I'm not familiar with this exact example, but I can provide some background and history on these cars. I'm interested in knowing more about this photo (who, when, where, etc.) and will gladly share my knowledge on some of the other cars.
We have photos of several cars. but none are a match to the Cougar that Jaybird has posted here. This is exciting information for us, as it shows another example of the car, with various trim and configuration differences. I'm hopeful that we can learn more about this example and add that to our Cougar research file.
Thank you very much Jaybird for finding and posting this photo. I've started to research this and hope that we can identify who these gentlemen are and hopefully make contact with one or more of them to learn more. I'll gladly share once we have news.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the Cougars and I'll do my best to answer your questions.
I identify the yearbook that the photo came from. It was in the Advertisement section of the 1956 Bentley High School Yearbook (Livonia, Mi). There were four names (all common names) under the photo and it said "Good-By"
I ended up documenting every Ted Ken Tom and Larry from the classes of 1956 and 1957, with the hunch that the guys were either seniors or juniors in 1956. I then dug deeper and was able to eliminate approx. half of the guys, but that still left a lot. I eventually found one of the gentlemen and had an amazing conversation with him. All four guys were seniors and wanted to do something "memorable" that future generations might notice. So, they borrowed the car from another student (presumably a sophomore or junior) and purchased a page in the AD section of the yearbook. While he wasn't able to recall the name of the student that they borrowed the car from, he did say that the car wasn't finished (yet), but was drivable (as witnessed by the flying rocks). He wasn't aware that the body had been designed/built by a teacher and coach at the school, but remembered William and had kind things to say about him. He also remembered that the car had a Studebaker engine and chassis, which matches up with the newspaper articles that we have from 1955, stating that one was being built on a Studebaker.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the Cougars and I'll do my best to answer your questions.
I'm not familiar with this exact example, but I can provide some background and history on these cars. I'm interested in knowing more about this photo (who, when, where, etc.) and will gladly share my knowledge on some of the other cars.
ReplyDeleteFeel free to email me: ohmdr@comcast.net
Thanks.
Darren Swanson
Hey Darren, you're the one Geoff mentioned in his email reply to me, right? I see your Cougar is shown in the FF story on Cougars.
DeleteWard,
DeleteYou are correct. I am the Darren that Geoff mentioned in his email reply.
My Cougar (the color photo) and story are posted on Forgotten Fiberglass.
I sent the post link on to Geoff Hacker at the Forgotten Fiberglass site. He says it's a 1955 Cougar, and sent a link with articles about it:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.forgottenfiberglass.com/category/fiberglass-car-marques/cougar-fiberglass-car-marques/
He asked if you'd contact him and let him know what yearbook (school and year) it came out of (if you know).
geoffrey@forgottenfiberglass.com
Oops, the link he sent didn't work. Here's one that I verified works (searched the FF site for "Cougar"):
Deletehttp://www.forgottenfiberglass.com/fiberglass-car-marques/cougar-fiberglass-car-marques/kaiser-mysterioncougar-nontraditional-mold/
We have photos of several cars. but none are a match to the Cougar that Jaybird has posted here. This is exciting information for us, as it shows another example of the car, with various trim and configuration differences. I'm hopeful that we can learn more about this example and add that to our Cougar research file.
ReplyDeleteohmdr@comcast.net
From Livonia Bentley yearbook 1956. Names of guys in car Ted, Ken, Tom, Larry.
ReplyDeleteLivonia MI
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Jaybird for finding and posting this photo.
ReplyDeleteI've started to research this and hope that we can identify who these gentlemen are and hopefully make contact with one or more of them to learn more.
I'll gladly share once we have news.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the Cougars and I'll do my best to answer your questions.
Thanks again.
Darren Swanson
ohmdr@comcast.net
Jaybird,
ReplyDeleteI identify the yearbook that the photo came from. It was in the Advertisement section of the 1956 Bentley High School Yearbook (Livonia, Mi). There were four names (all common names) under the photo and it said "Good-By"
I ended up documenting every Ted Ken Tom and Larry from the classes of 1956 and 1957, with the hunch that the guys were either seniors or juniors in 1956. I then dug deeper and was able to eliminate approx. half of the guys, but that still left a lot.
I eventually found one of the gentlemen and had an amazing conversation with him.
All four guys were seniors and wanted to do something "memorable" that future generations might notice. So, they borrowed the car from another student (presumably a sophomore or junior) and purchased a page in the AD section of the yearbook.
While he wasn't able to recall the name of the student that they borrowed the car from, he did say that the car wasn't finished (yet), but was drivable (as witnessed by the flying rocks).
He wasn't aware that the body had been designed/built by a teacher and coach at the school, but remembered William and had kind things to say about him. He also remembered that the car had a Studebaker engine and chassis, which matches up with the newspaper articles that we have from 1955, stating that one was being built on a Studebaker.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the Cougars and I'll do my best to answer your questions.
Thanks again.
Darren Swanson
ohmdr@comcast.net