You Need This: Is this a shortcut to building that Italian exotic?

David S.
By David S. Wallens
Nov 9, 2023 | Fiberfab, Fiberglass, kit car, banshee, Cars For Sale, Caribee

Photography Courtesy Vic Laskorski/Facebook Marketplace

It looks like a ’60s Italian GT coupe. Or maybe even a Cobra Daytona–well, aside from the doors.

What is it? According to the Facebook Marketplace listing, we’re all looking at a 1965 Fiberfab Banshee/Caribee body mounted on a 1959 Triumph TR3 chassis. (When GM purchased the Banshee name from Fiberfab, the model was renamed the Caribee.)

Here’s how things worked back in the day–meaning the 1960s. The swoopy, futuristic styling came from Fiberfab–as well as others like Devin. Fiberglass, relatively new to automotive use, helped small-volume builders turn dreams into reality.

[Geoff Hacker’s kind of fun? Finding one-of-a-kind, 50-years-missing specials]

So you took this fiberglass body and mounted it to the chassis and running sitting in your garage–could be a VW Bug, could be a Corvette. Other popular chassis donors included MG, Triumph and Thunderbird.

Actually making that reality drive down the street was left up to the builder, however, as someone started this build back in 1965 and never finished it. Can someone here complete a project started back when the Beatles had short hair? 

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Comments
nocones
nocones GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
11/9/23 10:44 a.m.

I saw that.  I literally don't think I could get in through that door opening.  But it does look very nice.  

NOHOME
NOHOME MegaDork
11/9/23 10:47 a.m.

Glass included or at least a glass donor?

johndej
johndej SuperDork
11/9/23 10:50 a.m.

Fiberfab Banshee, I think someone on here might have owned one once upon a time.

nocones
nocones GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
11/9/23 10:51 a.m.

In reply to NOHOME :

It says it uses C2 Corvette windshield.  The rest would be easy to make out of lexan.  

Colin Wood
Colin Wood Associate Editor
11/9/23 11:06 a.m.

I always thought those old-school fiberglass jobs would be fun to restore/make into your own.

NOHOME
NOHOME MegaDork
11/9/23 11:18 a.m.

wiki:

Banshee/Caribee[edit]

In the mid-1960s Fiberfab was developing a car to be called the Banshee. It was designed by Russell and Chris Beebe, although they suggest that the mold maker made unauthorized changes to the final shape.[4] During the car's development General Motors (GM) approached Goodwin and bought the Banshee name from him.[4] GM would use the name for their Pontiac Banshee line of concept cars, starting in 1964. The Fiberfab car was renamed the Caribee.

The Banshee/Caribee had gull-wing doors and styling that has been compared to a Shelby Daytona coupe.[30] The body was made to be fitted over a variety of front-engine chassis, including ones from Triumph, MG and Austin-Healey.

Twelve copies of the car were built.[30]

 Stole this image from FB showing what it might look like further down the road

bearmtnmartin (Forum Supporter)
bearmtnmartin (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand UberDork
11/9/23 11:20 a.m.

 

 

I would build and drive that.

RoddyMac17
RoddyMac17 Reader
11/9/23 12:34 p.m.

If only it was closer....

Here's another example of a Banshee:  https://rarecomponentcars.blogspot.com/2021/03/the-novetta-sports-racer.html

There's a youtube video on it somewhere.

 

APEowner
APEowner GRM+ Memberand UltraDork
11/9/23 12:45 p.m.

I wonder if that could be built in a way that an be legal for vintage racing.

wspohn
wspohn UltraDork
11/9/23 1:11 p.m.

The doors are very narrow and restrictive.  It was Fiberfab's attempt to create an exotic, but they actually made a less comfortable/useful car than the basically similar Jamaican which also looked more as if it really was a production car as opposed to some kid's wet dream.

I think the Jamaican looks much more as if it were an actual production car:

 

 

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