Dale Fisher's 1932 Chevrolet Moonlight Speedster

Dale’s 1932 Chevrolet Moonlight Speedster, photographed in Pembroke Street, Epping, in 1956. The car was briefly reunited with Fisher when Dennis Lane, whose father had restored the Speedster, lent it to him for the weekend. Fisher photographed the car himself, noting the familiar red 1939 Chevrolet 16-inch disc wheels and the absence of a folding top, confirming it was the same Speedster he had owned and been forced to sell only a few years earlier. Photo from The Dale Fisher Collection.

1932 Chevrolet Moonlight Speedster owned by Dale Fisher of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, was an early sports car that played a formative role in Fisher’s development as a custom car builder and restorer. Purchased while Fisher was an apprentice panel beater in the early 1950s, the car left a lasting impression on his understanding of proportion, flow, and coachbuilt design—principles that would later define his approach to custom car construction and engineering.

Background

Dale arrived in Sydney in 1950 to begin a five-year apprenticeship with the NRMA car repair facility at Pyrmont, which he later described as “the biggest repair shop in the southern hemisphere.” During this period, he lived in a boarding house at Haberfield, as his parents remained “250 miles away.” While still an apprentice, Fisher often spent his weekends walking along Parramatta Road, studying cars displayed in used-car yards.

Discovery and Purchase

In late 1952 or early 1953, during one of these walks, Fisher encountered the Moonlight Speedster in a car yard on Parramatta Road, Ashfield. The car was finished in red and immediately captured his attention. In a letter written to Michael Ferguson in 2011, Fisher recalled that he had “always had a fascination for any bodied sports cars,” listing Austin Healeys, supercharged Auburns, Duesenbergs, and Packards among the cars that fueled his early imagination.

Of all these influences, the Moonlight Speedster made the strongest impression. Fisher wrote that he felt the 1932 Chevrolet Moonlight Speedster had “the most beautiful body,” singling out specific design features that deeply resonated with him. These included the rear scoops on the scuttle, the dickey seat with its own windscreen, and what he described as “the continuation of the ridge at the back, drawn between the seats.” He later noted that this central ridge detail was echoed decades later in the design of the Chevrolet Corvette.

Condition and Ownership

At the time Fisher purchased the Speedster, the car was incomplete and had already been modified from its original factory configuration. It had no folding top or top frame and was fitted with red 1939 Chevrolet 16-inch disc wheels in place of the original larger wire wheels. Despite these shortcomings, Fisher borrowed additional money from a school friend and bought the car while still living on apprentice wages.

Mechanical Failure and Sale

Shortly after acquiring the Speedster, Fisher discovered that it was fitted with a low-ratio differential. He recalled that it allowed the car to launch “like a jack rabbit” from traffic lights, performing on par with many newer cars of the era. In his own words, he admitted that youthful enthusiasm led him to take advantage of this capability. The result was mechanical failure, as he eventually “blew up the diff.”

At the time, Fisher was supporting himself on apprentice wages, paying rent, and repaying the loan used to purchase the car. With no spare funds available to carry out repairs, he had little choice but to sell the Speedster back to the dealer. According to his recollection, this occurred just two months after purchase, and the car was sold for about half of what he had originally paid.

Later Encounters

In mid-1956, nearing the end of his NRMA apprenticeship, Fisher encountered what he believed to be the same car again. A younger apprentice arrived at work driving a white 1932 Chevrolet Moonlight Speedster, still without a top or top frame and fitted with red 1939 Chevrolet disc wheels. Fisher wrote emphatically that it “HAD TO BE THE SAME CAR.” The Speedster belonged to George Lane, a motor trimmer, whose son Dennis was permitted to loan the car to Fisher overnight. Black-and-white photographs taken during this period show the car parked outside Fisher’s boarding house in Pembroke Street, Epping.

Rarity

Reflecting on his lifetime of involvement with Moonlight Speedsters, Fisher later noted how rare the model was in Australia. He recalled seeing only four examples in total: a black 1932 Speedster at a BP service station in Lane Cove in 1951, the two Speedsters he personally owned, and a red 1931 Speedster in poor condition at a car yard in Newtown.

Legacy

Although Fisher owned the 1932 Chevrolet Moonlight Speedster for only a brief period, the car left a profound and lasting impression. Its coachbuilt lines, restrained elegance, and carefully considered details became reference points for Fisher’s later work, particularly his emphasis on factory-correct appearance, structural integrity, and flowing proportions. The Moonlight Speedster stands as an early touchstone in the career of one of Australia’s most influential custom car craftsmen.