1953 Victress S1A Roadster

1958 Other Makes Victress S1A Roadster Description

1958 Victress S1A Roadster
American Born; European Styling

The Victress S1A debuted in 1952. Like all Victress S1A roadsters, this car is highly collectible and would make a great vintage rally car, superb vintage race car, a unique classic or a terrific driver. Cars of this type are now welcomed at the most prestigious car shows and classic rallies. Approximately 100 bodies were produced with far fewer survivors remaining.

At Bonneville during the 1953 Nationals, the "Guy Mabee Special" - a Victress bodied roadster - was piloted to a record speed of 203.105 mph making it "America's Fastest Sports Car." The sports car movie "Johnny Dark" starring Tony Curtis and Piper Laurie was released the next year (1954) with a Victress sports car wheeled by Indianapolis 500 veteran Don Freeland (stunt driver). Victress Manufacturing was a professional shop that created fiberglass bodies of high quality and great strength. Both events combined to catapult "Victress Manufacturing" to fame in the automotive industry.

Condition:The Hard Work Is Done

The original build is of high quality by a talented individual during the late 50s / early 60s. Built on a 1958 Chevrolet Impala chassis, the car has updates on both the front and rear suspension with more performance oriented parts including front disc brakes and rear axle. Sporting new Halibrand-style aluminum wheels, the handling of this "Special" is better than most from this era. The Chevrolet 350 V8 engine sounds great and appears road-ready. The automatic transmission makes this Victress easy to drive with plenty of power.

This Victress is ready for your final finish and personal touch. The brakes have been repaired and the car runs, drives, and stops (see video links at bottom of page) but we recommend further sorting as restoration is continued by the new owner. An interior cockpit has been fabricated to match cars of this period. This car's bodywork has recently been completed and a protective primer/sealer has been applied. This car is titled in Florida as a 1958 Victress convertible, and is being sold "as-is" so that the new owner can finish it to their liking.

Why Victress? Why Now?

American Sport Specials are coming into their own. More and more they are seen at vintage races, rallys, tours and on the fields of the finest concours in the world. Most recently a class of these sports cars appeared at the 2015 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. This may be your chance to own something extremely rare and unique - an American Special -- with all the flair of European design, but with American power and at a reasonable cost.

This car's American drivetrain offers great performance in this light-weight vehicle. Parts are readily available at low prices everywhere, and maintenance issues are easy to address. The story of the Victress S1A has it all – design heritage, race history, and legendary speed. It might just be the right car for you. Click on the links below for additional information.

Links of Interest:

The History of the Victress Sports Car Marque

The Design Heritage of the Victress S1A Roadster

Auction Results: 1953 Victress S1A Roadster Bid to $150,000 at Mecum, Chicago, October, 2015

Article: American Postwar Specials/Sports Cars - Published in the 2015 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance Progam

Articles: Modern Victress Sports Cars

Articles: Vintage Victress Sports Cars

Vintage: Victress Brochures and Ads

Restored: Victress S1A Sports Cars

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Shown Below Is A Vintage Photo of the "Guy Mabee Special" (now since restored) and a Vintage Poster From The Movie "Johnny Dark"

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The Photos Below Are For the Victress S1A Roadster In This Auction

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VIDEOS:

Click Here For a 30 Second Video on Victress at motion (forward, reverse, stop)

Click Here For a 10 second Video on Engine Running

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Transportation costs and arrangements from origination (Tampa, Florida) to buyer's location are the responsibility of the buyer. This car is being advertised locally and we reserve the right to end the auction at any time. People have different opinions and expectations of old cars. It is your responsibility to inspect this vehicle or send a third party inspector for your satisfaction. A $2000 non-refundable deposit is due within 72 hours of the end of the auction. Full payment via electronic/bank transfer is due no later than 7 days from the end of the auction.

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CLICK HERE TO SEE WHAT AUTOWEEK MAGAZINE THINKS ABOUT THESE CARS - POSTED ON JANUARY 20TH, 2016

http://www.autoweek.com/article/classic-cars/swoopy-rare-american-1953-victress-s1a-roadster-grabs-ebay

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