OldSchool Restorations SHOP

    Dave Perry s home of vintage sportrods , vintage racecars, vintage kit cars, Victress sport rods, Ladawri kitcars, kellison kits, Devin vintage fiberglass body, Woodill Wildfire, Glasspar, and Early Fiberfab kit cars, Dave Perry began using fiberglass in 1954 and has seen many changes in the frp techniques. Fiberglass body repair and restoration of many vintage fiberglass body cars is Dave Perry s interest.

OldSchool Restorations             

of North Alabama  , USA

1950's and 60's  SportRods and Racecars returned to life      

 

 Vintage Sport Rods and Race Cars return to the real world, through this shop in North Alabama.

    Beginning in the 50's, early  ' kit car ' bodies ,  became the choice for builders of both Street Racers and Road Racing Courses on the West Coast, and this quickly spread to the East.  Devin, La Dawri, Kellison, and Victress produced kit car bodies that performed well on road courses, dragstrips, and the salt flats of Bonnevile,  and led to a strong market in the mid 60's which was joined by Fiberfab, and Astra.  In 1959, putting a 283, Y-block, Nailhead, Lincoln, Caddilac, or Packard 352 into a lightweight car with a sporty body,  started the trend that became the Muscle Car Era of the late 60's.

   Amongst race cars of the 40's, 50's, and 60's, you'll find these body builders well represented at this shop in North Alabama.  Several frame-off restorations are always underway in the shop , and cars and bodies for future inclusion in the schedule are always on hand as well.   LaDawri, Devin, Kellison, Victress, Tornado, Tipo 61 variant, and early Fiberfabs dot the parking lot.

   Email or calling ahead is suggested, as a very flexible schedule is maintained and daily hours of operation vary.  Also, it is common to find the gate closed, even though work is being done inside the shop. The phone number is posted on the gate , for your convenience.

  " AS BUILT" and " AS RACED" are the standards to which cars are completed, and other than safety  ( such as dual brake systems) , remaining 'period correct ' is the #1 priority.

   Cars that at one time were completed , are the focus of most efforts, although a total build for an unusually rare original body may occur.

   Although the shop does not work on customer cars,   occasionally an appropriate privately owned vehicle is considered for restoration. Family owned cars that were ' built by my ......  ' get special attention in this shop, when the History of the car is important. Visiting the website for the Holmes Daytona , below,  makes this evident

    There is also currently, a project to return the Ridenour GT " , the mid-engine USRRC/early CanAM coupe from 1965/66 to the racing circuit. Named in memory of California driver Dave Ridenour, who conceived this Genie/GT in the prophetic belief that coupes were in the future for the ' ground thumping' big bore road-racing cars. Dave was killed while racing in 1966.

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email click HERE to email us

or call (256) 507.3328

 

 

currently in restoration ...........click on the car name for more information :

 

1966 Azteca SpiderImage

 One of two known to still exist,  this factory built tube frame, mid-engine spider with Corvair flat six power is currently undergoing a total frame-up restoration.  

 

 

1959 HOLMES La Dawri DaytonaImage

One of about a dozen known to exist, of which only a handful are driveable, this beautiful Daytona with a built T'Bird y-block is receiving a complete chassis and running gear restoration

 

1952 Glockler Porsche Spyder Mk III ( 1980 replica)Image

This limited production, well maintained replica of Walter Glocklers pre- 550 Porsche Spyder design is currently undergoing a body off restoration, after about 20  years of  much enjoyed high performance driving.

 

 

1969 Hillclimber

       " Baxter Brothers Special "    replica Bugatti 35 bodied, Healey100-6Chassis / FiatDOHCImage

Currently undergoing a total nut/bolt restoration, you might see this car return to hillclimbing at various SouthEastern Hillclimbs

 

 

 

1960 early Formula B

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 500cc Club of America,s Editor describes this 1960 Class in the SCI March 1960 issue. In 1965 SCCA called it Formula C  ( under 1100 cc)  .ORIGINAL CONDITION including paint and upholstery !  Great running Vintage Racer, right out of the barn.    A light restoration is under way. Car expected to see track again in late 2008

 

1978 Chrysler / Petty Roadrunner KitCar

Image   Found in unmolested " as raced " condition, this is the only roadrace prepared KitCar known to still exist . History back to original Chrysler Dealer Invoice to Doug Dodd.  Expect this car to return to Southeastern tracks  in Spring 2009 after a light restoration

 

West Coast    C/Mod    circa 1960

Do you remember this car ????

