Before I get started, I know this is not a “kit car” but I think unique concept cars do have a place at POHT, even if a limited one. Now with that out of the way Check this expensive eBay gem out. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Other-Makes-Flajole-Forerunner-Phenominal-one-off-concept-car-by-Bill-Flajole-from-Hyman-Ltd-/370620086566?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item564aadb926
The below excerpt is from the eBay ad
1955 Flajole Forerunner
One of the most beautiful and innovative concept cars of the 1950’s, The Flajole Forerunner was stylist Bill Flajole’s vision of the future. Featured on the cover of Motor Trend magazine in September 1955, the Forerunner was the result of over 7000 hours of design and construction, and over $80,000 in build cost, and keep in mind this was 1955! The subject of numerous magazine articles, Motor Trend featured the Forerunner on the same cover as Ghia’s groundbreaking Gilda design study.
Sports Cars Illustrated gave the Forerunner a three-page feature article in October 1955, Mechanix Illustrated wrote about the car in September of 1955, and the car was recently featured in Octane Magazine. Designed and built by automotive designer Bill Flajole, then Advance Styling Consultant for American Motors, and a well known industrial designer, the Forerunner incorporates many futuristic design elements like its retracting tinted Plexiglas roof, headrest bucket seats and contrasting color fender coves, well before any of these items were put on a production car.
Its chassis is among the best of its day, Jaguar’s high performance 180 horsepower XK 120M with an SCCA race class win to its credit while Flajole’s studio was creating the Forerunner’s body. The glass fiber body employed molded-in open louvers and elaborate compound curves never before attempted in fiberglass. Its windshield header-mounted rear view mirror foreshadows later designers’ use of periscope optics.
This important one off automobile has been completely restored, and was shown at Amelia Island in 2010. The car is complete with magazines that featured the car when first built as well as photos of the car taken during its construction in the Flajole studios in the 1950’s that have been supplied by Bill Flajole’s daughter. A fabulous one off concept car with an impeccable history .
Concept cars are always something to inspire dreams and desires.
At first glance I thought this some early GM Concept.
I read the entire ad and after I get past the seller making it clear to me they like to find cars and flip them for high dollars and profits.
I find it hard not to believe that the then show concept car that became the new Corvette of the time didn’t give some inspiration to this design, seems from the doors forward, the coves, hood windshield even front end all make me think of the 56 Corvette in fact I see lots of GM/Chevy styling touches in this design, anyone else recall the Corvair and Corvette Concept show cars with basically the same rear end treatment?
Whatever inspired it this is a most wonderful car, I do love purple.
The fact it survives is amasing.
One off concepts like this can always be thought of by some to be priceless but everything has a price tag I wonder what the buyer of this one will do with it, display it in a museum of perhaps take it for a drive or two.
I will be most curious if anyone lays out the asking price on this one.
Imagine this futuristic car driving around Detroit in the 1950’s compared to what the general public was driving in those days! It actually was a design study to showcase new innovations in technology like fiberglass, plexiglass, auto safety (high backed seats), etc. This car was originally British racing green with cream colored coves (yes, before the Corvette). I had the privilege of riding in this car many times with my father when I was a small child! A ten minute trip to pick up the Sunday newspaper always turned into 2 hours because the car attracted so much attention!
Yeah must have been a site to see for sure!