Hi Gang…
This is our eleventh and final in a series of “spotlights” on sections of a Buyer’s Guide for fiberglass sports cars published by Car Craft in March, 1956. Click on the link below to review all fiberglass cars discussed in this 1956 Buyer’s Guide as of today:
Click here to review all articles published on the Car Craft, March 1956 Buyer’s Guide
Today’s article focuses on the Victress Dragster car designed and built by Bill Powell and Bill Quirk of Victress and which debuted at the ’55 Petersen Motorama in Los Angeles, California. I’ll be sharing the details on the development and build of this car – one of the first fiberglass bodied dragster ever built to run – in future stories here on Forgotten Fiberglass.
Background: The Victress Dragster
It was ’54 and fiberglass was being used for the development of all types of cars – so Bill Powell and Bill Quirk of Victress – both part of the management team in overseeing work and building cars at Victress – decided “why not a dragster?”
And…why not!
The timing was perfect, and….as I always so to my students….”you miss 100% of the shots you never take.” So the Victress team approved, and the Victress dragster was born – the first fiberglass bodied dragster offered to the public for sale in the world.
And with that, let’s see what Car Craft Magazine had to say about the Victress Dragster designed and built by the Victress team of Bill Powell and Bill Quirk.
Car Craft (March 1956): The Glasspar G2 Roadster
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Car Craft (March 1956) |
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| For prices and information and facts, write: | Victress Manufacturing11823 Sherman WayNorth Hollywood, CaliforniaPoplar 5-5339 |
Summary:
The Victress Dragster continued to be offered to the public thru ’61 when Victress was sold to Les and Joan Dawes of La Dawri Coachcraft. We’re still in the process of identifying if it continued to be offered thru La Dawri and ’65 – their last year of operation.
And….be on the lookout for a Victress Dragster “survivor.” If you find one, it will be the first known to exist, and you’ll have found one of the earliest – if not the earliest – fiberglass bodied dragster the world has ever known.
Hope you enjoyed the story, and until next time…
Glass on gang…
Geoff
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Hi My Uncle was (Robert) Bob Powell –inventor of the Victriss….He died at Willow Springs while practicing Racing…I was 2 yrs old at the time. I have some pics of him and in the car..Thanks for your Website.
Be cool to see one in the flesh…
What engine is in that dragster? Is it a 4-cylinder laid over on its side?
Hey, BQ, fill the world in on the history of your dragster, please!