We’re hoping one of our readers can help identify this car because I’m having no luck in doing so. The seller doesn’t know what it is which means there can’t be any paperwork. But we’re told it was built in Buffalo, New York after World War II and production was limited. This shell of what may have once been a cool sports car is (or was) located in Medina, New York, and is (or was) available here on Facebook Marketplace for $1,500. But the listing is at least two years old now. Our thanks to Barn Finder “Ted” for the tip!
If you Google “cars made in Buffalo, New York” you’ll come up with an extensive list that includes mostly unfamiliar names. I tracked some of them down and they didn’t resemble this car at all, though the Playboy looks rather interesting. Something happened to this automobile at one time, which likely included being caught in a fire. Even if you even knew what it is, is there anything here that would be usable other than as a lawn ornament?
We’re told this sad thing has 1,000 miles on it and an automobile transmission, but neither of them are likely and probable placeholders. There is no indication as to what powered this machine at one time, but an inline-4 is likely with a manual tranny. Did either of those survive the fire or whatever that put this mystery machine out of commission years ago? If you have any clue what this is, please chime in. It looks like so many English sports cars from that same time period.
Not a Playboy, I have seen a Playboy car and this not one.
Playboys were 3-wheelers, weren’t they?
@Will Cox What? Why would you have thought they were 3 wheel cars? Maybe you are thinking of a Davis Divan. Google images.
No. My brother owns one and it’s 4 wheeled.
Playboy cars were 4-wheeled. My brother owns a 1948 model. Facebook Playboy car to see.
Jowett Jupiter?
Well I don’t know what it is but does remind me of an idea my oldest brother and I had to stump the experts at swap meets. We were going to modify a few old body parts, make em look like the 20s era, identify them as BuckMor motor car pieces, $$ and display. Bros last name Buckles, mine Morrison, founders of the fictitious BuckMor motor car. Just wondered how many would say “remember my grand dads old car, pretty sure it was a 1926 BuckMor”.
I hope you got a Buck More than you paid for it.
It’s like the Three Stooges buying that car, “It’s a Columbus”. Oh you’re crazy, Columbus came by boat.
Sounds like the shenanigans I’d do…
Reminds me of the mythical “Henweigh” Car . . .
That’s spelled Henway!
It has a clutch pedal. How do they know what year it is if they don’t know the car make or model?
Rear wheel; is it a VW one? Certainly a wide PCD.
Late 1930s Ford axle & wheels and what looks like a torque tube. Someone’s homemade fantasy, in a perfect world it would have been maintained, in a less perfect world at least restored, in a slightly less good case, at least documentation of what it was and what it looked like. But alas, it is what it is now.
Smells a little like Jag 120/140 bits . .. but it is a custom . . . Wide 5 Ford wheels and who knows what all else. A labor of love. You just don’t know what you are loving . . . .
Pass the jug, Ma, I’m gonna build another one!
Not a European grill/ light spacing.
You’re right about the wheels, I was thinking custom body on a ’36 Ford chassis.
Did they leave it on the trailer when it fried?
Spring cleaning is here again time to clean out that darn chicken coop
All metal body? Maybe a mid-50’s custom car? The steering wheel and the rims should give a clue to what it was based on.
That’s my thought as the rear is beyond ugly and the doors appear ‘non-existent’.
Looks to me like one.of those U-build-
it cars from Popular Mechanics or
Mechanix Illustrated. You know, one
of those backyard builds that anyone
of average abilities could build with a
decent set of hand tools in the privacy of your own garage. When all my schoolwork was done, I’d drop by
my school’s library and just browse
through the stacks of those two magazines. As a young motorhead, I
was blown away by all the neat stuff a guy like me could actually build. And seeing it all was awesome! While looking at a 1947 copy of PM,
I saw a car very similar to this one.
The feature car was based on Ford
parts which were readily available since Ford was cranking out all kinds
of parts to service millions of old Fords that were still on the roads as well as turning out warmed-over ’42
models and passing them off as ’46s.
According to the author, you could
beat the long wait lists for new cars
back then by building this “kit car”
yourself one piece at a time– just like
Johnny Cash. That’s what I think.happened here. Some guy out there, hot to trot for a new set of wheels built this car in his garage on
weekends as time permitted. And once it was done, he drove it a few years before passing it on to someone else. As for this car, take stock of what you have, and choose a modern power train to move it down
the road and 4-wheel disc brakes to
make it stop. Me, I’d use a 3800 V-6
topped with a turbo, and mated to a
5-speed for power. The use the rear
axle from an S-10 pickup to top it all off. The power to weight ratio should
put it in the 6 second range for 0-60
and the top speed should be 140-
150 MPH. This car is just waiting for
someone to take it full circle and
maybe recycle it into something we
haven’t seen in years. Wish it was me!
