Reply
Hi Gang… Last we heard from our friend in Spain, Luis Alarcos, his SWM Gordini arrived and restoration plans were being put in place. Click Here To Review Last Story on Luis’s SWM Gordini But it’s been nearly a year … Continue reading
Category Archives: Forgotten Fiberglass – Foreign
Our SWM Gordini is off to new ownership in Valladolid, Spain
Hi Gang… As with many of our cars here at Undiscovered Classics, they find new homes so we can concentrate on other restorations. We would have loved to restore this car and pursue the history more but alas….so little time … Continue reading
Showcase 1968 SWM Renault Gordini Owner: Luis Alarcos – Valladolid, Spain History of This Car SWM was a German based company founded by two brothers in the 1960s. Stefan and Wenzel Mannl (Stefan and Wenzel Mannl – SWM) designed, … Continue reading
Other SWM Race Cars Research Continues On The Car Below The Mannl family identifies the car below as a car that they didn’t build as currently configured but one that may have been modified over the years. The family says … Continue reading
Mannl Family Sports / Race Car Story From 1962, Stefan Mannl drove on the BMW 700 coupe circuit and mountain race. Stefan Mannl, born 1940 and Wenzelmann, 1938 operated a gas station and motor vehicle. Workshop in Munchen. Inspired by … Continue reading
Ad For Sale Austro Motor Magazine: September, 1969 Translated Ad “…..also over 200 km/h v-max for the price of approx. 15.000.- German marks is promising the Munich company SWM. In the small, only 103 cm high sports prototype will run … Continue reading
On The Left – One of the Latest Cars by Cliff Byfield. On The Right – One of his First.
Hi Gang… Today we’re sharing the first story by John Mellberg of Rare Component Cars. I introduced John to you last week in the following story: Click Here To Review John Mellberg Introduction to Our Undiscovered Classics Audience John’s first … Continue reading
Nice Proportions For a Sports Car – I hope we can find out the heritage here
Hi Gang… I love Singer Specials. Strong engine with overhead cam. Custom bodies – usually lightweight fiberglass, and all usually built in the 1952-1955 era. And besides…..Singers are fun and Singers are rare. These cars tick all the boxes for … Continue reading
Trabant Dune Buggy – Photo Courtesy of Dr. Tamás Véssey
Hi Gang… Besides being a great friend, Pal Negyesi is a automotive historian who researches the history of all cars but especially those in – or close to – his native country – Hungary. Pal has shared several stories with … Continue reading
1957 Protea – South African Handcrafted Special
Hi Gang… It’s fascinating to learn about a fiberglass bodied sports car with a “build” heritage exactly that of an American special but in South Africa. It was the same timeframe too – the mid 1950s. I first came across … Continue reading
Sportscar Specials Trend Book #196: 1960 Multiple Cars … Continue reading
Sportscar Specials Trend Book #178: 1958 Multiple Cars … Continue reading
You started with a body when you bought An Allied Swallow in the 1950s. You could order a chassis too.
Hi Gang… I finally found one! A Singer Special. That’s what I said back in 2015 we we acquired a very nice example of a Singer Special built using a Allied Swallow body. We always call these cars “Allied Cisitalia” … Continue reading
Here’s one of the two Seagrave / Floridian Cars that have been found. This one went to auction in 2018.
