This one is a bit of a noggin-scratcher, I have never heard of a 1953 Astro Fire fiberglass car and neither has the internet, apparently. The seller has this cool kit posted on eBay and there’s a current bid price of $2,000 but the reserve isn’t met. It’s located in Loomis, California and it sure would be fun to drive it home. Thanks goes to Peter R for the tip!
What an unusual grille, or opening, I don’t know if I would even call that a grille. It has a familiar look to it but even the seller, who obviously knows a thing or two about cars were given the treasures that are parked behind this one, doesn’t know what the heck this is for the most part. The story goes that Glasspar made one of two of these Astro Fire examples and there was a mold at one time, but that’s about as far as the story goes.
This car looks so finished and somewhat refined, as much as a fiberglass sort-of-custom car can be. I can do without the harvest scene decal or painting on the trunk lid but that’s just me. You don’t want to get into any parking lot battles with this car and those fiberglass bumpers. The seller knows “nothing about this car other than it is all fiberglass and was made in a mold. In the article I photographed, it says there must have been more of these made as there was a mold for it. As per the rest of my research, I believe the manufacturer may have been Glasspar. Glasspar often used the Studebaker chassis under their kit cars.”
The interior also looks surprisingly nice and finished for what sounds almost like a one-off fiberglass kit car. It has a three-speed manual transmission with a floor shift and the seller says that it needs “a few things i.e hood supports, trunk lid support, the doors sag a little and need adjusting.”
The power for this FiberFab creation is apparently the drivetrain out of a 1941 Studebaker. It “runs and drives good” and it “is a blast to drive and it’s peculiarity makes people look at it with a smile.” With the only information being that this car is sitting on a 1941 Studebaker chassis I don’t know the specs but I’m guessing a 170 cubic-inch with 80 hp, what do you think this engine is? Have any of you heard of an Astro Fire? Info is very scarce on these cars.
Though it almost certainly wasn’t, the “Astro-Fire” looks as if it should have have been in the 1954 movie “Johnny Dark” (starring Tony Curtis) as one of the entries in the “Border-to-Border Road Race.” The styling definitely has that vibe, as does the choice of powertrain….
I’m not positive this is a factory-produced body. A lot of amateurs built ‘glass bodies at home back in the day, and some I’ve seen were very well done. In fact, through the graininess of the images, this one doesn’t look as if it got the kind of finishing a professional — or avid amateur — would have given it.
I’ve seen both home-builts and kit cars from the early- and mid-50s that really grabbed me. This one doesn’t. Might ring someone else’s bell, though!
Have you spoken to the fine folks at ForgottenFiberglass.com? They might be of some help
I think it is cool looking
Neat looking car minus the graphics on the trunk. I think it should get a period correct in line 6 cylinder engine even another flatty would do, just liven it up a bit. No SBC’s in this one it would spoil the flavour. This looks like it would be fun to own. Up here in Canada though I’d want to build it a removable hard top roof. It would extend the driving season. The saying goes 11 months of winter and 1 month of poor sleighing. Of course an exaggeration. Nice find. I’d also paint it metallic gun metal grey with a black roof and a red leather interior. Just letting my imagination run a bit here it’s fun to think about how a guy can make a car his own. I hope the new owner will enjoy it.
It certainly doesn’t look like anything that Almquist, Glasspar, Victress, et al. offered, so RayT’s idea of being someone else’s home-design might be the answer.
Most of the well-known manufacturers offered much curvier, European-inspired designs, back in the 1950s.
Interesting car, nonetheless. Just the thing to roll up to Pebble Beach in…
Hmmm, wonder I anyone has looked into this being a possible “Concept Car”?
The front end looks like it just got spooked.
My thought was that it looks like it just sucked on a lemon. Having said that, I have to give someone credit because if it is a one-off kit car, then it has been finished to quite a high standard.
I like it, except the thing on the trunk lid. Nice clean all around look to it. Blue and white works good together also.
I sort of like it except for the grille opening, but I’ll have the black Hudson Hornet behind it thanks.
Looks like the love child of a Corvette and a rolls Royce. Cool kit car
@RayT: I remember that movie! Haven’t
seen it in almost 50 years though. As I
recall, that car didn’t have the boat style
windshield this car has, but the body
design sure reminds me of the “Idaho
Special” in a lot of ways. I’d definately
put some regular steel bumpers on it
and add those structural supports to
the cowl area to safen this car up before
I’d let anyone drive it. Great find! Keep ’em comin’!
It is quite simple really, the front end came of a front load washing-machine from the ’50’s.
Or maybe a toadfish ?
The FED, or front engine dragster in the background with a blown Pontiac engine got my attention.
There was a similar car called the Woodill Wildfire, the one I had was on a 40’s ford frame with a flathead v8. Equally as ugly as this one, called it the fiberglass dog turd.
Good luck to the new owner!!!
Someone more detail oriented than me can perhaps recognize those tail lights or even the parking lights. I was going to guess early ’50s Mercury for the tail lights but I don’t know. It is worth saving, it may be ugly, but it’s fun ugly as opposed to butt ugly.
A search with google or bing will get some info, not a whole lot,
Door knob shifter will sell a car every time !
Taillights appear to be ’49-’50 Chrysler and Imperial.
Park lights appear to be ’49-’51 Ford accessory backup lights.
Horn button is ’50ish Hudson, don’t know about the wheel.
Door mirror appears to be late ’60’s AMC.
Side scoop inserts look like vintage aluminium ice cube tray inserts (they were made 4 across).
Gauges (except speedo) and radiator are obviously more modern.
One has to admit, it predicts the disappearance of separate chromed metal bumpers and in that respect this is as ugly as any other modern car.
The windshield frame looks to be from a C1 Corvette!
It is interesting. It would be more interesting with a Ford flathead V8!
huge trunk – could have a 2nd row of seats’n still have a 50s sized trunk.
Looks like a box of kleenex