Nice Picture of Stylish Sorrell SR-190 Coupe. The Hood Looks Like It Swings Opens – Clamshell Style – Similar To The Later Jaguar XKE.
Hi Gang…
This is our second in a series of “spotlights” on sections of a Buyer’s Guide for fiberglass sports cars published by Car Craft in March, 1956. Click on the link below to review all fiberglass cars discussed in this 1956 Buyer’s Guide as of today:
Click here to review all articles published on the Car Craft, March 1956 Buyer’s Guide
Today’s article focuses on the little known Sorrell SR-190 Coupe designed by Bob Sorrell and debuted in the mid 1950’s in Inglewood, California.
Background: Sorrell Sports Cars
Much was changing in early 1956. The golden era of building your own fiberglass sports car (1951-1956) was coming to a close and new names like Devin, LaDawri, Kellison, and Bocar were on the horizon. That didn’t keep older companies like Sorrell – and previously mentioned Woodill Wildfire – from coming out with new models. The dreams of extending their legacy and designing new cars remained, and Bob Sorrell was one of those pioneers.
Sorrell introduced his first car – the SR100 Roadster – in 1954 to great acclaim at the Petersen Motorama, Los Angeles, California. Now…a few years had passed, and a new model was being released – his SR-190 Coupe.
Although I have found several mentions of this car in the literature, I’ve not found any stories or write-ups on it in detail. I hope to find such detail in the future, but for now, the Buyer’s Guide below showing details on the SR-190 Coupe may be the best we have on this car. And… like many of the 1950’s fiberglass sports cars, no examples of this car are known to exist.
So…enjoy this segment of Car Craft’s 1956 Fiberglass Buyers Guide, and maybe one of you lucky guys or gals out there will find the car mentioned in today’s story – the long lost Sorrell SR-190 Coupe.
Car Craft (March 1956): The Sorrell 190 Coupe
| Car Craft (March 1956) Woodill Wildfire Specifications (Roadsters and Coupes) |
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| Wheelbase |
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| Tread |
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| Overall Length |
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| Overall Width |
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| Overall Height, top |
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| Note: This body is also available with a 100 inch wheelbase and 58 inch tread | |
| Coupe Body Shell Only |
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| Complete top kit to fit stock Austin-Healey body including windows |
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| The SR-190 coupe body will fit any stock Austin-Healey chassis without alterations. Other stages of body completion and accessories are available at extra cost. | |
| For additional prices and information, write: | Sorrell Engineering 9616 Felton Street Inglewood, California Orchard 7-1402 |
Summary:
Hope you enjoyed the story, and until next time…
Glass on gang…
Geoff
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Click on the Images Below to View Larger Pictures
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- Nice Picture of Stylish Sorrell SR-190 Coupe. The Hood Looks Like It Swings Opens – Clamshell Style – Similar To The Later Jaguar XKE.
Hi Geoff,
If you will look up the drawings I sent to you a while back that showed my “dream car ” X-1″, you will also find a design that I did that is a near dead ringer to the Sorrell 190 coupe. It was a removable fastback hardtop to fit the Healey 100. My version had a “V” windshield that in my minds eye, gave it a little class that the almost flat Healey windshield was lacking. I don’t remember the date on my design but it might be on the drawing.
I really enjoy reading the history that you are able to present to us all. Thanks ! I also enjoy the comments from Merrill Powell from Victress, as I remember him well from the many times I visited Alton Johnson during the time he was creating the 1st LeMans coupe.
Doug Ward , Orange, Ca.