Hi Gang… Today I’m honored to share an article by our friend and intrepid “historian-adventurer” Bob Cunningham. Bob has always had an affinity for small cars, lost marques and their history. Today’s article about the Floridian / Seagrave has never … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Today’s story is by one of our Undiscovered Classics aficionados – Kyle Feller. Kyle has been working with us for over 5 years and has participated in some of our best adventures which include our Leo Lyons Custom … Continue reading
Hi Gang… There are a lot of cars out there that are beautiful, rare and deserve more attention than they typically have received. That’s the case with today’s story and a brochure on the Brazilian designed and built Ventura. Our … Continue reading
Hi Gang… It’s significant to look back over time and consider changes we’ve seen in celebrating Undiscovered Classics cars. Recently we shared the increased appearances of handcrafted American sports cars at events across the country including the Amelia Island Concours … Continue reading
Hi Gang…. One of our long-term Undiscovered Classics brethren, Guy Dirkin, has just completed the restoration of his super-rare TVR Tuscan with his friend and co-owner of the car – Paul Guinn. This is definitely not your ordinary TVR, and … Continue reading
Hi Gang…. One of our long-term Undiscovered Classics brethren, Guy Dirkin, has just completed the restoration of his super-rare TVR Tuscan with his friend and co-owner of the car – Paul Guinn. This is definitely not your ordinary TVR, and … Continue reading
Hidden Treasures: 1968 SWM Gordini Vintage Racecar Journal: September, 2017 … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Interesting letters come in all the time to Undiscovered Classics. Most times we can help and provide information quickly but some questions require research – and those can be the most fun types of letters. Here’s an interesting … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Rick D’Louhy and I are not alone in our race to get our car ready for the 2015 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance – now 12 days away. Tim Suddard of Classic Motorsports is nipping on our heels with … Continue reading
Hi Gang… One of the best things about running Forgotten Fiberglass is meeting new folks – especially those with an interest on the history of fiberglass outside the USA too! Today I have the honor of introducing you to Pal … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Today’s article is courtesy of Bill Munro – an automotive historian with an appreciation of the unusual and less traveled path of cars – and in this case commercial vehicles. Today’s story focuses on a 1960s variant of … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Last year was an exciting year of “finds” for Forgotten Fiberglass, and one of the neatest ones received national attention in the October 30th, 2014 edition of Old Cars Weekly. We had heard from new owner Bernie Kranz … Continue reading
Hi Gang… In the mid 1950s, the name Bugatti still evoked the greatness of its prewar years, and many a car enthusiast wanted to see this marque return to the forefront of design. A well-known French artist – James-Jacques Brown … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I’ve been researching this car for quite some time, and recently came across a beautiful hi-res photo of the car from back in 1953. It was an experimental car – a prototype – designed by La Carrozzeria Touring … Continue reading
Hi Gang… One of fiber-friends from Australia is Ted Godfrey and he recently sent in some information about a Australian sports car that was new to me – a Renault based sports car designed and built by Len Moir. With … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Recently we wrote about the Tornado cars here at Forgotten Fiberglass – click here to review that story – and comments came in from all ‘round in the Forgotten Fiberglass world. It’s great that the story attracted so … Continue reading
Hi Gang… More and more we are covering Forgotten Fiberglass stories from lands far, far away. Today I have the honor of introducing you to our newest friend from New Zealand – Brian Ford. Welcome aboard Brian! In the last … Continue reading
Hi Gang… More and more, we are seeing Foreign Forgotten Fiberglass show up in the USA as a long lost tucked-away car, or something brought here often to race. In fact, our stories of foreign fiberglass have kept growing at … Continue reading
Hi Gang… There are so many interesting cars out there to find – and much to the continued surprise of both Rick D’Louhy and myself – these cars keep popping up. Take today’s story about the SWM Gordini built by … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Several years back, one of the fiber-gang out there sent in a reference to the earliest fiberglass car I’ve seen built outside of the USA. I sat on the information waiting and hoping that more information would surface. … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Well this was an interesting bit of research. Back in May of last year, I found a photo on eBay (can’t remember if someone sent me the reference or if I found it – if someone sent it … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Alden Jewell found this on the inside page of the Small Car Parade Magazine from March, 1960. Shown is the new Enzmann as well as the older 1954 Renault based Rogue by Plasticar of Pennsylvannia. Interestingly, while the … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Our ‘glass gang is going global and I’m honored to introduce you to one of our Australian brethren – Dale Allen – who loves the old and new ‘glass as much as we do. Recently, Dale offered to … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Great news! Reports from my good friend Randy Baron who recently visited Argentina confirms that the Justicialista Sports Car exists. How cool! It certainly has a great history and it’s neat to learn about one of the first … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We always think of the first production fiberglass car in America as being the 1953 Corvette – and for all intents and purposes that assertion is right. As Raffi Minasian has discussed with me many times, production infers … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Research into the history of the early postwar fiberglass specials is a bit like playing the 1980s kids game “Wac-A-Mole.” Did you ever see it? Here’s a short video clip: . Everytime we begin research into a car … Continue reading
