EBay Motors Parts & Accessories. NEW RUN STOP KILL SWITCH 1967 67 & 1968 68 OSSA WILDFIRE 230. Owner & Operator Manuals for Toyota Corolla. Wildfire Motors Inc., Richmond, Indiana. We are a locally owned and operated used car dealership. Wildfire Motors Inc., Richmond, Indiana. We are a locally owned and operated used car dealership.
Postwar America saw a number of attempts by would-be automakers to produce new -- and often novel-cars. They all failed: Bobbi-Kar, Davis, Playboy Keller, Kurtis, Muntz, and others. To that list must be added B. Robert 'Woody' Woodill's two-seater sports car, the Woodill Wildfire.
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Woody always a car nut, went into partnership after World War II with his father, who owned a Dodge agency in Downey, California. In 1948, he bought his dad's share, and with buildings available, he soon added a Willys franchise.
About this time, sports car fever afflicted Woody He wanted a Jag, but his service manager talked him out of it (undependable, costly to fix, etc.).
Undaunted, he decided to build his own, and to do it largely with Willys parts -- an assembly plant was nearby. So was Glasspar, a pioneer in fiberglass technology. Also close at hand was the Post Body Shop, which built a frame out of 'angle stuff,' as Woody put it. Thus, Woody ended up with a car with a custom-built frame, Willys engine, and a Jeepster front axle and bumpers. He later modified the original Glasspar body with a higher hood, rear deck, and doors, as well as a dummy hoodscoop and neatly integrated Aero-Willys taillights.
The Woodill Wildfire was first seen at the November 1952 Motorama in Los Angeles -- not the General Motors show, but one put on by Petersen Publishing Company, of Motor Trend fame. Interest ran high, so Woody set about getting his sports car into production, both fully assembled and as a high-quality kit car. A rectangular steel frame was devised, with the idea that it accept Ford engines and running gear, although other engines and transmissions could be -- and were -- fitted. With the motor pushed rearward in the chassis, most any engine chosen still left the Wildfire with close to 50/50 weight distribution. The fiberglass body kept weight low -- only 1620 pounds with the Willys engine -- so performance was brisk, even with the little Willys six.
The 1953 Wildfire seen here is owned by Vance Ferry of Gurnee, Illinois. It runs with a modified Chevy V-8 and Turbo Hydra-Made, although the original Caddy mill and gearbox have been kept. At the time it was photographed, it had traveled only one mile after a total restoration. Vance points out the Wildfire is believed to be the first production fiberglass sports car and that it received a lot of publicity in the movies: Knock on Wood, Written on the Wind, and Johnny Dark, the last a racing film starring Tony Curtis and Piper Laurie. The Wildfire also received much publicity in Time, Life, Newsweek, and the car magazines.
EBay Motors Parts & Accessories. NEW RUN STOP KILL SWITCH 1967 67 & 1968 68 OSSA WILDFIRE 230. Owner & Operator Manuals for Toyota Corolla. Wildfire Motors Inc., Richmond, Indiana. We are a locally owned and operated used car dealership. Wildfire Motors Inc., Richmond, Indiana. We are a locally owned and operated used car dealership.
Postwar America saw a number of attempts by would-be automakers to produce new -- and often novel-cars. They all failed: Bobbi-Kar, Davis, Playboy Keller, Kurtis, Muntz, and others. To that list must be added B. Robert 'Woody' Woodill's two-seater sports car, the Woodill Wildfire.
Advertisement
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Woody always a car nut, went into partnership after World War II with his father, who owned a Dodge agency in Downey, California. In 1948, he bought his dad's share, and with buildings available, he soon added a Willys franchise.
About this time, sports car fever afflicted Woody He wanted a Jag, but his service manager talked him out of it (undependable, costly to fix, etc.).
Undaunted, he decided to build his own, and to do it largely with Willys parts -- an assembly plant was nearby. So was Glasspar, a pioneer in fiberglass technology. Also close at hand was the Post Body Shop, which built a frame out of 'angle stuff,' as Woody put it. Thus, Woody ended up with a car with a custom-built frame, Willys engine, and a Jeepster front axle and bumpers. He later modified the original Glasspar body with a higher hood, rear deck, and doors, as well as a dummy hoodscoop and neatly integrated Aero-Willys taillights.
The Woodill Wildfire was first seen at the November 1952 Motorama in Los Angeles -- not the General Motors show, but one put on by Petersen Publishing Company, of Motor Trend fame. Interest ran high, so Woody set about getting his sports car into production, both fully assembled and as a high-quality kit car. A rectangular steel frame was devised, with the idea that it accept Ford engines and running gear, although other engines and transmissions could be -- and were -- fitted. With the motor pushed rearward in the chassis, most any engine chosen still left the Wildfire with close to 50/50 weight distribution. The fiberglass body kept weight low -- only 1620 pounds with the Willys engine -- so performance was brisk, even with the little Willys six.
The 1953 Wildfire seen here is owned by Vance Ferry of Gurnee, Illinois. It runs with a modified Chevy V-8 and Turbo Hydra-Made, although the original Caddy mill and gearbox have been kept. At the time it was photographed, it had traveled only one mile after a total restoration. Vance points out the Wildfire is believed to be the first production fiberglass sports car and that it received a lot of publicity in the movies: Knock on Wood, Written on the Wind, and Johnny Dark, the last a racing film starring Tony Curtis and Piper Laurie. The Wildfire also received much publicity in Time, Life, Newsweek, and the car magazines.
No matter, the Wildfire never really did become a production car as only about 15 were built, plus 100-300 kits (Woodill claimed the higher number). Part of the problem was price: $2900-$4500; $1200-$1600 for the kits, plus engine, and other components.
Wildfire Motors Owners Manual Download
Though it certainly deserved a better fate, the Wildfire can be appreciated for the pioneering role it played in using fiberglass bodywork and for setting high standards for kit cars. And also for being a bona fide, high-quality, handsome, and competent sports car.
For more information on cars, see:
- Consumer Guide New Car Search
- Consumer Guide Used Car Search
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Wildfire Motors Owners Manual Free
DownloadWildfire WFH 150-T Touring Scooter Specification And Owner’s Manual – Engine Oil Replacement • Replace the engine oil after the first 50 miles or 1 hour with 5w50, 10w50 or 15W50 synthetic engine oil. Then replace again every 1,500 miles or 1 each year. Check oil level every 500 miles, add oil if needed. Changing the Engine Oil (1).Warm up the engine for a few minutes. (2).Stop the engine. (3). Place scooter on center stand. (4).Place an oil pan under the engine and remove the dipstick. (5).Remove the drain plug and drain the oil. Reach in drain hole, pull out filter clean and reinstall, after all oil drains out. (6).Reinstall drain plug. (7). Fill the engine with oil until the level is in the designated area on the dipstick. (8).Start the engine and check for oil leaks. If a leak is found stop the engine immediately and look for cause. Rear Wheel Oil Replacement • Replace the gear oil after the first 500 miles with 5W/50 synthetic engine oil. Replace the gear oil again every 4 months or every 2000 miles.
