Rare Fiberglass: 1960 LaDawri Daytona

Leslie Dawes founded a fiberglass manufacturing company in British Columbia, Canada, in 1956, making golf carts. He was only 24 years old. As a sideline, he built a sports car that he’d sketched as a teenager. The result – called the LaDawri Cavalier – was good enough to exhibit, soon entering production as a kit car. Road & Track’s July 1957 issue featured Dawes’ new car on its cover, inspiring keen interest. That same year, Dawes moved his company to Southern California – ground zero for the custom car movement. Dawes eventually produced 19 different styles and at least 700 units before his company closed in 1965. This example, available here on eBay for $ 8,500 OBO, is a Daytona, a style introduced in about 1959. The body, a Chevy engine, and various parts can be retrieved from Stanton, California. Thanks to Curvette for the racy tip!

LaDawri’s bodies could fit a number of chassis, from the Henry J to the Corvette for the larger models, to the Sunbeam, MG, or VW for its smaller kits. This one sits on what the seller says is a simple ladder chassis. It comes with a 350 cu. in. Chevy engine in running condition and a Chevy rear end, but no transmission. It is titled as a 1968 Volvo for reasons unknown. The body will roll and steer, facilitating shipping. LaDawris have carried much larger engines, and even superchargers. This Conquest was equipped with a Ford 289 V8 and a Paxton blower.

The interior and accompanying parts bins contain gauges, racing bucket seats, that cheesy steering wheel … but no windscreen. The seller notes that these kits typically utilize a ’57 Chevy truck windshield, mounted upside down. A hard top painted body color is shown in one photo, but the seller says it is not included with the sale. The company provided a detailed list of options and assembly instructions for its cars; this brochure hints at the potential flexibility of the build.

In 1961, LaDawri Coachcraft purchased the molds created by Victress Manufacturing, another maker of fiberglass kits. LaDawri renamed the Victress models and marketed them until 1965, when it closed its doors. By then, the fiberglass phase had waned. It wasn’t just a lack of sales, however, that brought LaDawri down: speculation that a fire destroyed the molds, or that the IRS came knocking, are all in the mix. Today, prices of LaDawri cars are creeping up as collectors focus on vintage ‘glass. Would you want to finish out this Daytona?