Hi Gang…

Well here’s an interesting fiber car from the mid ‘50s.  Rick D’Louhy and I looked at this article.  I said “Meteor” and Rick said “Not.”  Click here to review stories about Dick Jones’ Meteor SR-1.

Maybe we’re both right.

It’s interesting in that it is built on a Mameco frame with plans to move toward future cars with a Kurtis 500 KK chassis, so plans to make more than one were at hand.

Maybe it’s a different version of Toly Aruntunoff’s mystery car – click here to review the recent story on Toly’s mystery car.

Lots of issues to consider here gang.

Let’s have a look at the article.

What’s New On Wheels: Motor Trend, April 1955
Warm Spring Weather Has Brought Us A Rare Crop Of Ideas In Every Mail Bag;
They Vary From Complete Cars To Minor Details And Some, We Must Admit, Are A Trifle Light-Headed

Orders are now being received for a custom car that Lou Simpson and Bill and Fred Karow started out to build “just for fun and experience.”  The fiberglass body is built on a Mameco frame although future plans call for a switch to the Kurtis 500 K chassis.

The car, as shown in the photos, is in the mock-up stage.  This is interesting in itself in that the mock-up is not of the usual plaster type.  Molding clay was used instead, and then covered with black lacquer.  The engine will be a ’55 Lincoln powerplant while windshield and interior flavor are borrowed from the Thunderbird.

Thoughts On The Article:

What an interesting build that Lou Simpson and Bill / Fred Karow worked on.  Perhaps we can find these guys.  No doubt they were in the Los Angeles, California area and may still have the car.  What fun that would be!   And did they finish their project and build one or more?  So many questions 🙂

It’s interesting that the article says this is a “mock-up” built using clay.  Perhaps they started with a Meteor body and added / subtracted what they needed to arrive at their final shape – or not at all.  Time will tell, and research continues.

Summary:

Anyone want to help find Lou Simpson, Bill Karow, and Fred Karow?  One of them may be still around – or their families – and have quite a story to share.  Join the legions of Forgotten Fiberglass Fanatical Fiberologists and let us know what you find.  We’d love to hear the story and see pictures from their first-person perspective.

Hope you enjoyed the story, and until next time…

Glass on gang…

Geoff

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