Vehicle Description
The early 1950s was a fascinating period in the American automobile
landscape. Service members returning from duty overseas had
experienced the excitement of small, light European and British
sports cars and they wanted to recreate that experience at home.
Imported sports cars trickled in, but they were expensive, and some
found them poorly suited to vast American roads. Particularly on
the West Coast, the lines between Hot Rod and sports car culture
began to blur, as individual enthusiasts took it upon themselves to
build sports cars incorporating American drivetrains. The
broadening availability of fiberglass coincided perfectly, as car
builders experimenting with the material found it robust, easy to
work with, and capable of being molded into virtually any shape
imaginable. Bill Tritt is considered the father of the American
fiberglass-bodied sports car. His stylish, vaguely Jaguar-inspired
Glasspar G2 was one of the first commercially available fiberglass
cars. Sold primarily in kit form, Tritt did produce a handful of
complete, turnkey vehicles. At the time, none of the Big Three
offered an outright sports car, and with young buyers pushing hard
for sportier options, several dealers took it upon themselves to
create their own using Tritt's Glasspar G2 as a basis. Cars such as
the Yankee Clipper and Fiberflash were notable examples of G2s that
were built and modified by car dealers to meet growing demand. One
dealer that jumped on the bandwagon was B.R. "Woody" Woodill of
Downey, California. Woodill operated one of the largest Willys
dealers in the country, and he envisioned a version of the Glasspar
using Willys mechanicals, going so far as to propose Willys adopt
it for production. But the parent company was in the process of
merging with Kaiser, and the latter already had a fiberglass sports
car in the works, the Kaiser-Darrin. So Woody Woodill changed his
strategy and began offering the Wildfire through his dealership as
fully-built cars or do-it-yourself kits. Early cars used the proven
if slightly underwhelming Willys flathead inline-six, while later
examples featured the ubiquitous and affordable Ford flathead V8.
The arrival of the Chevrolet Corvette in 1953 marked the beginning
of the end for boutique manufacturers like Woodill, yet he still
managed to sell a respectable number of about 100 Wildfires during
its brief production run. This 1954 Woodill Wildfire is a unique
example with a fascinating history. It is believed this is one of
only a handful of Wildfires purchased as kits by Harry Clark Buick
Agency of Compton, California, and modified with styling cues and
drivetrains from the Buick line. At the front, the body was altered
to incorporate 1953 Buick headlights and a shortened, modified 1953
Chevrolet grille. At the rear, molds of a 1953 Buick's rear fenders
were taken and transferred to fiberglass to give it a consistent
look with the rest of the Buick line. Finally, Clark added a
continental kit spare wheel and a racy curved windshield. Under the
hood, Clark and his crew eschewed the standard Wildfire's
inline-six-cylinder engine in favor of Buick's powerful new
overhead valve 322 cubic-inch "Nailhead" V8. The engine paired to a
Dynaflow transmission with the shift lever relocated the floor for
a sportier feel. The October 1954 issue ofMotor Lifemagazine
reported a Wildfire-Buick very similar to this car ran an
impressive 95mph at the Santa Ana drags. This car is one of just a
few known Wildfires left in existence with its original Buick
modifications, and it presents in incredibly well-preserved
condition. The white paint is believed to be almost entirely
original, judged by the beautiful period pinstripe job, signed by
the artist and dated 1953 on behalf of A&M Custom Body & Paint,
Orange, California. The body is in very good overall condition,
with a few cracks noted in the fiberglass, primarily in the door
jambs. The car retains the original Buick taillights, Chevrolet
grille, and Ford bumpers, while a late-model Ford trunk lock
appears to be the only deviation from how it left the dealership.
Red steel wheels, wide whitewall tires, smooth hubcaps, and twin
antennas round out the ultra-1950s look. The interior features red
and white vinyl trim, red nylon loop carpet, and a red-painted
dash, all of which present in excellent original condition. The
seats and matching door panels are in superb order thanks to the
use of hard-wearing upholstery material. A 1953 Buick steering
wheel is suitably flashy, and the period-correct Stewart-Warner
instruments look right at home in the dash. Buick's Nailhead V8
fits nicely in the spacious engine bay of the Wildfire. It appears
to be primarily stock on the outside, breathing through a single
4-bbl carburetor on a standard manifold, with a period-style
louvered chrome air-cleaner on top. Dual exhaust, complete with
period fan-style tips give the Buick V8 a satisfying, snappy
soundtrack. The engine bay displays an appropriate level of patina,
and it runs well with power going through the original Dynaflow
automatic transmission. Today, we can thank Bill Tritt, Woody
Woodill, and others for helping the U.S. car industry see the value
in a home-grown American sports car. Without their creativity and
brio, Detroit may never have caught on to the sports car
revolution. The fascinating history of this particular Wildfire and
its numerous distinct features make it a real standout in the
esoteric world of Glasspar-bodied cars. Presented in unrestored
condition, this Wildfire is sure to please discerning collectors of
rare and unusual sports cars. Offers welcome and trades considered
For additional details please view this listing directly on our
website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/6564-1954-woodill-wildfire-roadster/