Ah, kit cars. These were once a great way for an enthusiast to slip behind the wheel of a car that looked exotic but that didn’t cost a fortune. The category peaked during the 1960s and 1970s but is a breed rarely seen today. One of the better kits was produced by a company called Fiberfab, and our feature car is a 1970 Valkyrie. It is a build that stalled before it started, but some of the more crucial and expensive components are there for those seeking a left-field build. It is listed for the second time here on eBay in Granite City, Illinois. The seller set their No Reserve auction to open at $3,750 but has received no bids.
Fiberfab opened its doors in Palo Alto, California, in 1964, establishing a reputation for producing high-quality fiberglass components for Corvettes and Mustangs. Its founders soon realized that kit cars were growing in popularity, electing to jump onto the bandwagon. However, it went about its business differently, offering customers everything from a basic kit to a turnkey vehicle the buyer could drive home. The Valkyrie appeared in 1966, and there are no prizes for guessing that Fiberfab drew on the Ford GT40 for inspiration. This Valkyrie project stalled before it started because nobody has cut out the opening to prepare for a windshield installation. That brings us to what may be one of the more expensive aspects of this build. Fiberfab didn’t utilize glass from other production models. Each piece was unique to the Valkyrie, and that might seem like a barrier to anyone considering tackling a five-decade-old kit car build. However, the company still exists and continues producing parts for these classics. That’s the good news. The bad news is that a complete set of glass and seals will lighten the new owner’s wallet by around $3,500. Otherwise, the fiberglass looks good, and all the panels and internal dash fixtures are intact. The new owner starts this build with a blank sheet of paper, meaning they can let their imagination run wild when determining factors like paint color and interior trim.
This photo illustrates the most significant difference between a Fiberfab kit and those produced by many of its competitors. Those companies generally utilized a Volkswagen Beetle frame and other components. Fiberfab created a bespoke tubular steel frame, and although they remain in production, the fact this car retains its original will save around $8,150 on the build. The frame came in several configurations to cater to parts sourced from different production cars. Most used Corvair components, although others utilized Mustang II parts. The aim of the exercise was to produce a mid-engined V8 sports car, so every frame was designed to accept a rear-mounted transaxle. The cheapest alternative was a Corvair unit, although there was the provision to bolt in a ZF five-speed if the buyer’s budget was healthy enough. The turnkey models sold by the company all featured a 427ci V8, and while I have no doubt the ZF would take the strain, the driver would probably need to be a bit more gentle with the Corvair transaxle. This frame is a roller with only some light surface corrosion. Stripping and refinishing it would be straightforward and would offer excellent long-term protection. Its transaxle is intact, giving the new owner a sound foundation from which to work.
Kit cars don’t appeal to all tastes, but no classic does. This one shows promise, but it is worth sounding a note of caution. Determining the potential value of a vehicle of this type is virtually impossible because a kit car is generally worth what someone is willing to pay. However, recent sales results suggest a high-end build could yield a potential value above $20,000. That figure could climb, depending on the builder’s engine choice. I believe this project would best suit a person with an engine squirreled away in the corner of their workshop. If you were that person, would you consider pursuing this Valkyrie further?
Anyone still looking for the BIG black hole , well here it is !
Spend $60 k on a $20 k value !
Now, that’s a black hole …
Why not just buy an older running vette? With the excess cash you’d have shoveled into a dubious kit, you could make a real car into something special enough for anyone.
I like the A 100 sitting behind it.
Agreed. The A-100 is the star of that ad!
Fiberfab made their own glass?? Wow. They could have saved so much money by using glass from other cars.
Where is my Sawzall…?
So your brothers girlfriends upstairs apartment neighbors landlords cousin had a wrecked and totaled Hellcat MoPar that was left on the property when DEA raided the place, and you got the car in a trade for a ‘92 Escalade you bought with a bad transmission and fixed.
You traded an old Formula V for a Force 5 transaxle.
Buy this and have the only one like it anywhere!!!
Or, take the mundane approach-just buy a used kinda fun something and pocket the change for track days….
My recollection is that the windshield glass was from the later model Corvairs.
Ya, in poking around the internet a little, it looks like the windshield is from a corvair, rear window from a mustang fastback, quarter windows from another 60’s mustang.
This is actually a really nice kit with all the hard to find goods like a full frame and converted transaxle – and rear louvers (!!). I even think I spy with my discerning eye the plexi headlight covers in one photo. …made of pure Unobtanium these days….. Most of these fiberfab GT-40 wannabees are gutless junk on flimsy VW pans, but this one built right could be a real beast with an actual correct tilt rear and less offensive rear wheel arch styling/proportions, not to mention a real and actual mid engine setup, not a flat 6 or 4 shoehorned under the rear bumper like the VW and Corvair based models – which necessitated elongating the rear quarters which made the car look stupidly out of proportion. But not this one… Would make an an ideal EV project for those interested in eyeball-flattening, filling-extracting acceleration… Someone will be getting a nice deal with the frame – which is very hard to find now. As mentioned, the door and rear glass is Mustang 2×2 fastback, the front glass is Corvair – back in the day those cars were on every street corner…. so easy to get. I’d buy this but I already have one I’m building as a mid engine example with custom built frame using 2 EV Coda motors and a slimmed down Tesla battery pack. Would have been easier to start with this, however.
Thirty / fourty years ago I really wanted to build one of these. Thirty plus years ago I built a workshop garage with an overhead gantry crane so that I could raise and lower a body by myself. I still have a ZF transaxle sitting under a work bench but now that I’m retired and not driving as much, if I were to build this kit, it would just sit – I don’t have the personality to just go for a drive (I have to have a reason to go somewhere) and I already have two summer cars.
The EV craze is mostly concentrated in warmer states as driving a custom made or an oe is not all pleasant when the temperature drops to minus 20 and you are stuck in a pile up on the highway, as a canadian , most of these are bought because the government hands out $$$ ( with our money) to stimulate buyers into thinking its a good deal …it is also a great to have when a tornado is coming but you have to charge for 4 hours before leaving ! Its a great novelty for an occasional plaything but i will stick to gas
“…rarely seen today…” one just in – a cheb ‘deuce coup’ (actually a ford’s name) for “a lill of everything”. We see Kellisons, Manx, and everything in between zip by (but those R 2 others to come in the shop). I WILL agree many of the co.s that made them were short lived, SoCo based, ve dub oriented, etc.
This one’s a monster w/the 455 motor (body y/chassy may B 2,800 lb). Not sure if its camed as there’s not the standard lope. He had it machined/assembled thru my referral 12 mi away. The custom chassy is the most concern, am wrkin on the break peddle assembly. Pushes backward, bends rod, + too much travel.
Could you repeat that in English?
I skip his comments !
Somewhere in my garage I have the complete assembly manual and instructions for the Valquire.