History Identify this 1950s Custom Roadster?

Over in the AACA forum, George Albright is trying to identify this custom and asked if the Hamb could help. It seems to be rear engined btw. Any ideas?

Here is the original thread

 

Back to the top for the mornings guys. Any ideas anybody?

 

Says Ferrari right there on the plate. DUH *LOL* no idea Where in Montana is it?

 

I kinda see a Triumph tr series in the body, but just a wild guess. The Packard grille is an interesting mod. ???The cut down doors are classic. Good luck with a for sure I.D. ~Sololobo~

 

i'm guessing those are early 50's nash quarters on that thing

 

Kind of odd proprotions...
I wonder what the louvers in the rear deck were for?
What kind of powertrain does/did it have?

 

I'm wondering why George feels it's a rear or mid engine configuration. It has a pretty serious drive shaft tunnel to be mid engined. A couple photos under the hood would help ID the frame and suspension, and s shot of the drivers foot area might help figure out what pedals were used.

 

First thought was Sunbeam.

 

I say Studebaker front fenders.

 

Not sure where but this has come up before. I saved a picture of it from a previous post.

 

I see '48 Stude front fenders/headlights...Nash rear fenders/taillights...Packard grille...looks like very early Volkswagen front bumper or maybe MG...

It's a "custom roadster"...is that enuff ID for you...or are you wanting the name of the guy that built it those many years ago...???

R-

 

Yup...'48 Stude front fenders.

 

George seems to be into old-balls and I think he is thinking about buying this. Here is what he said about the rear engine question:

"Good Question as to if its front or rear drive! The owner says its rear drive. I will try to get him to take a photo of the front engine compartment,and also of the area right behind the seats so we can try to figure that issue out. Hey a 1957 Studebaker Silver Hawk drove by me yesterday,and it appeared the cowl vent was identical or similar to the ones on this car. Maybe the side panels or body is a narrowed 1953 to 1957 Studebaker speedster of some type. You guys thoughts? Geo."

 

No idea what it is ...but I like it in an odd way... !!

 

George mentions front drive vs rear drive but it is clearly rear drive. The issue is where was the engine. The engine compartment can't be very big if it's up in front. It may be behind the seats where those louvers are.

 

I'm nor sure But I think that might be a "Budd Hugly" Custom, I have had one or two over the years,... I think they are always originals,... I never knew the history, another guy told me the name, when he seen mine,... he stopped dead in his tracks and said,........
"Hey thats Budd Hugly" !

 

Questionable styling aside I think it's really neat that some of these one-offs are getting a second chance. The creators may have though no one noticed but years later here they are! That's just cool...

 

What doors??

 

A Montana ?

 

i will pour thru my books. have lots of books on one-off type cars.
looks like them fiberglass builders from the early 50's. there was a lot of people trying to create their own cars in that era. quite a few of them sold as "kit cars".
any pics of the front suspension?
another thought...
a few of the builders in that era used to put tags on the inside of the car. either in the front a-pillar or on the dash. even a few placed them under the dash.
i am sure you probably already tried that, but...