Showcase
1949 Panache Sport Custom
Owner: Undiscovered Classics
Undiscovered Classics is working to restore this Sport Custom European styled sports car.
History of This Car
Sport Custom cars appeared as a postwar car movement where the design and build of the car was the result of a talented and skilled individual(s) or small company. These cars were often larger than a American sports car of this era which typically used a 100 inch wheelbase (about the size of a Corvette).
This type or car is sometimes referred to as an American Boulevard Cruiser, and they are all of original or near original design. This movement lasted approximately from 1946 to 1959, with earlier cars being built from steel or aluminum and later ones typically in fiberglass. John Bond, owner and editor of Road & Track magazine in the 1950s thought approximately 1000 of these cars were built across America during these years.
The 1949 Panache is a unique example of one of the more intriguing designs of this era. Only one Panache was built (typical of Sport Custom cars). The Panache was most likely built early in this movement and is based on a 1939 Nash Ambassador – chassis, drivetrain and front clip. The cab of the car is a 1938 Plymouth and has been highly modified. The builder spent a great deal of time chopping, channeling, zeeing and extending the lines of the car.
The design of the Panache is unusual in that it is European in character versus the more common hot rod or sports car.
Specifications
- Body: Cab and rear was 1938 Plymouth Coupe, chopped and channeled. Front fenders were from donor car – 1939 Nash 4 door sedan – chopped and extended 14 inches with extensive molding of fenders.
- Drivetrain: 1939 Nash 6 with standard / manual transmission with overdrive
- Chassis: 1939 Nash 4 door sedan, chopped and zee’d (lowered in center of chassis)
Photos and Videos
Photos and Videos
Vintage Photos And More Shared Here
Articles
Story: 1949 Panache to Appear at the Cigar City Concours d’Elegance in Tampa, Florida
Undiscovered Classics: October 14, 2019
Handcrafted Car Show Appearance – 1993
The Panache Appeared at the First Handcrafted Museum Exhibition Known
Artwork
Renderings and Artwork
Dan Palatnik’s Artistry Sought To Help Suggest Possibilities
Show Appearances
Cigar City Concours d’Elegance
Tampa, Florida: November 10, 2019
Additional Reading
Panache Sports Custom
Need Help in Finding the Original Builder
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Click Here To Read “The Emergence of the American Postwar Sportscar”
Click Here To Read “Forgotten Fiberglass: American Sports Car Specials”