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 Fiberglass Sports Cars Byers
The Forgotten Era, 1950 - 1965

LaDawri Coachcraft
Long Beach, California 1957-1965

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La Dawri Coachcraft produced fiberglass bodied sports cars and kits during the rebody / specials craze of the '50s and '60s. Glasspar, Byers, Victress, Devin, Kellison and many others were providing European styling and high performance by placing 'hopped-up' engines in stout frames and wrapping them in beautiful fiberglass bodies. 

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Leslie Albert Dawes
1933 - 2002
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1. Born July 7, 1933. 
Pictured on right with brother Bill

 
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3.jpg (155495 bytes) 3. Les with sister Pearl
4.jpg (148744 bytes) 4. He's probably 16 here, making plans for his car.
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6.jpg (280307 bytes) 6. Lakewood.
The Castilian pictured is the only car the family kept from La Dawri.
7. Married in Couer d'Alene Idaho April 22, 1954.

Started building the Conquest soon after.
7.jpg (215914 bytes) 7. Married in Couer d'Alene Idaho April 22, 1954.
Started building the Conquest soon after.
8.jpg (685690 bytes) 8. British Columbia PNE display Sept 29, 1956.
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10.jpg (239696 bytes) 10. Christmas at Rossmoor.
11.jpg (365663 bytes) 11. That's my mom in the backseat with her niece Lorina
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15.jpg (65875 bytes) 15. The vivacious Grandma Dawes and new grandson Michael.
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17.jpg (154166 bytes) 17 You'll notice he rarely takes a picture with a straight face.
He was a clown.
18.jpg (908259 bytes) 18. Orange County Canadian club president.
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20.jpg (142973 bytes) 20. The real Les
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24.jpg (225129 bytes) 24. Les with his "Pixie"
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26.jpg (320226 bytes) 26. Daughter's Hawaiian wedding party.
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28.jpg (425062 bytes) 28. Modular truck tenter prototype, '72.
He got a patent for the corbel locking mechanism.
29.jpg (323951 bytes) 29-30. M.T.T. Corporation, 1980-84.  A good concept, but company was started in middle of a recession and failed.
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37.jpg (374362 bytes) 37. 45th anniversary party.
Children Richard, Deborah, Michael, Lynn and Patrick
38.jpg (404231 bytes) 38. Grandchildren Kristen, Brandon, Kyle, Adam, Gilonny, Joshua.
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40.jpg (534586 bytes) 40. Happily married, true love forever
41.jpg (324469 bytes) 41. The man loved to eat.
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50.jpg (305497 bytes) 50. Les didn't liked to be called Grandpa,
so he was known as 'Grumpy' to the grandkids.