1957 Other Makes VERY RARE La DAWRI CONQUEST

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ONE OF THE FIRST CUSTOM HOME BUILT SPORTS CARS IN HISTORY! T H E F A B U L O U S L Y R A R E 1 9 5 7 L a D A W R I C O N Q U E S T I am very pleased to offer my very rare 1957 La Dawri Conquest, one of the earliest fiberglass custom cars ever manufactured in the world! This car is a very important part of Sports Car history especially in North America and the world as this coveted automobile was the very automobile that spearheaded the fiberglass kit car craze that took America by storm. The La Dawri that I am offering was originally purchased in 1957 on what is probably a 1951 Ford Chassis and has been a one owner car until very recently having been acquired from the original owner's son just two years ago. The car was last driven in the 1970's long before the car's iconic and historic status would come to be appreciated by the sports car world as most of the La Dawri's just rottedaway into oblivion. Included in this sale are two very rare 1970's New York State registrations with the VIN number 8C5188. This La Dawri originally had an Oldsmobile motor which is long gone and the car will be sold as a reliably steering and rolling bodyand chassis "roller" without an engine or transmission. The fiberglass body is in great condition requiring minimal attention besides a quality paint job which was originally white and as can be seen in the photographs has succumbed to the more than six decades of exposure. The dash board is very clean with the original Studebaker Super Hawk gauges still present as is the uncrackedwindshield glass and peripheral chrome. The car comes with all the parts shown in the listing and three pieces of factory literature and original builder's notes as well as photos of the car as it was being driven in the 1970's and the original 1957 Road & Track magazine publication featuring the red La Dawri Conquest on the cover, quite an impressive feat for an independent car builder in direct competition with the "Big 3" in the prime of their manufacturing legacy. Needless to say this is a very rare, historic 1950's iconic fiberglass investment opportunity worthy of a museum quality restoration as there are examples of restored La Dawri's commanding as much as $50,000 at auction! The vehicle is located in New York andI can arrange to have the car shipped to your preferred destination for around $0.68 per mile fully insured or pick up if you desire. P L E A S E S E E H I S T O R I C A L I N F O R M A T I O N B E L O W Our AuctionsDocketBidConsignTicketsMerchVIPResultsShowroomLog In / Register SponsorsVendorsCompany Media ProductsFinance Insurance Lot #491 1962 LADAWRI CONQUEST CUSTOM 2 DOOR ROADSTERAuctionLas Vegas 2014ReserveNO RESERVEStatusSOLDPrice$48,400.00Lot491Year1962MakeLADAWRIModelCONQUESTStyleCUSTOM 2 DOOR ROADSTER*Includes Buyer Commission DetailsVINORE8822FExterior ColorSILVERInterior ColorREDCylinders8Engine Size265TransmissionAUTOMATICDescription For sale at auction: Lot #491 - Extremely rare find, concours restoration. The Ladawri Conquest was featured on cover of Road and Track magazine July 1957. This exotic sports car is a rare find. Built from 1957 through 1965 at a very limited supply. Very well known in the vintage race world. Motor is a 1957 265cid, transmission is a 2-speed automatic. Car has been updated to all newer features. Chassis is a late model Chevrolet with independent front suspension. Power disc brakes, heavy duty aluminum radiator. Drives and performs very well. All books and records will be given to new owner. Sold new from Long Beach, CA. Documents include original order form, the original delivery sheet dated January 14, 1958 to Portland, OR, copy of the United States Patent, pictures of the complete restoration, plus all history. Car comes with a very rare unfinished hardtop. Beautiful one-of-a-kind sports car. Sold new in 1958, titled as a 1962. **TITLED AS AN ASSEMBLED VEHICLE** Visit Sports Car Digest Homepage >>SCD MotorsAboutServicesSports Car DigestYou are here: Home / Cars for Sale / Forsaken Fiberglass – LaDawri ConquestForsaken Fiberglass – LaDawri ConquestAPRIL 13, 2013 BY ANDREW NEWTON 3 COMMENTSIn the 1950s, California was full of companies making fiberglass kit bodies for cars. Developed during World War II, fiberglass had immediate usefulness of building boats, and specialist car bodies weren’t far behind. Some of these bodies were rather awkward, but there were others arguably as beautiful as anything coming out of Europe at the time. Surprisingly, few people talk about them today other than the relatively small number of die-hard fiberglass enthusiasts out there. Even one of the biggest names of that era, LaDawri Coachcraft, is quite obscure.Canadian Les Dawes started working with fiberglass in the late 1940s, and by the mid-1950s he was in Long Beach building, among other things, fiberglass body shells for golf carts. In his spare time, he was working on the molds and running gear for a sports car that he planned to call the Conquest. In 1957, Road & Track sent someone to look at the car, and in their July issue there it was, right there on the cover. Dawes then introduced a larger and much more handsome car called the Daytona, and LaDawri continued to make various bits for various cars. Business must have been good, because in 1961 LaDawri bought a less fortunate body maker named Victress, giving LaDawri quite possibly the largest lineup of kit bodies in the United States. As we now know, that kit craze didn’t last, and after introducing a coupe called the Formula Libre in 1965, LaDawri quietly disappeared, with the rights possibly going to another California kit car maker, Kellison Manufacturing.LaDawri history, like most all history of these types of cars, isn’t straightforward. There aren’t exact production figures, but there is no doubt that LaDawris are very rare machines. For