By Dean Larson

What defines the term fiberclassic? For the most part, we’re looking at fiberglass kit cars from the 1960s and 70s, nearly all of which use VW donors. Back in those days, many fiberglass kits came out that mimicked the look of contemporary Ferraris and other exotics. These cars still have a die-hard following today, but usually not because they resemble more expensive vehicles. Today, these cars are enjoyed for their mechanical simplicity and cheap fun factor. We’ve assembled a quick ranking of five fiberclassics for you today, all from the deep depths of Craigslist.

We’re hitting the ground running on our Top Five Fiberclassics list, and the proof is in this Invader GT. The Invader is without a doubt, the quirkiest and weirdest car on our list and only fit for the top echelon of fiberglass fanatics. The kit was manufactured by Autokit Industries in Oakland, California, and is some true Wacky Races material. Autokit threw the whole toy box of exotic features at the Invader body, including gullwing doors, big louvers, and extensive plexiglass usage on the doors, rear hatch and headlight covers.

This example comes to us from Phoenix Craigslist, where the seller is asking a mere $2,495 for the mostly-complete car. It’s more complete than most, and retains all the plexiglass bits, a full interior and a nice set of aluminum slot-mag wheels. It appears the only part missing on the GT is its VW engine, but the seller does have engines available and a clean title.

If you’re looking for a lot of people to ask, “what the hell is it?” then look no further than this yellow VW Invader. 

The Bradley is another fairly hard-core fiberglass fanatic ride, but with a slightly more lovable shape than the Invader. The GT II was a second Beetle-based kit from Bradley that was a significant improvement over the original GT. The new GT II has functional gullwing doors, safety–glass windows and a roomier interior. It’s believed that only 500 GT IIs were built, making it far scarcer than the standard GT.

This GT II listed on the Toledo Craigslist might just be the nicest one in existence. Instead of eye-popping colors and metal flake, this example wears a nice sea foam blue finish with black accents. The paint, combined with subtle as-cast wheels and fender-mounted mirrors, class-up the exterior just enough. There’s also not much to complain about inside the cockpit, a usual weak area for VW-based kit cars. The interior has a full treatment of ’70s leather-ish material and hints of wood grain also. A full assortment of gauges is present along with a glovebox and door pockets, making this the best interior on our list of fiberclassics.

If the Bradley GT II does it for you, check out the listing here.

Our third place finisher is the only V8 entry on the list, and the only non-VW powered entry for that matter. The owner believes he’s selling a VW-based Avenger, but it’s more likely that this is the top-of-the-line Fiberfab Valkyrie. The Valkyrie was Fiberfab’s closest replica of the early Ford GT40, featuring a mid-mounted V8 engine and a tube chassis in place of the VW components used on the Avenger GT-12 and GT-15.

To start, we’re obviously looking at a V8 car, evidenced by the mid-mounted Oldsmobile 455 engine and transaxle sourced from a front-wheel-drive Tornado. You can also see the shortened tail section on this car, as the mid-mounted engine didn’t necessitate the long tail that the rear-engine VW and Corvair donor models did. As far as the chassis, the seller states that the car is set on a VW pan, which doesn’t appear to be the case. The beefier chassis components can be seen with the rear clamshell open, and this is more likely Fiberfab’s Valkyrie chassis then a modified VW unit.

Aside from the seller’s misconceptions, this Valkyrie could be a great project, and would probably be my personal pick. The big-block Oldsmobile engine and fabricated chassis make this car a standout among classic fiberglass kits, and how can you argue with those classic wheels?

If the big-block Valkyrie is more your speed, check it out here on Tucson Craigslist.

This Fiberfab Aztec 7 is very well done, and just rare enough make the number two slot on our list of top fiberclassics for sale right now. The Aztec 7 was built as a tribute to the radical Alfa Romeo Carabo, a one-off wedge-shaped concept car debuted in 1968. The design was sensational, and it was only a matter of time before someone replicated it in fiberglass. Get up close and you’ll notice a few diversions from the Alfa design, but the Aztec 7 is a fairly close copy. Personally, I’d lower the car’s stance and use a large diameter wheel on the rear to get it even closer.

The Aztec shows well in photos and the owner claims it was featured in Kit Car Magazine back in 1983. Unless the car was refreshed sometime since then, it appears that this Fiberfab lived a pampered life. A turbocharged 1,600cc VW engine provides the thrust and the ad states that the car uses a true Lamborghini Miura windshield.

At a whopping $15,000, the Aztec 7 is the most expensive car on our list, and not by a small margin. This wedge-shaped tribute ride can be found here on Los Angeles Craigslist. 

Yes, we know, another Fiberfab. This GT-12 Fiberfab was tough to beat though, and in the end it’s the right mix of looks, mechanicals and price to be number one on our list of top fiberclassics for sale right now.

The GT-12 is a common sight on the replica market. It’s a tribute to Ford’s MKI GT40 with enhanced wheel arches and exaggerated features that give it its own ’70s charm. It’s a bona fide fiberclassic with a standard VW pan and engine, and stylish fiberglass body.

Something about this Avenger makes it quite exceptional. It has clean looks and a great set of wheels, and it looks like the builder really put a lot of effort into its construction. I wanted to commend this car for not trying too hard to be a GT40, which would be true except for the logo on the door. The large scoop on the rear clamshell is also a point of interest. We’d guess that it’s a scoop delivering cool air to the VW engine, which might make up for the way it interrupts the Avenger’s side profile.

The owner reports that the car is a genuine barnfind, and was recently rescued after 22 years in storage. It looks like they’ve got the cosmetic details sorted (short of a buff job) and the engine is reported to run well. They claim a little TLC and some brake work might be needed to get the car roadworthy again, but you couldn’t pick an easier vehicle to work on. With a clean 63 Beetle title and a $5,000 asking price, this Avenger is sure to make a great spring project. See it here on Phoenix Craigslist.