You definitely won’t see yourself coming and going if you buy the 1957 Bill Frick Special GT Coupe for sale at Hyman LTD. It’s the only one ever built, and the asking price is $325,000.
Bill Frick, for the uninitiated, was a wrench who started shoehorning big engines into small cars as early as the 1930s. He teamed up with racer Phil Walters, who was known as “Ted Tappett,” and together they had many on-track adventures. And in the 1950s they started Frick-Tappett Motors on Long Island, doing repairs, race preparation, engine swaps and sports car sales.
The 331-cubic inch overhead-valve Cadillac V-8 was new for 1949. Frick grabbed one and stuffed it into a 1949 Ford, producing a “Fordillac.” Briggs Cunningham was impressed, bought the garage, and relocated it to Florida. And so Frick and Walters were involved in the legendary Cunningham effort with two Cadillacs at Le Mans in 1950.
Back in New York after that effort, Frick was soon building “Studillacs” under his own moniker, Bill Frick Motors. Frick didn’t like the styling of the ’55 Studebakers, so he shipped a Studillac chassis to Vignale in Italy and commissioned coachwork from Giovanni Michelotti. Two coupes and a cabriolet were ultimately produced.
The Bill Frick Special GT Coupe by Vignale is unique, and was sold for $9,000—an enormous pile at the time—to the heir of a Michigan lumber fortune. He specified a full fabric sunroof and a Pont-a-Mousson four-speed manual transmission. Borrani wire wheels were later added.
The magnate didn’t keep it long, and it went to several subsequent owners, getting shabbier all the time. In 1989 under sympathetic owner Michael Pomerance it was repainted in its current red, with a black roof. Pomerance researched the history and fully restored the car.
Says Hyman, “Today, the Bill Frick Special remains in marvelous condition, showing just over 41,000 miles and with its older repaint remaining in fine order. The original bumpers and exterior trim are in place, and details include the Borrani wheels fitted early in the car’s life, bespoke ‘Bill Frick Special’ badges, and quad-tip sports exhaust.”
The car still has its original gray leather, with lots of patina. (Actually, on the worn side of patina). The car is mechanically excellent, and still has its original Cadillac V-8. Frick never liked the French transmission, and now it has a Pontiac-sourced T-10 four-speed. Hyman welcomes offers and trades. Remember, this is the only one made. You’ll never encounter quite this Italian-American hybrid again.
Going to car shows and having to repeat and repeat « Pont-a-Mousson four-speed manual transmission « would be too much for me , so i will pass this GEM …
This car is Fricken Special.
I just don’t know who in the Frick would want it.
Studebaker may be the back window, but who in the Frick cares.
Claudio,
I’ve owned multiple unusual and rare cars that draw people like moths to a light bulb. So like other owners of interesting cars, I create a message board to display at car shows, and smaller window signs to stick on the dash area when I park the car to shop.
Sometimes ya just gotta suck it up and give “private tours” if I feel those curious people are truly interested, and if I have the time. Especially when children are involved. When I see that one or more young kids have a look of awe when they see one of my cars, especially limousines like the Vanden Plas Princess built for the Royal family of Britain, I invite them to sit inside, and I generally make their day.
When I take my Tatra T2-603 to a car show, I know from experience to open the engine cover to show off the air-cooled V8 engine in the rear. If I don’t open it within minutes of parking the car, someone will ask me to show off the engine.
I would live in fear of something damaging the rear window, or any other part for that matter. A real museum piece.
Looks like it might be a standard rear window from a Studebaker coupe. Not rare are all fortunately.
Of course my first question was “Who the frick is Bill Frick?”. I have read the article and I still don’t care. Happy Friday!
How dare you not giving a frick about Frick?
Frickin Frederick!
Nice Frickin car.
You’ll be the only one, unless either of the two coupes also show up…
You need parts for a what??
Hmmmmm, I wonder who contributed this wonderful car???? No one got credit for it.
What ever happened to the other coupe and the convertible?
Looks like something only (maybe) Jay Leno would be interested in. Regardless of who Frick was, one off cars are always cool
I’m not sure who Frick was either but it’s obvious he had the money to follow thru with a project like this.
Do a search on Frick , he built a lot of well engineered specials, accomplished more in his 84 years than most posters would do in 3 lifetimes.