Classic Auto Mall
6180 Morgantown Road
Morgantown, PA 19543
"1955 Debonnaire Venture Continental Roadster
Designed by Phillip Egan of Tucker automobiles, this car was produced by a company called Replac using fiberglass built around a mahogany buck, a material that was new in the 50's. Six units were built before the Replac factory in Cleveland burned, destroying all of the wood and fiberglass master forms for the car. But in early stages, there were serious discussions with Sears about making the model available for purchase, just as Sears had done with the Allstate in 1952 and 1953.
For consignment, a 1955 Debonnaire Venture Continental roadster showing 97,550 miles, but the true miles are unknown due to faulty odometer and lack of title documentation. According to our consignor, this may be the only known existing example of the Debonnaire and this one was shown at Pebble Beach in 2023. Another source and internet research shows that five of the six may be owned by Undiscovered Classics and undergoing restoration.
Exterior
It's built on a '49 Ford frame but the shoebox is long gone. Instead, what we have is a sleek, smooth paneled roadster which you could compare to a Baby Bird, but you'd still be missing the mark as this is wildly individual and unique. The Bright Coral two stage paint is accented with a white ""cove"" panel with straight trim that accentuates the downward angle from the front fenders to the back gap of the door, reminiscent but less dramatic than some of the British roadsters of the day. The rear fenders are long and trend downward with an extended overhang beyond the wheel opening. Ribbed wheel covers dress the 15-inch wheels with 5.60-15 tires that have a mid 2022 date code. The sculpted tail light cove holds a round light under an arrowhead shaped light likely borrowed from a Pontiac during the latest restoration. Artistic beam bumpers hug each end and the mesh grille cants inward within the gaping tunnel. Imperfections include just a few chips and scratches.
Interior
Coral vinyl covers the door panels, the doors opening up not to a sill but to the flat floor of the car with textured aluminum trim we'll see again later, and the Debonnaire name plate in script. Black and silver cloth inserts fill coral vinyl bucket seats that sit behind a square steering wheel, artistic and unique, and the clean, smooth surface of the dashboard. A large gauge sits in the center and a three dimensional Debonnaire call out is to the right in Barbie-like font. A Lokar shifter resides on the floor amongst a low pile and ribbed black carpet which also shows up on the trunk floor between its clean walls.
Drivetrain
The engine was borrowed from a Continental Mark II, the most expensive car at the time and the presentation here is futuristic and dramatic, with ribbed and polished valve covers and long, tubular exhaust manifolds. It's a 368ci V8 with an Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor and rated at 285 horsepower. It's mated to a Borg Warner Lincoln TurboDrive 3-speed automatic transmission that routes power to the Ford 9"" rear. There is no air conditioning nor power assisted brakes and steering. Textured aluminum decal clad panels are used artfully to fill open space and cut to fit engine components.
Undercarriage
Riveted aluminum pans make up the length of the belly above the frame and dual exhaust travels through bright red Cherrybomb mufflers and exit through bullet shaped chrome deflectors beyond the back bumper. Disc brakes are on the front while drums occupy the rear and suspension is standard as front coil springs and rear leaf springs.
Drive-Ability
We ease our way around the test loop in this extremely rare fiberglass car and find the engine running well, the car tracking well, and the car's potential to draw eyes and turn heads is off the charts! Functionally speaking, we note the speedometer, odometer, trip odometer, brakes lights and fuel, oil and temp gauges are not working. All other usable functions work as they should. While Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of your purchase.
The effort of several shops went into restoring this car which accounts for the excellent condition, the Lokar shifter, and maybe the Pontiac lights. It's a fantastic piece of automotive history and a fine example of sculpted fiberglass not long after the Corvette was developed. Had the factory not burned down, who knows what would have become of the model!
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8 acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person. There is no guarantee of mileage. A $299 Dealer Administrative fee is not included in the advertised price. All prices are before state, city and county tax, tag, title and license fees. Out of state buyers are responsible for all state, county, city taxes and fees, as well as title/registration fees in the state that the vehicle will be registered. Classic Auto Mall is not responsible for errors and omissions. Please verify listings with dealer. Vehicles may require VIN verification and/or safety and emissions inspections to transfer ownership and register the vehicle in the declared state of residence. Please check with your local DMV office to ensure compliance with your state's titling and registration process.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy listening. You can also watch on YouTube!
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| Year: | 1955 |
| Make: | Debonnaire |
| Model: | Venture Continental |
| Mileage: | 97550 |
| Exterior Color: | Bright Coral |
| Interior Color: | Dark Coral |
| Trim: | Roadster |
| Body: | roadster |
| Stock: | 8949 |
| Engine Size: | 368ci V8 |
| Transmission: | 3 Speed Automatic |
| Vin: | C56C2332 |
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Classic Auto Mall is a world class consignment house located in southeastern Pennsylvania with indoor showroom space for up to 1,000collectable and special interest vehicles offered for sale. We are conveniently located just west of Philadelphia. This one of a kind building is climate controlled and security monitored and is the ultimate destination for classic and specialty car lovers. The building is located right on the Pennsylvania Turnpike with terrific frontage and exposure. Additionally, this one of a kind building houses one of the finest barn findcollections in the world with over 400 vehicles on display. The facility and grounds have plenty of room for indoor and outdoor automotive related events, car shows, car club meets, ride and drives and more.
Classic Auto Mall by the Numbers:
This wonderful facility started life as a clothing outlet mall in 1985 and then evolved into a furniture outlet mall until it closed its doors in 2011. There is a 188 room Holiday Inn with a walk-thru entrance attached to the facility that has a full-service restaurant, lounge, meeting facilities and an indoor swimming pool. The hotel just underwent a $3,000,000 renovation.
With an abundance of car collectors, car clubs and racetracks located within a short distance, this fantastic facility is ideally situated.
Our consignment program has classic car lovers excited to have a facility like this to store and offer their prized possessions for sale. We market vehicles worldwide and get top dollar for your one special car or your entire collection!
Please contact us further to discuss your needs.
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