This Deerwood, Minnesota custom evidently rides on a 1937 Pontiac chassis, or at least it comes with the title to one. From the lack of details in the listing here on eBay we surmise the seller is at least one transaction removed from the car’s history. While most vehicles of this sort are molded from fiberglass, this car is formed of steel! Based on the popularity of home-made two-seaters during the 1950s and early 1960s, and the use of a 1937 chassis, its reasonable to guess this custom dates to that post-war time frame.
Look closely through the crudely inserted grille and you will see, that’s right, the Earth. The seller describes the car as follows: “Head lights are just set in the buckets, grill is just…for looks. Hood is not mounted.” The front suggests inspiration from ’30s Mercedes-Benz roadsters with hints of other cars thrown in for good measure.
With no engine or transmission… or floors for that matter, you can make like Frank Sinatra and do it your way. However, it does have disc brakes and a positraction rear end. The seller reports the “center was made from a Austin Healey,” extending the car’s international appeal to the British Isles.
This angle suggests the creative juices may have been largely expended forward of the drive wheels. Perhaps the new owner will find inspiration among various elegant examples of ’30s roadsters and re-work this otherwise attractive roadster’s derrière. How would you finish this custom, and what’s your high bid?
This looks similar to the Gatsby that I acquired a couple of years ago. They were built as kits or turn key cars back in the 80’s using a MG midget cowl and doors with fiberglass rear body work grafted to the steel body, the fiberglass fenders and running boards were one piece. Mine is registered as a 72′ Ford using a full frame and a 302 engine
I’m guessing that a Spridget (Sprite/Midget) body was used, a’la Clenet and that this dates from the 1970s.
You know, if you close one eye and look in the opposite direction, it still doesn’t look like a Duisenberg, although there’s almost a hint of Auburn in the grille if I take off my reading glasses.
Seriously, I’m sure someone could have a lot of fun with this project…
Well now, isn’t that special. Actually, I thought it had a kind of cool “Who Killed Roger Rabbit” look right up to the 3/4 rear view. Then my eyes started bleeding and I ran from the room screaming.
Actually quite attractive in the photos but I have seen attractive customs like this done with things like MG midget tubs that looked good but in person were terrible. Some one here had a pretty good eye.
It’s a Spridget body, I think Alain Clenet was the best known builder to use them – I was working for a Jaguar MG Triumph dealer in Burbank, California way back then and Clenet bought parts from us. But so did Metropolitan Pit Stop (are they still around??). Two widely different cars!
I’ll admit the grill and front end look “kinda kool” but then the side and rear quarter views, particularly of the front fenders remind us that not everyone can be a good designer, no matter how many stylistic cliches we copy!
Finally a homemade that has decent proportions. Good things happen when you lay off the paint thinner.
This is pretty. If someone could find a more graceful design for the rear end and finish it it would turn a lot of heads.
I will be in the minority but I would go with a Packard straight 8 or a Lincoln V12 and finish this in classic fashion.
You were reading my mind: enough room for a Packard straight 8! Would be fun to put a packard 356 in it, redo the back into a boattail. Im wondering what the wheelbase on this is. On second thought, you might have to beef up the frame to accommodate a heavy straight 8.
Wwwwweeeelllll….. the car could be transformed quite easily into the 1930s Batmobile. The proportions are right. I’d hate to lose the radiator shroud and grille though.
A V12 GMC truck engine from the 60s would wake it up. A ‘mud slide’ treatment of the back deck into the valence panel would really smooth things out.
It’s got enough hood, take a Merlin engine, mate it to a drive train and beef it up to handle the weight – now that would be scarey! It has some good points, it has some bad. More than I’d want to take on.
Merlin core prices are even a stretch for Leno and anyone racing unlimited at Reno. Easier to find than the Jimmy 12 though. A guy could ‘glue’ together several PT Cruiser fours like Ma Mope did with the Atlantic.
I kind of like the idea of using Campbell’s soup cans for taillight housings but the rest of it – not so much.
Guys,
Got a note from the guy selling. This is not a Midget/Sprite sized car. The Healey parts came off a big Healey so it’s a big car not a small one. If I was looking for a custon project, this might be a good starting point car.
His comment:
“The front was hand built and designed along with the back, he used the doors and windshield from a Austin Healy. This was built in the 60s by a guy who was a Craftsmen with a engish wheel and hammer just like in the thirties. He was old had health issues and never completed .”
@healeydays – Huge info. Thanks.
More info from the seller.
Also, the length from front t”o where the firewall would be is 76inches, the wheelbase is approx 115in and the total length is 184in bumper to bumper. Width is 72in”
And Graham Line you don’t know what you’re talking about.
That’s a Big Healey windshield on that car.
A full sized Austin Healey 3000 measures out at outside length: 157.5 in, width: 60.6 in, wheelbase: 92 in.
A Midget measures out at outside length: 137 in, width: 54 in, wheelbase: 80in.
The gentleman also says it sits on a 1937 Pontiac frame, so why would you ever use Midget parts?
This is a full sized car guys.
So many “neo-classics” used Spridget, not “big Healey” tubs. Definitely a Sprite/Midget tub. Look at Clenet and so many others. Obviously a Spridget windshield, cowl, doors, door posts, rockers etc etc etc. The only other sports car sometimes used for these neo-classics in any number was the Fiat 124 Spyder, but even so, not nearly as often as the ubiquitous Sprite/Midget! Finally, “big” Healeys have always been valuable – who would hack one up for something like this??
No, the doors and windshield come from a Spridget.
After looking at pics of an AH3000 I think it is a midget cab, the big car doors slant back at the fender about 15 degrees The midgets have 3 wipers, I’m having trouble seeing what this car has.
I have 4 sets of windowposts for Austin Healey 3000s in my garage and the windshield posts used on this car are from a Big Healey and not a Midget.
Sorry Healelydays, the windshield and posts are from a fairly late “roll-up window” Midget or Sprite as are the entire underlying cowl, doors etc. Some Midget/Sprites had only two wipers and most, whether they had two or three, usually had NONE that worked reliably – haha – but true! These Sprite/Midget cars were the ones that gave Fiat a good name!
Another giveaway on Midgets, there is about 4″ of metal between the doors and fenders, on the 3000 the door and the fender touch
The doors are a completely different shape, different handles, ain’t nuthin’ a Spridget’s got’n common with a big Healey!! People call their Sprites “Austin-Healey’s” cuz they think someone stupid is gonna think they’re the same money as a big Healey but ain’t nobody that dumb . . . ‘cept in Washington DC I ‘spose! On the last year or two of the Sprite, BMC even dropped the “Healey” part of the name – they were simply “Austin Sprites” so that they didn’t have to pay any more royalties to the Healey family! Now, how’s that for bein’ cheap a$$ed!!
Those are midget/sprite doors not 3000!!!!
Not a 3000 windshield either. Looks like the cowl and doors came off a midget.
It has or will have class when finished. Why all the nit picking about where the parts came from. The buyer will buy it regardless.
I like it. But I would cannibalize a BMW 750 for the drive train. (including the the rear suspension) And probably use an older XJ6 front suspension.
Use nice Spridget interior trim and paint it 2 tone green. Might get convinced to install Dayton “many” spoke chrome wires for wheels.
JMO
Just to put this to bed. Midgeteers FTW.