1953 Buick WildCat I - AllCarIndex

Built as first of two concept cars, the Wildcat was a boulevard cruiser showcasing GM's new drive-line developments.A highlight of the Wildcat was its pioneering Fibreglas body. The same technology was used later in the year to develop the first 1953 Corvette.Stylistic features of the Wildcat included a huge front grill with buffer bomb guards, prominent rear tail fins with build-in lights and a wrap-around front windshield.The Wildcat showcased GM's new Fireball 215 cu.in. V8 that could produce up 188 bhp. This all-aluminum engine turned out to be useful during the fuel crisis of 1956 and was later sold to Rover. In the concept car, this was mated to a new version of GM's torque converter called the Twin Turbine Dynaflow Drive.A unique feature of the car was its front hubcaps which incorporated a technology called 'roto-static brake cooling discs'. These used a cooling duct on the wheel that remained stationary to provide a fresh flow of air to the front brakes.In 1954, a Wildcat II sports car concept was released as a possible companion to the Corvette. A second series of GM concept cars also adopted the Wildcat name in the mid eighties.

source: GM

The 1953 Buick Wildcat I was a concept car designed and built primarily to test the use of fiberglass in automobile bodybuilding. Fenderports (used for cooling) were placed on top of the fenders rather than on the sides. The one-piece windshield was a wraparound type with a 60-degree slope to the rear. When the top was down it recessed into the body of the car with a special panel covering it (eliminating the use of a boot)

source: www.gmphotostore.com