There was an individual who ran ads in the back of Popular Mechanics selling plans to build sports cars using parts from existing American mass produced sedans. Don’t remember much about the mechanicals but apparently they had details about cutting a 1940 Ford fender and shaping it to look “European”. I’m 78, been afflicted with the car bug most of my life (started reading Hot Rod in 1959) so I’ve forgotten the individuals name, but he promoted the destruction of many later collectibles.
Betting on a 1939 Ford frame by the wheels – motor cross member and you can see the master cylinder in one pic….like was said – lots of home builts out there from P& M……..
It’s a Fuchi Manuli.
It’s a Fuchi Manuli. Dick Orkin had one he was always talking about.
Man, that’s an old commercial reference! I only know one other guy who would remember it.
Mays well get my 2 cents in. The fact it’s steel, should be a clue. Fiberglass was just coming on the scene, and I looked up “home made US sports cars of the 50s”, and a slew came up. Seemed everybody tried jumping on the bandwagon, and most were fiberglass. One site said, Pierce-Arrow was from “Nickel City”, but I see no connection here. I don’t think it was a kit, the body parts need a pretty big press, more than likely, a hodge-podge of this and that. I see no value here whatsoever.
If someone buys this car,I hope they give us progress updates!
Lots of work here !
It might have been stored here..
https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/local/vintage-cars-boats-burned-cheektowaga-building-fire/71-1301757f-3368-43ed-b90e-210e269b1c44
Its a Leaverite……1949. Saw one of these in a buddys junkyard years ago.
He had the only other one. Sadly it disappeared, and was in much better shape.
This poor remains will take it’s weight in gold to bring back, and even then, two lifetimes of spare time. I think its better to leaverite where she is……
Spelling? I can’t find anything on it.
What identity is on the transmission? Differential?
if you notice the driveshaft, it is a torque tube enclosed drive shaft, most likely from the same car as front axel, rear end (differential, axel housing), and wheels–most likely the 39 Ford option.
I’d say it once was a Jag. And hoping to gain its real identity again.
If they don’t know what it is – how do they know “production was limited”?
Sure looks a lot like a Jowett Jupiter, c1951. https://blog.consumerguide.com/1951-jowett-jupiter/
There were several Jowett Jupiters in Western New York, I knew of one still around in the 1970’s
Home built custom, definitely based on a late 30’s ford. Going by the front axle, wheels, and steering wheel
Looks like the body of a Jowett Jupiter, c1951. https://blog.consumerguide.com/1951-jowett-jupiter/
$1500.00…not even for .15 cents.
The body apperars to be from a Jowett Jupiter (aka Javelin Jupiter), c.1951.
Tried post a couple time, but the post disappears. Maybe because I included a link, so I’ll omit that, you can googe Jowitt Jupiter yourself.
FWIW, I live in Buffalo NY and I know personally of Jowitt Jupiter that was still around in the 1970’s, so they were sold in Buffalo at some point.
Close to a JJ, however only the rare M2 had wide headlights. That car (not clear any M2 imported) did boast pretty much the ugliest
rear end in automotive history.
Oh, forgot ~ JJ’s have an aluminum body.
Patina up the YingYang!
This isn’t it, but I do remember one particular custom built back in the ’50s with bits & pieces from a bunch of cars and powered by, if I remember correctly, a Buick Roadmaster’s straight eight with 8, count ‘m, 8 Amal carbs, one per cylinder.
The finished product was called a Bulinformercillac. Who could forget that name?
Howzat for a bit of useless trivia?
Woodill Wildfire
I believe all the Woodill Wildfires were fiberglas.
It’s a Wallaby Balloonfire X-4000
Car and Driver, December 1971
It’s a “Henweigh”
How much does a hen weigh?
Send the thing to the scrap and let it rest. What a piece of junk!
Gee, you sound like my (ex) wife . . .
looks like it got run over by a buffalo
It’s a Rolls Canhardly.
Frazer Nash sports…
I am enjoying ALL the comments on this Barn Find that I submitted! From the historical to the hysterical; it’s been a treat!
BTW… there has been a drop in price! $850 now! 👍
Listed two years ago? Wow, what a patient seller and I’m impressed that it doesn’t say, “don’t ask me if it’s still available, I’ll ignore you!”, like literally every other Facebook ad around here.
Yes, I’m in the area and while I don’t know what it is, I see it as good reflection of Buffalo.
So , a friend of mine had a rust/cancer spot appear on the 1/4 pannel of his Chrysler sebring convertible and was not able to get it repaired by any local bodyshop , they said no rust repair ! Sadly , i cannot jump on this one due to lack of decent labor …