Here is Bob Coker's next ride. 55-56 Fiberglass Car

[Guest BJM]

1956 Fiberglass Body Factory Prototype - V8Buick.com

Note the seller is from Northern Michigan.

Edited December 11, 2010 by BJM (see edit history)

[Thriller]

And me with a '56 Special frame...and other assorted bits...hmmm....

[Guest BJM]

And me with a '56 Special frame...and other assorted bits...hmmm....

... Or Dereks next car. I tend to believe the seller that this is not some custom job. For one, its in Michigan, and many of these one off factory jobs hung around salvage yards in Michigan. 2. The engineering behind it - steel top and cowl for rigidity but everything else fiberglass. I suppose someone should inquire about the VIN plate or numbers.

[progoofoff]

Lamar put me on it earlier today.

It appears to be a `55.

I talked with him and asked for the VIN number, cowl tag info and more photos.

I really need another project.

Bob

[Guest BJM]

Lamar put me on it earlier today.

I talked with him and asked for the VIN number, cowl tag info and more photos.

I really need another project.

Bob

Hey just so the seller knows you are super-serious, include a photo of the Landau being unloaded from the trailer. Whoops, price for this car just went up, maybe that's a bad idear.

[Guest Silverghost]

This sounds like another potential Million$$$ GM prototype or concept car or test project mule. If you can in fact trace it's past GM Buick history !

I can see it now crossing the 2012 Barrett~Jackson Auction block in restored condition ~

GUYS~ You should JUMP on this BUICK PROJECT FAST !!!

That is my prediction~

You heard it here first !

Edited December 13, 2010 by Silverghost (see edit history)

[Brad Conley]

I really need another project.

Bob

Ah, come on Bob...it's only money! I did 2 at once, the Black GSX and the Prototype...they say you can't take it with you anyway.

[WQ59B]

Well, it's not a concept car per say, obviously.

Factory engineering mule is a legitimate possibility... tho frankly -even tho fiberglas was flying around hot-n-heavy in the '50s at GM- I cannot imagine the intent of creating this car.... unless merely to test the feasibility of production fiberglas bodies.... but GM had already done that with the Corvette. Strange.

Bob- you might also ask him if there's a "SO#" tag on the cowl right near the data plate. If so, that should neatly legitimize it as factory.

[buick5563]

I really need another project.

Where is the (like another...) hole in the head gremlin?

I imagine Bob has already asked about the SO tag. I believe he has seen that designation before.

[progoofoff]

I made an offer but his asking price and my offer are far apart.

If it`s history could be traced, it would make a big difference.

David Temple suggested it could be a Mock up model.

There`s an extra gas tank in the trunk. Why it`s there is anyone`s guess.

`55 tail/brake light housing has been replace with `56.

Hood has been cut out for maybe displaying in the show room.

I remember in `49 or `50 Olds had a plexiglas insert so you could see the engine with out raising the hood.

Bob

Edited December 14, 2010 by progoofoff (see edit history)

[Guest BJM]

Well, it's not a concept car per say, obviously.

Factory engineering mule is a legitimate possibility... tho frankly -even tho fiberglas was flying around hot-n-heavy in the '50s at GM- I cannot imagine the intent of creating this car.... unless merely to test the feasibility of production fiberglas bodies.... but GM had already done that with the Corvette. Strange.

I think..not so strange. The fact that it is a 55/56 makes a great deal of sense. There was an emphasis on checking fiberglass to replace metal in the 50-56 period because of metal shortages brought on by the Korean War.

GM probably sent engineering orders out to test fiberglass for production purposes since the Corvette was a success. (Also Kaiser-Darrin and Muntz among others)

So, you would have seen fiberglass mules through 1956, then steel availability was not such a concern.

[Guest Silverghost]

The early solid axel Corvette body was built by MFG corp. (Molded Fiberglass Corp) for Chevrolet/GM.

MFG was a very early successful builder of small fiberglass boats !

MFG built Mahogany wooden die molds; both male & Female.

