History Curious....When were fiberglass frontends first used?

Had someone say fiberglass frontends are not period correct. Made me wonder...anyone know when they were first used?

 

1963 - Look at the door.

 

My dad was making glass front ends for 55 Chevies in the early 60's. We had the mold when I was a kid.

 

I'd guess 63 or 64, that's when I remember 'glass featured in magazines.
The flip top front end? Later, 66 or so I'm guessing.

 

As a complete front end, or just parts?
Studebaker/Packard had fiberglass hoods for sure in 1958. I think they might have started that in 57.

 

Now that your question has been answered, the smartasses can chime in.

 

but Jimbo - isn't that a fiberglass - body ?

 

Not really smartass when you're pointing out that the technology was there in 1953, or before.

 

Had a one piece glass front on a Henry J I helped build during the winter of 64/65.

Bill

 

Thanks for the help guys


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Liked the post from Jim. ('Squirrel')
'Glass has been available for longer than some are aware of: We on the west coast remember Cal Automotive, (the 'first'...) but there were a few others that were producing fenders, hoods, doors and complete one piece front ends, prior to the popular ads.
There was more early entrepreneurism happening in the mid-to-late 'fifties that didn't get mainstream than got 'noticed'!
The speed secrets at the drags were the 'closely guarded' ones...

 

I ran a fiberglass hood on my '55 gasser in '64. It was a Cal Auto part. Lots of fiberglass on the west coast starting in the early '60s. Definitely period correct for a '60 style gasser.

 

Charlie Hill was making fiberglass ,55 chevy front ends in 62-63 right here in central PA. And of course , Willys pieces and noses too!

 

I'm gonna go out on a limb here...Did the guy that told you this have these wheels on his "gasser"?

 

My 55 about 1967. One piece front hinged.

 

It has a fiberglass front end

 

Well . . . since it looks like you have a '327' in that car - guess the glass front end is pretty close to being correct for your period - early 60's for sure. Screw that guy . . .

 

Even Ford had a fiberglass front end on the Thunderbolts. HRP

 

I always forget the name (big name in 'glass) of the guy who was doing Ford fenders and such in 57-8. He grew big really fast, and there was a recent TRJ retrospective on them. The real question is when did it get popular, no? Was it Gibbons? Somebody here will toss it right out. I also believe that Ford had 'glass parts on the 63 lightweight Galaxies too.


Quick edit: Wescott, 1954.

 

"Plaza Glass" did the Ford lightweight fiberglass. Fiberglass was a product of WWII and was available about 1949ish..... gives you a start date.


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A little Dee Wescott history.

http://www.cruzinmag.com/archives/0609/feature4.html

 

Don't forget Henry's soybean car from about 1941. Not really fiberglass, but not steel, either....