1955 Woodill Wildfire

This 1955 Woodill Wildfire is powered by a 390ci Cadillac V8 engine equipped with triple Rochester carburetors, mated to a 3-speed Hydra-Matic automatic transmission. It features a 1948 Ford front suspension, Chevrolet rear end and dual exhaust. Mechanical updates include rebuilt brakes, wheel cylinders and master cylinder, along with a 12-volt electrical system and new dash instruments. It rides on steel wheels with chrome hubcaps and new Coker whitewall tires. The fiberglass body is finished in Ferrari Red with a new red and white vinyl interior and red carpeting. The Woodill Wildfire was conceived by B. Robert "Woody" Woodill, who operated a Dodge dealership with his father in Downey, CA, and added a Willys franchise in 1948. Seeking to produce an American sports car, Woodill developed the fiberglass-bodied Wildfire with hopes of securing mass production through Willys, although those plans never materialized. Introduced in 1952, the Wildfire was an early American fiberglass sports car that preceded the Chevrolet Corvette. Produced through 1958, only a handful of complete cars were built, with estimates of 100 to 285 fiberglass body kits sold. This example is believed to have been originally sold to A. Koch on May 23, 1955, with a documented cost of $65 for the frame and $140 for the fiberglass body, which was manufactured by the Glasspar boat company. Accompanying documentation includes historical information, magazine articles and a list of Woodill Wildfires sold.