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Found as shown in a barn in Vancouver BC , Canada.

Construcion is typical of late 50's.  

 

mid-engined  F/Mod Monocoque

             from the Florida area

Do you remember this car ????

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An early mid-engined true monocoque , very professional and sophisticated for the period. It last raced in the SouthEast with the body as found.  Other than the nose and tail , the car is unmolested from original.

 

 

 

Dave Ridenour's   Genie GT   1965/66  

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If you have ANY pictures, info about this car, OR how to contact Dave's family, please email us click  HERE

   Dave was a USRRC driver from San Francisco

 

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If you have interest in the early

 " First Generation " of fiberglass

 ' kit cars ' ,

otherwise called

 ' 50/60's Specials '

or     ' SportRods ' ,

click HERE to read

" The Glassmakers    1960 "

 


 

Too late, these are gone:

 

Sorrentino/Witzenburg  Datsun 510

Historic .. 1972 Trans/Am  Series

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  SOLD

 

Hidden away for nearly 2 decades, now back on tracks in the SouthEast during 2007, this authentic race car from the 1972 SCCA TransAm Series, and later IMSA Camel GT Series, and Valvoline Cup,  is scheduled for a Fall restoration.

 

1940 TQ Midget race car

Image SOLD

   History of this Midget with Missouri ancestry is currently being sought before a complete nut/bolt restoration begins ( late Summer )

 

1959 Opel  

Shell Oil's  376 mpg car in 1973 !

click HERE for more pictures

Image   SOLD

No Joke ...This car obtained 376 mpg on gasoline, in Shell Oil Company's  1973 Test,  and is Internationally known.

 

1962 Kellison VSRImage

  SOLD " Bob Oswald Special"...The only known, still existing,  Kellison version of the early 60's Chuck Tatum designed VSR Sport Racer,  is scheduled  for a return to it's Vintage appearance after the current '06 racing season ends.

 

1960 Kellison J5 / Corvette Coupe

 

Image SOLD

Frame-off restoration has begun on this sharp looking coupe

 

Doc Baker's 1956 TR3

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Often " Fast Time of the day " at TimeTrials in the NewJersey Pennsyvania area during the 60's, Ansel " Doc " Baker was awesome uin this alchohol fueled , all drum brake, Triumph TR3.  Spectators never forgot it's rear mounted radiator with the huge air intake in the rollbar. Now undergoing restoration.     SOLD

 

1941 Ford  AUTHENTIC

SHINER's Clown Parade Car Kansas City     Image SOLD

Belongs in a museum....This car needs to go to the right home.  

Now generally owned by the Lodges, this one came from the builders estate.All the original Lodge graphics can be saved, as only the red and green need complete repainting ...will make an awesome street rod, certainly a " peoples choice" show winner anywhere.

 

 

1968 Autodynamics Formula Vee racecarImage SOLD

with SCCA logbook...Rocky Mountain Region

 

 

 

1966 M 151 Mutt A1Image

SOLD

Vietnam Vets will remember these.. but most were cut up by govt and not sold, so they are rare ' jeeps'.  Never Cut, this one is worth restoration

 

1990 Edmunds Midget

SOLD

run but never raced,  builders plate 5-27-90 , no engine now, will take ChevII or vw128 .  Includes coupler to in/out box.  no drysump tank which (was) is in pictures.  Halibrand QC rear.

 

1969 Alfa 1750 Spider Roundtail  Image

SOLD

Only a couple of dozen of these Euro models are in the US. This one is in the Alfa International Registry 105.57.141.1185 ....  Shipped to Europe.

 One of 4 sold recently

 

1948 Triumph 1800 Roadster StreetRod w/ 289 Ford v8Image

SOLD

Aluminum bodied  authentic California StreetRod. Needs no further explanation.

 

 

1968 MGC RoadsterImage

SOLD

Rare roadster with removable hardtop

One of three sold recently

 

 

 

 

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