Plastic: Its Promise and Problems Glasspar, Vaughn-Singer and More Motorsport: August, 1952 … Continue reading
Category Archives: Viking Craft – Skorpion and Wasp
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Hi Gang… Even though its estimated that over 100 Skorpion cars and bodies were produced over the years, we rarely see any on the street or at shows. Well that’s going to change with the LeMay Automotive Museum’s recent acquisition … 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
“The other day I had a thrilling ride in an amazing car. The car was the Lancer, built in Costa Mesa by Eric Irwin. We scooted around 90 degree corners at 50 miles per hour with negligible side-sway, over … Continue reading
Plastic Bodies For Home Production Hop Up Magazine: April, 1953 First known photo of a Victress S1A sports car. Person next to car is Jim Byers. Most likely the First Victress S1. … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We search long and wide for detailed information about the vintage handcrafted car builds of yesterday, and recently we hit paydirt – video (actually film) from the 1951 Petersen Motorama. Wow! It’s hard to believe that it survived … Continue reading
Hi Gang… This is one special article! First, it was written by the man himself – John Wills – who owned and brought to life two of the first four fiberglass sports cars the American public got a chance to … Continue reading
Hi Gang… What a long article this is – but worth the read in every way 🙂 I’ve been putting off sharing this article with you not because it wasn’t important – it is. The article was printed just after a … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I’ve been resisting writing about quarter-midgets for quite some time – for several reasons. First, they are new to me and there is a great amount of information out there on the internet about them. And second…. they … Continue reading
Hi Gang… In a recent story here at Forgotten Fiberglass, we reviewed the debut date of the Super Skorpion which was late in ’52. Click here to review that story. Today’s story is a follow-up showing the next printed brochure … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Establishing specific dates for the entry of a new car into the market is essential with any historical review and retrospective. We get out the magnifying glasses here at Forgotten Fiberglass, and with a bit of hard work … Continue reading
Hi Gang… The Skorpion was designed by Ralph Roberts of LeBaron Coachworks fame, and built by John Wills of fiberglass and plastic fame. Two innovators and creators at the top of their game who brought us one of the first … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Here’s a brochure you probably haven’t seen before. This is one of the earliest known brochures for the Skorpion – one of the first fiberglass sports cars built in America. Those of you new to this cute little … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Think back to how early this article is gang….July 1952. Fiberglass cars had just been introduced as a possibility 9 months before at the Petersen Motorama in November 1951. By now the American culture had heard about this … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I wish all research into fiberglass sports cars of the 1950’s was so easy. Today’s story is like shooting fish in a barrel! I’m sure it won’t happen again, so I have to savor every minute of it … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Rick D’Louhy and I continue to ferret out little known publications and booklets from the early and mid 1950’s on how to build a fiberglass car body. After all, this was a time when sports car excitement was … Continue reading
Hi gang… Rick and I are always on the search for new information and new ways to understand the fiberglass cars movement of the 1950’s. Sometimes this takes us on weeks and months long road trips. Other times our research focuses on … Continue reading
Hi Gang… You’re beginning to see a pattern to our stories. One pattern we’re emphasizing focuses on the first fiberglass cars introduced to the American public. These were revealed in the 1951 Petersen Motorama and included the: Glasspar G2 (Brooks Boxer) by … Continue reading
Hi Gang… “Watch 1953…..Plastic bodies are not only the coming thing – they have come, and they are too good not to stay”. That’s what Jim Potter, managing editor of Motor Trend wrote in December 1952 – and he was exactly right. … Continue reading
Hi Gang… There’s so much information about vintage fiberglass cars – if you know where to look. One of my favorite pieces of information comes from the 1954 Trend Book Titled “Manual of Building Plastic Cars”. What a gem of … Continue reading
Hi Gang… As promised….a story a day for 2 weeks….then Rick and I are going on another cross-country road trip to save a number of fiberglass relics. I think Robert Frost once wrote about vintage fiberglass cars and the act of saving them…..”miles to … Continue reading