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DIY Sports Car: 1954 Woodill Wildfire

1954-woodill-wildfire

We have featured a couple of Woodill Wildfires over the years, but haven’t seen any on the market recently. So, when Barn Finds reader Richard B sent over a link to this one I knew we had to present it for your consideration. These fiberglass cars are rare today since only 300 were ever produced. Only 15 of those were sold as complete cars while the rest were kits. The headlights and grill make me think this was built from a kit, but you never know. This could be a really fun project, but the asking price might be a little optimistic. Find it here on craigslist in El Paso, Texas for $15,000. Thanks for the tip Richard!

continetal-kit

There was a lot of interest in home-brew cars during the fifties. The first attempts at car building utilized simple hand-formed metal panels, but when fiberglass starting gaining traction, some people saw an opportunity to produce inexpensive, but good looking bodies for DIYers.

johnny-dark-scene

Car dealer, Blanchard Woodill was one of them and his creation went on to gain some celebrity status when it was featured in the movie, Johnny Dark. This example is going to need a lot of work before it’s going to be running any “Border to Border” races, but the chance to impersonate Tony Curtis is tempting…

Comments

  1. Avatar jim s

    2 photos and little text are not going to get the asking price for this, i think. a PI might help. but then maybe seller does not really want to sell, rather just trying to make some third party, who wants car gone, happy! nice find.

    Like 0
    • Avatar PRA4SNW

      Agreed, very fishy ad. 2 lousy pics and incomplete text.
      Just call Alan, any Alan at all, I guess.

      Like 0
      • Avatar Alan (Michigan)

        You could call me, but I don’t know beans about the car. But there is a phone number shown with the “Reply” button at the top: contact by phone: ☎ 915 920 4369

        Like 0
      • Avatar PRA4SNW

        Now I see it, you have to actually click the Reply button to get the phone number. Seems much easier to add it to the text.

        Like 0
  2. Avatar Dolphin Member

    I’m sure it will be saved since the seller seems to know he has something special, but with a $15K ask price it might take a long time for the right buyer to come along.

    And I’m not him, since I can think of a very long list of cars that I could and would buy for that $15K before this one.

    I wonder whether the Forgotten Fiberglas website hosts for sale ads.

    Like 0
  3. Avatar Mark E

    Come on, Jim S! That stick has to add some value right there…

    Yeah, 15 Gs they’re asking and they can’t be bothered to take the stick off the car before they take a pic. Call me silly but anything over $1500 and I’ve always washed & waxed it before I took listing photos. Think of all the time I’ve wasted…

    Like 0
    • Avatar Tirefriar

      Mark, come on. This is the “barn find” look. Notice all the dirt accumulated with age in the continental spare tire well. That’s what the big auction houses call “condition as discovered”, supposedly adds to the WOW factor ;-)

      Like 0
  4. Avatar Wiley Robinson

    Wow, right in my backyard! Stuff really does turn up here doesn’t it? That asking price isn’t that much considering what the last few of these sold for. Plus it looks like it’s in great shape. I notice he’s got a yard full of junk and other cars so I’m sure he knows what it is.

    Like 0
  5. Avatar Vince Habel

    looks like 50 Studebaker Commander headlight rims. tail lights are kaiser. these are certified milestone cars.

    Like 0
    • Avatar DT

      I was thinking the same thing,looks like 1950 Studebaker headlights and Henery J taillights

      Like 0
  6. Avatar Peter

    Did anybody see one of these go on Gas Monkey Garage (on Discovery TV) last year? It was running, and clean, and I believe it was $100,000. that was plunked down, in cash, on the hood, by Richard’s coast-to-coast “Cannonball Run” co-driver, Dennis. It was also white. But it had a windshield, was complete, and ran and drove (as they say). Sold for 100K, but I believe the “ask” was 125K.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Randy Rush

      Peter: Your correct. It was complete and very clean.

      Like 0
    • Avatar BradL

      When you mentioned it, I had to find it on YouTube. Not only was it original paint and interior, it had only 1600 miles on it. Gas Monkey found it necessary to chop the windshield, reroute the gas filler, repaint the car, replace the wheels, etc. IMHO, he devalued the car by a large percentage despite what he sold it for.

      Like 0
  7. Avatar dave

    @ Wiley Robinson

    what did the last ‘few’ sell for ???????????

    Like 0
  8. Avatar rancho Bella

    The buying and selling of old cars is an odd world. Remember, the “ask” is 15K. Who knows what the sell will be.

    I currently have a couple of cars for sale. I get calls and emails from potential buyers who feel free to tell me…….”you are asking to much”.
    My response is always, the parts are selling what my ask is………..so I should sell an entire matching numbers car for less that what the parts sell for on the used market?…………silence, everytime. Ahhh people………..they just won’t let you like em’

    As for this car, although I don’t find it attractive I somehow like it. Yes, I know that doesn’t make sense.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Alan (Michigan)

    Interesting….

    The front of the car, the double-hump cowl, and the instruments viurtually shout “Sports Car”!

    The continental tire spare carrier on the rear begs to differ. Funny.

    Like 0
  10. Avatar Vince Habel

    Looked at other Woodhills and none of them had The Studebaker headlights.

    Like 0
  11. Avatar Dantheman

    Is this a roller that needs an interior as well as a drivetrain?
    Why no picture under the hood?
    If you could do whatever you wanted with trim and everything else but the skin, what is there about the car that has value?
    I think the seller either doesn’t want to sell it or (s)he thought there would be a double line of buyers after it.

    Like 0

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