Kit cars will always be a lucky dip when it comes to the vexing question of build quality. Sometimes the finished product can be stunning, while at other times, they can be pretty gruesome. This 1966 Fiberfab Banshee fits into the former category, and it is 1-of-12 produced by the company during the 1960s. It presents superbly, and below the skin hides a chassis and drivetrain from a 1962 Austin-Healey. The owner has decided to part with this rare beast, so he has listed it for sale here on Craigslist. It is located in Morgan Hill, California, and the owner has set the sale price at $28,500, although it appears that he will entertain offers. I have to say a big thank you to Barn Finder MattR for spotting the Banshee for us.

Fiberfab was a company that operated out of Palo Alto, California, and they initially produced fiberglass add-ons for Corvettes and Mustangs. Then, they diversified into their own range of vehicles, offering these as both kits or turn-key cars. Russell and Chris Beebe designed the Banshee, and the company only produced twelve kits before they were approached by General Motors, who wished to buy the Banshee name. The company accepted GM’s offer, and they then created a mildly reworked form of the original Banshee that carried the name Caribee. The styling of the Banshee is distinctive, with lines that are not unlike the Shelby Daytona Coupe. Fiberfab devised a method of bonding the fiberglass body to steel tubing to provide greater stiffness and allow for the inclusion of gullwing doors in the design. Those features remain intact on this vehicle, and the first thing that struck me is how nicely the panels fit together on this kit car. There are none of the yawning gaps that seem to be a hallmark of this type of vehicle. The fit is tight and consistent, while the panels and Red paint appear to be flawless. The wire wheels look period correct, and the exterior chrome is in excellent order. Apart from the gullwing design, one of the other exterior features that grabs your attention is the rear window. Fiberfab produced these in plexiglass, and this one, along with the remaining glass, is in good order. Since the owner took these photos, he has installed a set of custom headlight covers of a similar design to the ones fitted to the early Jaguar E-Type. These add a nice finishing touch, providing a more integrated look to the vehicle’s overall styling.

Kit car interiors are just as prone to bad fit and finish as the exterior. While the Banshee will never be mistaken for an Aston Martin, the overall appearance is pretty acceptable. The upholstered surfaces and carpet fit well, as does the dash. The gauge cluster isn’t up to the standard of the rest of the trim, but the buyer could fix this issue with little cost or effort. The timber that the builder chose has a cheap look to it, and its fit on a couple of corners is found wanting. However, the buyer might be able to fabricate a replacement from walnut or birch to provide a more integrated look. Otherwise, there isn’t much that it needs. The gauges are crisp and clear, the seats look comfortable and supportive, and a radio/cassette player would offer entertainment on the move. However, that last item is another feature that I might consider changing. It is a long way for the driver to reach across to make any adjustments to the stereo, so I would be tempted to replace it with something more modern that includes a remote control. The market is awash with vintage-look alternatives, and it would potentially improve the safety of all concerned.

Hiding below that stylish fiberglass body is a chassis and drivetrain from a 1962 Austin-Healey. I believe that this is a 3000, which would provide the Banshee with a 2,912cc six-cylinder engine and a manual transmission. The owner doesn’t specify whether the transmission is equipped with the optional overdrive, but if it is, that is a nice bonus for the buyer if they are considering long-distance travel. With 130hp on tap, the donor car would’ve been capable of covering the ¼ mile in around 17 seconds. The basic Banshee fiberglass body might have been expected to prune a few pounds off the vehicle’s overall weight to improve that figure, but I believe that the reality could be slightly different. If the Banshee’s body was a roadster, that concept is possible. However, the integrated steel tubing and the reinforcement required for the gullwing doors will probably make the weights between the two vehicles line-ball. The owner admits that the Banshee had been sitting for 30-years, but he has returned it to a roadworthy state. This process included fitting a new clutch, along with other tasks. He describes the vehicle as being well-sorted, so the next stop for the buyer will be to hit the road for the classic motoring experience.

I’m generally not a massive fan of kit cars, although I understand where they fit into the grand scheme of things. Not everyone can afford an Aston, a Ferrari, or a Shelby. However, these are vehicles that offer an affordable alternative, and if the work is executed well, the results can be pretty impressive. There are several things that I find attractive about this Banshee. The first is that the fit and finish across the entire vehicle are well above what you typically expect from a kit car. Most kit cars are based on the venerable VW Beetle chassis and drivetrain, and that’s where this classic holds its ace. Below that stylish and stunning exterior hide the chassis and drivetrain from a genuine sports car. That makes it less of a compromise and should allow it to provide respectable performance and exhilarating handling. This Banshee isn’t cheap for a kit car, but then again, it is a rung or two above the competition. Is that enough to tempt you to pursue this one further?