Rare 1956 Almquist Restoration

[pogopapers]

Just joined the group. Here is my current project. 1956 Almquist Sabre.  The Sabre was an early America kit car.

Sold by Ed Almquist (early hot rod parts guru).  There are 4 known originals I own 2 of them and 1 new body.  - A new mold was pulled from my other body.

David Lambert made it for his an H-Mod vintage racer project in CA

 

 

Found in a field in TN. Fiberglass body on badly rusted crossly frame. Frame was also very poorly modified.

I decided to scrap the frame. I had access to a Nash Metropolitan and the wheelbase was right.

 

Found in a field in TN. Fiberglass body on badly rusted crossly frame. Frame was also very poorly modified.

I decided to scrap the frame. I had access to a Nash Metropolitan and the wheelbase was right.

 

 

"reinforced" Nash Frame

 

 

 

 

 

 

Body on Frame for fitting.

 

 

 

Engine - 1939 Ford v8-60   Built to about 85HP should have enough torque to light up this tiny 850lb car.

 

 

Fitting engine and trans. having an old block really helps.   I am using a Speedway conversion kit and a Borg Warner trans out of a Chevy S10

 

 

Ed Almquist started one of the first speed shops in America when he started taking orders via popular magazines for speed equipment in 1946.   He got into the fiberglass sports car business when a friend of his, Harry Heim, approached him with the car he designed and first marketed through his company Clearfield Plastics, of Clearfield Pennsylvannia.   Clearfield had started selling sports car bodies after their initial debut at a Watkins Glen show in 1955.  By 1956, Heim had persuaded Almquist to take these bodies on board his company and market them nationally – which is exactly what Ed Almquist did.  The short  “94” wheelbase car was named the “Sabre” and the 100” wheelbase car was called the “Speedster”.   Options allowed different mounting techniques for headlights, hood scoops, and even a convertible top.  Later bodies were offered in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s called the Thunderbolt and “El Morrocco”.  Being an East Coast company, many Almquist bodied sports cars raced throughout the northeast and midwest, and a few even made their way to the west coast as well.

Just joined the group. Here is my current project. 1956 Almquist Sabre.  The Sabre was an early America kit car.

Sold by Ed Almquist (early hot rod parts guru)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 31, 2018 by pogopapers (see edit history)

[Laughing Coyote]

Welcome to the group. A lot of nice folks around here with lots of knowledge to share. Nice little project. I bet it will really move when it's all finished.

[keiser31]

Cool stuff!

[John S.]

That is one great find. Going to be an interesting  restoration. 

[AlmquistEngineering]

Please let me know how the restoration is going on the Almquist Sabre.