In the very beginning, the Woodill Wildfire was mostly a Willys Jeep, and it wasn’t even built by Woodill. The story starts when Bill Tritt, who had worked for Douglas Aircraft, began crafting boats and cars out of fiberglass in the 1940s. He founded Glasspar to make car bodies, and eventually created a car he called the G2. The G2 was underpinned by Willys components, which were cheap and easy to source in post-WWII America. Meanwhile, Blanchard Robert “Woody” Woodill, Dodge and Willys dealer, was yearning for a sports car. Apparently dissuaded from purchasing a Jaguar, he discovered Tritt and bought a G2, creating a new body to place on its Willys chassis. Like most fiberglass creations of the day, it debuted at the Petersen Motorama to rave reviews. The road to production was rocky, however. Only 15 copies were produced by Woodill’s factory; another 285 were sold as kits. This example was built in 1954, and it’s for sale here at Worldwide Auctioneers – part of the Passport Collection liquidation. This auction was conducted in late April, but left the Wildfire high and dry with no new home; the consignor is now looking for offers. Thanks to Mitchell G. for the tip!
This particular Wildfire has been modified, most likely by the Harry Clark Buick Agency. Its engine is a 322 cu. in. “nailhead” V8, the first in a long line of successful Buick post-war eights. Early 322s generated somewhere around 140 hp, but that ramped quickly over time. Torque was exceptional. This engine is paired with a floor-shift Dynaflow automatic. Considering that the typical curb weight for a Wildfire ran about 1700 lbs, we can imagine that acceleration is impressive.
The interior is so satisfying: the near-endless march of Stewart Warner gauges across the dash, switches sparkling among them like so many stars, twin cowls, the bold Buick-sourced steering wheel, slender buckets. (This is me wishing I could transfer this interior to some more pedestrian car of my own.) Though I don’t care for it, the oval rear view mirror neatly echoes the rest of this car’s curves. No mention is made of weather equipment.
Additional alterations await outside, and may help explain why this car failed to sell to a member of the narrow crowd who desperately wants a Woodill Wildfire. The seller indicates that the rear fenders are molded from a 1953 Buick, and the continental kit is an add-on, though other Wildfires also carried a spare out back. Up front, the ‘glass was modified to accept a shortened Buick grille and Buick headlamps. After all this, the car still resembles a Wildfire but has lost the restraint and flow of the car as it was conceived. As to value, two cars sold in auction venues for around $25k, one a project and one a driver. What do you think this Wildfire is worth?
Worth what somebody will pay
Very cool, what the Nash Healey and Kaiser Darrin should have been. Apparently, the cars made at the factory that had Willys motors didn’t sell well, but offered as a kit for around $1600, you supplied the drivetrain. Most went with a Ford flathead V8. Supposedly the 1st fiberglass US sports car, predating the Corvette in 1952, 1956 was the last year for the kits. Corvette and T-Bird helped kill it. I can’t find any images with Buick rear ends, as most had the Willys Aero tail lights. Since so many engines were used, it’s hard to find performance specs on this particular car, but I’d say impressive indeed, especially since the Corvette and most foreign cars still had a 6. I bet this car has some steam. Another swing and a miss in the annals of automotive history.
Howard at 1700lbs I bet it had some steam also. Talk about a featherweight 🪶
To me this is one of the ugliest cars ever put on the road. ’54 Chevy grill, Buick parts all over it, and the spare tire hung on the back like the world’s most famous afterthought. There were a whole bunch of cars built during that time that were a lot better looking.
Definitely in your camp on this one. While the Woodhill holds a place in the groundbreaking days of early ‘glass, there were more aesthetically pleasing options available from the era. I’m thinking of the Meteor SR-1 featured recently. Followed the sale of that vehicle on Hi-Bid with much interest, and I’ve a hunch it went to Cali for a rebuild. Anyone out there with info?
Corvettes, Thunderbirds and Jaguar XKs made these look like exactly what they were.
Homemade Garage Jobs
If you wanted a kit car with some real lines LaDarwi was the route to go.
This is a great write up Michelle. I don’t ever remember seeing one of these. I like the Buick interior and exterior bits and pieces. And that Nailhead with the Dynaflow must have provided nice smooth effortless acceleration. I agree with what Howard said too, this is what the Nash Healy and Kaiser Darren should have been. I think some Kaiser Darrens had Cadillac V8s dropped into them at the end. ( I don’t remember, maybe it was Dutch Darren himself that did it.) I really like this car. Thank you for all the research and the great write up. I enjoyed it.
Thanks for the compliment, Driveinstile, really appreciate it.
Interestingly, Willys asked Woodill to show them the car, and hopes rose that it would be adopted by the company for mass production, but at about that moment, Kaiser announced a merger with Willys. With the Kaiser Darrin on deck, there was no room for the Woodill Wildfire, and that’s when Woody Woodill consigned himself to independent production.
I saw this cross the auction block last weekend and ‘no reserve’ and it sold for $25,200. Apparently the owner was the high bid himself. For those curious, I did a little video covering this and a few other cars at the auction
A few cars at the Worldwide Auctioneers Enthusiast Auction
https://youtu.be/IseFUH8mwjo
Interesting. That’s about the right price – somewhere in the mid 20s – given what we see in the market.
A Woodhill Wildfire was used in the 1956 film “Written on the Wind”. In that movie it looked fancy and exotic.
Also in movie Johnny Dark.
I was first thinking ditch the Continental spare but that would leave the cratelike trunk exposed. Not sure how I feel about the original Wildfire grille. Woodill made several changes in production, and per the potted history I read (It’s on the interweb so it must be true) Woodill built a couple with Buick engines and tailligjhts like this one has. I love the car. Unfortunately they look like hell with the top up.
Looks curiously like a “54 Corvette
This is way cooler than the original Woodhill. That one looks like any other Brit roadster of the time. This one has some real panache. Reminds me of the C1 Corvette.
This is one ugly mother!
In the 50’s this was called a kit car. In todays world a Pure Rat Rod. I would bet no 2 were alike! Ugly (sorry) but very cool.