Topic: Cool Custom Puzzle #231 - Thomas Campbell's 1949 Ford

[Otto Puzzell]

For one point, name the builders of this car, and the person for whom it was built.

Only a complete answer will earn a point!  

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[Otto Puzzell]

Up

[fyreline]

This is one of Bill Frick's famous "Fordillacs", basically a Ford with a Cadillac motor. Built at Frick's shop on Long Island, NY this one was said to be built with assistance from the famous sports car racer Briggs Cunningham in 1949. The car features Cadillac V8 power, a passenger compartment moved rearward, and front fenders stretched 18″. It is said to have been sold by Cunningham to Thomas Campbell of Campbell's Soup fame. Frick also built a series of "Studillacs" featuring the same Cadillac motors transplanted into Loewy-styled 1953-54 Studebakers.

** Doing a bit more research on his particular car, it appears that the Briggs Cunningham involvement was actually more through Alfred Momo, who was Cunningham's lead mechanic. Also, the car was apparently built jointly for Thomas Campbell and Argentinian race driver, Ralph Onunyzia. In any case, the Soup guy eventually ended up with it when he bought his "partner" out in 1952.

[Carnut]

Wakey wakey at the back there!

[Otto Puzzell]

Yikes! How did I miss this?

The seller of this Ford-based custom says it was built by Briggs Cunningham and Bill Frick on Long Island, New York in the early days of their partnership. They attempted to enter one at LeMans but were rejected, so Briggs entered his famous pair of Cadillacs instead in 1950. It isn’t clear whether this is the rejected car or a separate Fordillac project, but this one features Cadillac V8 power, a passenger compartment moved rearward, and front fenders stretched 18″. It is said to have been sold by Cunningham to Thomas Campbell (the soup baron) who stored it away for several decades after he passed away in 1954

[fyreline]

I can see where there might be a question as to whether this was the actual car they tried to enter at LeMans . . . the handling would have been, ah, "interesting" to say the least. A more standard Fordillac (if you could call any of them that) would probably have been a better choice for LeMans than the stock Cadillac sedan (lighter with the same power) but the race authorities apparently decided that a Fordillac was more of a hot rod than a production car.

[cjl354]

I am currently the proud owner of that car;  it is now for sale if anyone might be interested