One of the most beautiful and innovative concept cars of the 1950s, the Flajole Forerunner was stylist Bill Flajole’s vision of the future. Featured on the cover of Motor Trend magazine in September 1955, the Forerunner was the result of over 7,000 hours of design and construction.
Designed and built by automotive designer Bill Flajole, the Forerunner incorporates many futuristic design elements like retracting tinted Plexiglas roof, headrest bucket seats and contrasting color fender coves, well before any of these items were put on a production car. Its chassis is among the best of its day, Jaguar’s high performance 180hp XK 120M with an SCCA race class win to it’s credit while Flajole’s studio was creating the Forerunners body. The glass fiber body employed molded-in open louvers and elaborate compound curves never before attempted in fiberglass. Its windshield header mounted rear view mirror foreshadows later designers’ use of periscope optics.
This important one-off automobile has been completely restored and was shown at Amelia Island in 2010. The car is complete with magazines that featured the car when first built as well as photos of the car taken during its construction in the Flajole studios in the 1950s that have been supplied by Bill Flajole’s daughter. A fabulous one-off concept car with great history.
Here are some beautiful photos of the Flajole Forerunner.
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