A mold was placed in a big press . Chopped fiberglass & polyester resin was sprayed on one die mold then the second top mold was placed on top. This entire twin die mold assembly was then placed in a big press where extreme pressure was placed on the assembly until the part cured.

The cured panel was then popped-out of the die molds and excess fiberglass was trimmed around the panel edges.

The early Corvettes were made-up of approx thirty seperate body panels.

These seperate panels were then placed in exotic jigs and poleyester glue bonded together to form the complete Corvette body.

Bonding strips were placed below each panel bonding seam to stiffen this complete structure....

Look for bonding strips under the Buick's body panels ! There may also be a MFG id tag on the body someplace~~~

If it is in fact a body built for, or by Buick/ GM , It should be put together with many seperate body panels & bonding strips just like the Corvettes of this time period.

From what I see this may be a very rare factory prototype or experimental "Mule" Buick body !

Many were scrapped or sold or given to GM engineers after GM was finished with the test project program~

It may well be worth a small fortune !

From what I can see in the photos I suspect it is very Authentic !

Edited December 14, 2010 by Silverghost (see edit history)

[WQ59B]

Lightweight fiberglas, extra gas tank... anyone thinking 'ringer'; when did the MobilGas Economy runs start?

The fiberglas evaluation sounds possible (thusly my mention of it), but again- 3 years of Corvette production, plus dozens of fiberglas concepts should have answered most of those questions. Only logical thing coming to mind here is an evaluation of a more conventional pieced body on a RPO frame. Hopefully more info will be forthcoming.

[Mudbone]

Don't ya just love this stuff!! Mud

[progoofoff]

"but hardly worth millions when done, maybe barely worth 6 figures"

I agree. Why does it have to always be about "worth"?

"Love these nuts that have somthing sitting out in the weather for years and then think it is worth a fortune."

The present owner just bought it and I don`t think he paid a fortune for it and neither will I.

Bob

[PONTIAC1953]

hello bob coker, i would like to talk to you about old cars, and the coker family, please contact me when you can, thank you, charles leonard coker, 1953 pontiac tech advisor. charlessdv8@yahoo.com or 417-693-5219

[progoofoff]

VIN

6 BI069194

Trim

1955 Mod 55-66R

Style No 55-4637

Body No G 8795

Trim 64 Paint KBK Acc BI

[Thriller]

and my belief that a wet blankwet of stupidity has decended on the North American continent

I love that line.

[WQ59B]

VIN

6 BI069194

1955 Mod 55-66R

Style No 55-4637

Body No G 8795

Trim 64 Paint KBK Acc BI

6B1, correct? : '1'= Flint plant.

So with a G8795 body number and a VIN, it seems logical it was a RPO assembled car, then modified after-the-fact.

No SO# tag, or holes where one was mounted then?

[MrEarl]

Harley Earl on Motorama Dream Cars "You know, when you go to Las Vegas to see a stage show, you don’t expect to see your wife on the stage . . . you expect to see a real 'floozy.'"

Kinda explains Bob's love for these babe's eh.

Good luck on acquiring it Bob. It belongs in your garage. And if you run out of room, well you know the rest of this line.....

[BUICK RACER]

Well, Terry Dunham ran the numbers and an estimated production date of Wednesday, February 9, 1955 is what he came up with. He does not recall seeing anything on fiberglass cars, but you never know what he might come up with, now that it is found!!

[Guest Hector]

Bob,are you the same Bob Coker who I visited with a couple of years ago with Dennis Keys on the day that I purchased my '69 Electra up in Winston?We talked for a while and you showed us some of your parts stashed on the out buildings as well as some nice cars.

Good to see you here.If you are not the same Bob,we need to meet sometime:D.

[progoofoff]

Hector,

Yep, and that was a nice `69.

Next time your up this way, stop by again.

Bob

[Guest Hector]

Hector,

Yep, and that was a nice `69.

Next time your up this way, stop by again.

Bob

Thanks for the invite Bob,I may just have to take you on that one.

Again,nice to see you here.