Hi Gang… So far we’ve found two magazines that heralded the announcement that a newly designed “Dutch Darrin” DKW car that would ultimately be sold by Flintridge Motors of Los Angeles, California. Each occurred early in ’57 and the plans … Continue reading
Hi Gang… If you remember from our previous story here on Forgotten Fiberglass about the Seagrave car (click here to review), the Seagrave company threw down the gauntlet and announced a fiberglass bodied compact car would shortly be in production. … Continue reading
Hi Gang… For the past several years, the fiberglass bodied Seagrave Compact Coupe has been surfacing and retreating – looking for a new owner and deserving of one too. Having survived for 50+ years in unrestored and unshown condition…it’s time … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Here’s another interesting publicity photo I found recently – and I had to look at it “thrice” to make sure it really was – what I thought it “was.” Shown on the wall of the exhibition was a … Continue reading
Hi Gang… So you thought we may have disappeared from the ‘glass scene on the net. Surprise! We’re back and ready to share with you fantastic plastic stories of ‘glass cars of years gone by. In the past year, I’ve … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Not to be confused with the Campbell Fiberglass Company which produced fiberglass boats and cars (known as “Hollywood Plastics”) in California….this “Campbell Sports Car Company” is from Canada and combines some of the best produced bodies, chassis, and … Continue reading
Hi Gang… There are many nicely designed fiberglass bodied sports cars that make it over the pond and to the USA. One of those that I see time and time again is the Peerless GT – which is surprising given … Continue reading
Hi Gang… What fun it is to learn about cars from knowledgeable folks within our group – in this case, Will Silk. Will has offered to put together fiberglass-related articles from time to time and today’s article is a fascinating … Continue reading
Hi Gang… There were some fantastic fiberglass sports cars built here – and across the pond. How ‘bout Switzerland? The Enzmann is one of a few sports cars made there, and has a powerful legacy both in Europe and here … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Boa sports cars are coming out of the woodwork! Erich Schultz has one. Guy Dirkin has one. Whose next to buy a Boa? These fiberglass bodied custom coachbuilt sports cars came with an aluminum monocoque chassis, and are virtually unknown today. … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Back in late 2008, I heard from car aficionado Kit Foster concerning a car that had just turned up in a Toledo auto show. It had a Fiat 600 drive train and the word “Zar” on the trunk. … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We touch on foreign fiberglass from time to time, and we’ll do this more often in the future as we close the loop and complete the bulk of research into the forgotten fiberglass of the ‘50s and ‘60s. … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Who doesn’t like futuristic cars? Ever since I found the “Shark” when I was 17 years old, I think I’ve been hooked. Especially when I look at them today – in terms of what the future looked like … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Editor’s Note: Not a lot of pictures with this story gang – so you’ll have to bear with me. There’s more fiberglass history to find out there gang. And it could be in your backyard. Anyone want to … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Bill Tritt of Glasspar was one busy guy! Just think of what he accomplished in the world of automobiles in just a few short years: In 1950-1951, Tritt designed and built the Brooks Boxer. This was to become … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Film from the 1950’s showing how to build a fiberglass sports car is even more rare than the cars themselves. With the help of Greg and Ted Griffin (Woodill Wildfire owners and historians) we were able to find … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I’d like to stray outside of American Fiberglass and go overseas. Rob Daniels who runs the 1950’s Specials Website focusing on Foreign Fiberglass Cars may be able to help here too. Off to some foreign fiberglass from the 1950’s and beyond. … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Bill Tritt and Glasspar were an amazing combination back in the 1950’s concerning sports cars. For a (long) moment in time, Glasspar was the go-to company concerning so many things that were fiberglass – including automobiles. Glasspar was … Continue reading
Hi Gang.. More “firsts” here in the world of fiberglass. We first covered the UK’s first fiberglass car called the Allard Clipper. In our last story we reviewed the first plastic car in America – Ford’s 1941 Plastic car. So let’s go back … Continue reading
Hi Gang… The Petersen Automotive Museum is opening 2010 by celebrating the designers and entreprenuers who created fiberglass automobiles from the 1940’s thru the present day. Leslie Kendall, the Curator of the Petersen Museum, and other luminaries within the Petersen organization have assembled a … Continue reading
Hi gang… I love surprises. Everyone loves surprises…And what a surprise it was when I heard directly from the first woman to participate in the build of the first fiberglass production car in Britain – Margaret Woolsey. Born and raised in … Continue reading
Hi Gang.. We tend to think that fiberglass bodied sports cars originated in America – heck – the west cost of America at that. But that’s just not the case. As Harold Pace coached me years ago….besides America..fiberglass bodies and … Continue reading