By Dean Larson

Photos: Seller, eBay

Jim Byers only built around 25 of his Byers SR-100 sports car bodies, making them as rare as hen’s teeth today, but of the known cars, this is probably one of the most significant ones out there. A period-correct build with show-winning presentation, this SR-100 has been featured at Amelia Island and is available now on eBay.

There’s arguably only one or two more significant SR-100s out there that I know of, with one being the SR-100 featured in Road & Track in February 1957 — dubbed the world’s most beautiful sports car. But to my knowledge that car isn’t accounted for, and also these machines are over 60 years old by now, which makes finding one less than an exact science. The SR-100 featured here on eBay however, has a well-documented history, and its restoration has benefitted from a close connection to Geoffrey Hacker’s Undiscovered Classics/Forgotten Fiberglass. We won’t attempt to recount the car’s history in full, as it’s well documented through Undiscovered Classics, but a short history is in order.

The body was bought and started by two guys in the Madison, Wisconsin area with a 1949 Ford chassis. The car was then sold to an owner in Kenosha, Wisconsin, who finished it in maroon and gold, and he owned it for the next 40 years. As far as the chassis goes, we’re assuming most of the original hardware is still present, but the optional disc brakes and rear coilover shocks may have been more recent additions. The front suspension is still stock 1949 Ford independent components while the rear is a four-link with a Panhard rod.

The car is currently powered by a 1956 265 ci Chevrolet engine with an Edelbrock carburetor and a Muncie M21 transmission. Everything is pretty purposeful under the hood, with no serious attempts made to dress anything up. Horsepower is listed at just under 200, and a limited-slip differential is fitted in the Ford 8-inch rear with 3.25 ratio gears.

The paint and bodywork presents extremely well, and the kidney-bean wheels, eggcrate grille and custom louver panels provide an era-correct feel. The interior is somewhat Spartan, but fitting for the build style, with a sheetmetal transmission tunnel and center-mounted gauges as the main features. Seating is by upholstered aluminum buckets, and a wood-rimmed wheel guides the front wheels.

In addition to being a rad throwback to the early days of fiberglass, this car has some provenance on its side. The connection to Geoffrey Hacker’s Undiscovered Classics has netted the car quite a bit of publicity online, and probably contributed to it being featured in the Amelia Island Concours a few years back, where it won the Buddy Palumbo Award.

I’d expect this one to fetch a decent price, and the $37,000 current high bid is quite a ways off yet. Check it out here on eBay.