the story, and remember…

The adventure continues here at Undiscovered Classics.

Geoff