1955 LeGene Sports Special Roadster

This 1955 LeGene roadster is one of six sport specials built by Lee and Gene Dodson in San Bernardino, California, in the 1950s and was purchased in 2008 by Forgotten Fiberglass owners Geoff Hacker and Rick D’Louhy as an unidentified rolling project. A year later the car was trailered to Florida, where it underwent a refurbishment before appearing at the 2010 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance as a “Mysterion” roadster still without identity. It later won two awards at the 2014 Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance before appearing on a 2015 episode of AmeriCarna, which led to the discovery of its origins. Featuring fiberglass bodywork riding on a modified 1940s Ford frame, the car is powered by a 239ci Mercury flathead V8 that is equipped with Offenhauser aluminum cylinder heads and twin downdraft carburetors. Additional features include a three-speed manual transmission, four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes, powder-coated 16” wire wheels, and red and maroon vinyl upholstery.

Lee Dodson and his son Gene began the design and construction of their own sports car in their autobody shop in the Highland suburb of San Bernardino in the mid-1950s, naming their creation after a combination of their first names. The pair is said to have built six complete cars and six additional bodies. This example is reportedly one of the former and rides on a modified Ford frame with a dropped front axle and a 99” wheelbase.

The fiberglass bodywork was refinished in its current shade of maroon during the refurbishment performed between 2009 and 2010. Features include chrome bumpers with overriders, a custom stainless-steel grille, a hood scoop, a 1955 Ford Victoria windshield, doors free of exterior handles, and tailfins.

The 16” wire wheels are powder-coated black and wear bright hubcaps and trim rings, while older Commander tires are mounted at each corner. Stopping is handled by hydraulic drum brakes all around.

The cockpit houses a pair of bucket seats trimmed in black and maroon vinyl with matching upholstery over the door panels. Additional features include black carpeting, a floor shifter, and an adjustable rearview mirror. A majority of the provided photos date to May 2024.