In February of 1957 the Byers SR-100 was featured on the duvet of Street & Observe Journal, John Bond, the proprietor of the journal, proclaimed that it was “The Most Lovely Automobile In The World.”
Bond was so taken with the design that he truly purchased the package and constructed one himself alongside firm founder Jim Byers. It might be the one automotive that Bond would ever construct himself from scratch.
Quick Information – The Byers SR-100
- The title of the Byers SR-100 is comparatively easy. Byers is the corporate founder’s surname, “SR” stands for “Sports activities Roadster” and “100” tells you the best wheelbase of the chassis that the physique can be fitted to.
- Jim Byers began out within the booming homebuilt automotive trade in 1952, engaged on a fiberglass Victress sports activities automotive. He would go on to companion with Dick Jones to develop the Meteor SR-1 sports activities automotive in 1953.
- In 1955 Byers went his personal means, he created a brand new model of the Meteor SR-1 physique and known as it the SR-100. He bought the fiberglass our bodies by way of adverts behind automotive magazines, prospects would then match their new physique to the chassis of their alternative, with a wheelbase of 100 inches.
- The Byers SR-100 you see right here was constructed on a 1953 Kaiser Henry J chassis, it’s powered by a Ford 302 cubic inch (5.0 liter) Ford V8 which is mated to a 3-speed handbook transmission. It has impartial entrance suspension, a dwell axle rear, and four-wheel drum brakes.
Jim Byers And The Most Lovely Automobile In The World
Jim Byers joined the fast-growing package automotive world in 1952 when he received his begin engaged on the primary fiberglass Victress physique, a good-looking design that had been created by trade pioneers Doc Boyce-Smith and Hugh Jorgensen.
This picture from 1952 exhibits Jim Byers (left) serving to to carry up the very first Victress fiberglass physique. Byers would use this expertise to create his personal firm, and develop the Byers SR-100. If you happen to can establish the person holding the rear of the automotive please tell us so we will credit score him. Picture courtesy of Geoff Hacker.
Jim’s time working with moulds and fiberglass on the Victress gave him the hands-on expertise he wanted for his subsequent mission, he labored with Dick Jones to create the Meteor SR-1 sports activities automotive in 1953.
The Meteor made its public debut on the 1953 Petersen Motorama on the Pan Pacific Auditorium in Los Angeles, California and it acquired a heat reception. Byers and Jones determined to go their very own separate methods in 1955, it was an amicable break up, and so they every continued creating their very own designs.
Jim made a slew of enhancements and modifications to the Meteor and launched it later in 1955 because the Byers SR-100. A yr later he launched the intently associated Byers SR-90, a sports activities automotive physique designed for 90 inch wheelbase chassis.
Between 1955 and 1963 roughly 25 examples of the Byers SR-100 physique had been bought, it’s not identified what number of the place constructed into full vehicles by those that ordered them. Fiberglass automaker Kellison purchased the moulds and rights to the Byers design and bought them within the Sixties, one other firm purchased the rights to the SR-90.
The Byers SR-100
Developed and launched in 1955, the Byers SR-100 was a light-weight fiberglass physique designed to be fitted to chassis with a 100 inch wheelbase. 99 and 101 inch wheelbases may be accommodated with out an excessive amount of hassle.
This automotive was refurbished in 2012, works included a brand new tan inside, new purple paintwork, the addition of a Corvette windscreen, and wire wheels.
Jim Byers marketed his sports activities automotive behind automotive magazines, alongside quite a few related low-volume fiberglass physique manufactures. The Nineteen Fifties was a increase time for the customized and package automotive industries, fiberglass expertise appeared to be taking on the world – it was primarily the carbon fiber equal of the period.
When ordering your Byers SR-100 you’ll sometimes converse with Jim Byers immediately, modifications might be made to the physique when wanted earlier than cargo. Clients wanted to supply their very own chassis, most selected a platform with impartial entrance suspension and a dwell axle rear.
Engine selections did range, although many selected a V8 for apparent causes. The small block Chevrolet V8 had been launched in 1954, pre-WWII Ford Flathead V8s had been a less expensive possibility, and lots of vehicles had their engines and transmissions upgraded over time as there was little cause to maintain the vehicles unique.
It’s not know precisely what number of SR-100s have survived to the trendy day nonetheless there’s a rising group of individuals devoted to saving these vehicles and their fiberglass friends from the period, largely led by Geoff Hacker at Forgotten Fiberglass.
The 1959 Byers SR-100 Proven Right here
The automotive you see here’s a Byers SR-100 from 1959. The automotive was initially constructed on a 1953 Kaiser Henry J chassis, a chassis it nonetheless has right now, however the unique drivetrain is a thriller.
This Ford 302 V8 is claimed to have been sourced from a 1968 Ford Mustang. In Mustang trim it could produce 230 hp at 4,800 rpm with 300 lb ft of torque at 2,600 rpm.
Within the Sixties this automotive had its unique engine and transmission eliminated and changed with a extra trendy Ford 302 cubic inch V8 sourced from a 1968 Ford Mustang and paired with a 3-speed handbook transmission.
This SR-100 was positioned into storage in 1973 the place it presumably remained till 2012 when it was acquired by the present proprietor who’s now providing it on the market.
A sequence of refurbishments started in 2012 to deliver the automotive again to show-ready situation. It was repaired in vibrant purple and a Corvette windshield was sourced and fitted – it appears to be like good and it makes it far simpler to search out alternative glass sooner or later if wanted.
The inside was re-trimmed with tan leather-based upholstery, 5″ wire wheels with knock-off hubs had been added, a side-mounted exhaust system was fitted, the entrance fenders got vents and a discreet hood scoop was added to make sure loads of contemporary cool airflow.
The automotive additionally has Stewart Warner instrumentation, a wood-rimmed steering wheel, a Nardi shift knob, a dash-mounted mirror, a hearth extinguisher, and lap belts.
The automotive is now being supplied on the market on Deliver A Trailer out of San Diego, California. If you happen to’d wish to learn extra about it or register to bid you’ll be able to go to the itemizing right here.
Pictures courtesy of Deliver A Trailer
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