History >>>The Starlite Coupe: 1964 Buffalo Autorama Winner<<<

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FORD...0939723?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item2eb98420cb

Its back!

 

That car rules as is. Hardcore.

 

It is Kool as hell but the paint in the pic's looks WAY WAY Worse then it did on TV

 

A true survivor in all its glory, should be left alone. Perhaps repaired if needed, but not modified from its glory days. My opinon.

 

Feel like I'm being played here. This thread pops up, then I go to ePay and it's listed there. Turn on "Chasing Classic Cars" where it get's auctioned for $30k. Is someone creating a buzz? It's a great car, but I have to agree that rad shell is fugly, even though it's period.

 

hahaha i was tryin to think of the right word to describe the grille shell...FUGLY is the only word to describe it. but i dig the car itself and the history!

 

o Bill Leslie purchased the coupe from Greg Gillis, a college classmate of mine back in 1962. I’m not sure of the price but it was either $250 or $450 (and mine was $250, Greg had 2). Bill wasn’t old enough to drive at the time (probably only 14 or 15 at the oldest). He and his older brother Don completely rebuilt the car doing what we now call a body off in their garage that was attached to the house and their father’s office. No fancy tools and welders like we have now most everything was done by hand. Bill painted the car in Lacquer paint with a small one-lung compressor (don’t think it even had a tank) that his mom had for doing ceramics. That grill shell that has received so many comments was hand formed by Bill to fit the line of the visor, and as I recall out of stainless. It was very heavy because I held it in place while he put the bolts in the night before the Autorama. The trunk area had 4 hand made drawers that contained tools inlayed in either fiberglass or Styrofoam I don’t rember which. There were no wiring harnesses from painless, everything was hand wired and hidden from view one at a time. The frame was altered and boxed and the front axle was sagged in order to get the car as low as possible. There weren’t many wheels available at the time just chrome reversed, moons baby moons, or the spiders that Bill chose. Mag wheels were few and far between. M&T had a bolt together mag and I’m not sure if Crager were even out yet. The gas tank was hand formed out of fiberglass (apparently used in boats of the day). Over time the resin broke down and the tank leaked by the time I considered buying it from Bill just before he moved to Cal. in the mid 80s.
Unfortunately I did not have a very good camera so the old color pictures that appear on different sights that were taken at the show and in Don & Bills driveway aren’t very good. The last time I rode in the car was in the summer of ’64 when I was on leave from the army. I remember having to take my shoes off before I got in and Bill being upset that the headers had blued from the exhaust heat. It was a fun ride.

 

Wow!!! Thanks so much Blind Faith!!! That's incredible when you can get a 1st hand account of an old Hot Rod. Great to hear from you!!!

Next time I'm in Buffalo perhaps we can meet up. I'd love to talk to you about the early days of Hot Rodding in Buffalo.

 

Love the stance! cool coupe, as for the grill shell???

 

Here's a few more photos of the car including some early build shots and some from the 1964 Buffalo Autorama........


1963



1963




1963



Check out the rotating color wheel and white marble chips across the floor......



2010 There was a little tuck-n-roll pad on the brake pedal in '64 that went missing...otherwise untouched.

T-Bird wheel and pedals....'33/'34 dash...Town & Country Radio













Thanks to local drag racer Richard Siepel who took the build photos and Autorama photos as a teenager back in 1963/64 and kept the negatives all these years.

And a big thanks again to the Rod and Customs of Buffalo Club for rolling out the welcome mat for the Starlite's return in 2009....45 years after it disappeared.



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Such a Bad Ass Coupe, not too crazy about the grille..still Bitchin!

 

Wow, $59,500? (it didn't sell....)

So, the car was found in NY, shipped to Cali to action, and now its back in NY...

 

yep Ford 2000 rad shell

 

I think everything work so well in this car, i love the rear pan w/ the chrome bar. The grille could work too, just needs a little vertical sectioning, then this car would be puurfect.

 

i hope to build a replica of this car. I actually like the grill. I get what he was trying to do with it. its perfect in my eyes. If I was rich, id buy it and drive it and leave it untouched.

 

vividlyvintage - I see from your profile that you are a "Metal Fabricator" ... is that some kind of code-speak for "HVAC sheet metal worker"? ...

click thumbnails to enlarge​

 

lmao haha no. I worked at a restoration shop in Hayward building and repairing mustang and shelby sheet metal. but thats hilarious

 

wow! originally being an "upstater. this all brings back memories, even "lived" in ransomville. at least at that time it had a blinker light! "small town usa"

 

I am from Olean NY (south of Buffalo) moved to Denver in 76.I also went to the shows and rod runs in Buffalo in early 70's.I don't recall seeing it either. If we run into each other around here give me a hollar.I have the gold Airflow. --- WKBW radio = Suuuunnnn Day Niagara! Those were the days!

 

Anybody know where the car is or who owns it now? Just seen it pop back up on Chasing Classic Cars tonight.

 

I think the last auction were is sold for $17,000 was on the West Coast. It may be a period piece, but it isn't at all good looking with that home made grille, IMO. Bob

 

Yeah it's fugly but I'd trade anyone of my cars to own it. If I can find an owner I might just see if he/she is interested in something of mine. Damn it I love it and I don't care who knows it!

 

Curious if anyone here knows about THIS:http://rochester.craigslist.org/tfr/4301671948.html

 

Hey guys, was watching a re-run of the Mecum Auction yesterday and there was a late 50s gold colored Studebaker truck which was all original AND the Grille was almost exactly the grille used on the Starlight Coupe.

 

Who owns this car now? Is the owner on the HAMB? DOES HE WANT A '33 FORD 3w in trade? Man I am just ate up over this car. It's too cool.

 

That's the Polish in you, Brah!

Actually it IS a cool piece of East Coast history, kinds like Rich's Survivor roadster!

 

Here it is:

http://newyork.craigslist.org/que/cto/5667943048.html

 

He's asking $40k

 

I just watched a rerun of this Chasing Classic Cars episode. Anyone know where this car is today? Does the guy that stole the car for $17k still own it?