anyone seeking out an interesting project vintage racer, it doesn’t get much more unique than this car, located in Sunland Park, New Mexico. It sits on a Henry J chassis which was apparently somewhat common for the Conquest, while under the hood is a pretty unusual Kaiser motor. It is titled as a 1951 Ford, hence the year in the title of the ad, but it more likely dates to the late ’50s.This sale is somewhat mysterious and very intriguing. The seller has zero transactions on this eBay account, but all appears to be legitimate. In the background of some of the photos, you can also see some similarly roughed up European and American classics. Perhaps we’ll see some of those up on the web soon? Like any super-rare project car, this is a restoration that will be problematic and not at all quick, but when is the next time we’re going to see a LaDawri for sale?Check out the LaDawri Conquest here on eBay, where the “Buy It Now” price is set at $18,500 and open to offers. " data-medium-file="http://i0.wp.com/www.sportscardigest.com/cars-for-sale/wp-content/uploads/Ladawri3.jpg?fit=300%2C300" data-large-file="http://i0.wp.com/www.sportscardigest.com/cars-for-sale/wp-content/uploads/Ladawri3.jpg?fit=920%2C920" src="http://i0.wp.com/www.sportscardigest.com/cars-for-sale/wp-content/uploads/Ladawri3.jpg?resize=610%2C457" data-original-width="610" data-original-height="457" title="1951 LaDawri" alt="side henry j kaiser project" width="610" height="457" style="border: none; margin: 2px !important; box-shadow: none; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 610px; height: 457px; background: 0px 0px;"> " data-medium-file="http://i1.wp.com/www.sportscardigest.com/cars-for-sale/wp-content/uploads/Ladawri2.jpg?fit=300%2C300" data-large-file="http://i1.wp.com/www.sportscardigest.com/cars-for-sale/wp-content/uploads/Ladawri2.jpg?fit=920%2C920" src="http://i1.wp.com/www.sportscardigest.com/cars-for-sale/wp-content/uploads/Ladawri2.jpg?resize=302%2C226" data-original-width="302" data-original-height="226" title="1951 LaDawri" alt="interior project" width="302" height="226" style="border: none; margin: 2px !important; box-shadow: none; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 302px; height: 226px; background: 0px 0px;"> " data-medium-file="http://i1.wp.com/www.sportscardigest.com/cars-for-sale/wp-content/uploads/Ladawri1.jpg?fit=300%2C300" data-large-file="http://i1.wp.com/www.sportscardigest.com/cars-for-sale/wp-content/uploads/Ladawri1.jpg?fit=920%2C920" src="http://i1.wp.com/www.sportscardigest.com/cars-for-sale/wp-content/uploads/Ladawri1.jpg?resize=302%2C227" data-original-width="302" data-original-height="227" title="1951 LaDawri" alt="Henry J Kaiser Project" width="302" height="227" style="border: none; margin: 2px !important; box-shadow: none; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 302px; height: 227px; background: 0px 0px;"> Quiz ArchiveAbout Tough to Crack Puzzle # 43: LaDawri Quest QTNot too many entries to last week's PostWar Puzzle, but all of them correct in identifying the body as to that of the LaDawri. We wrote that at first there were two models, the larger Conquest and the smaller Quest QT. But which one was our puzzle? We admit that it is very difficult to distinguish between the two, but apart from the size there is an itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie difference in the windshield as the Quest QT used a Vauxhall Victor windshield and the 100" wheelbase Conquest required a Chevy pickup unit. Sifting through the answers we found the one by Donald van Mourik was the best: "LaDawri Coachcraft of California was the company name. Founder of the company was Les Albert Dawes. Founded in 1956 in British Columbia of Canada and the company moved to the US in 1957. There were 2 models of this type: the Conquest ('57), fit for US chassis and engines and the similar, but smaller version, the Quest Q.T. to fit European chassis and engines. Typical for these types is the double grill and a safety roll bar incorporated in the integral wrap around windshield frame. Regarding the photo: it is the Quest." Well done, Donald, the T-shirt is yours! See Read More for the others with a correct answer.Correct answers came from:R. FicksHannu AaltoFrans SmitsTed WilmarthAnd jury members:James HelmsFried StolKaspars DortānsRobbie Marenzi World Encyclopedia of CarsThe best old cars, news and reviews about old cars. Stay in touch!ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPRSTVWXLadawri ConquestAll Ladawri PhotosLadawri Conquest - information: Ladawri Conquest is a very good car, that was released by "Ladawri" company. We collected the best 10 photos of Ladawri Conquest on this page.Brand NameLadawriModelLadawri ConquestNumber of views118555 viewsModel's Rate7.2 out of 10Number of images10 imagesLadawri Conquest (Image №: 01)Ladawri Conquest (Image №: 02)Ladawri Conquest (Image №: 03)Ladawri Conquest (Image №: 04)Ladawri Conquest (Image №: 05)Ladawri Conquest (Image №: 07)Ladawri Conquest (Image №: 08)Ladawri Conquest (Image №: 09)Ladawri Conquest (Image №: 11)Top Ladawri modelsLadawri ConquestPopular SearchesCitroën ID 19 SafariLeyland Clydesdale G-seriesMAN ML 4500 SOldsmobile Autocrat SpeedsterPolski Fiat 125p Kombi WikipediaSnipview added this 3 years ago in Rolls-Royce Limited•Like•Comment• Share• Flag Image via http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La DawriLa DawriLaDawri Coachcraft was founded by Leslie Albert Dawes in British Columbia, Canada in 1956 and is credited with making Canada's first fibreglass car, the LaDawri Cavalier. The company moved to the United States in 1957 where it became one of the largest fiberglass sports car body companies during the rebody/specials craze of the 1950s and 1960s. The company ceased operations in 1965. Its name came from a combination of L A Dawes and his friend Don Wright. Dawes was born on 7 July 1933 and died in 2002. more from Wikipedia