The 1953 Maverick Sportster.

One of a kind Florida-made roadster at Amelia

Amongst the distinctive lessons at Sunday’s 26th once-a-year Amelia Island Concour’s d’Elegance like Hispano-Suiza, Porsche 935, Chevy Thunder, 1970s Muscle mass Cars, Supercars of the 80s and 90s and “It’s Electric,” will be a special fiberglass roadster termed the 1953 Maverick Sportster.

Debuted right after restoration by Geoff Hacker, a Florida collector of neglected fiberglass autos, his Maverick was a single of 7 developed by aeronautical engineer Sterling “Smoke” Gladwin as an homage to French coachbuilt classics. With a 331-cu.in. Cadillac V-8 beneath its lengthy bonnet, the previous Boeing and Lockheed engineer reported his  development experienced a power to body weight ratio of 12-to-1. It experienced no hood to entry that engine, considering the fact that Gladwin said the overall body could be taken out from the frame in 6 minutes.