This convertible was a factory prototype. It started life as a 1953 Aero Eagle hardtop and was shipped to Derham in Rosemont, PA where it was customized into a convertible. I believe the 1955 grille and hood were added later and, although I do not know for sure, I believe this was done just before the Kaisers invaded Willys-Overland (but please DO NOT QUOTE ME on that because I have no proof, only a hunch.) It was sold or given by the factory, as I remember a conversation with Paul Brim in the early 1980's, to Tom Poole, who was in R & D at W-O at the time. Paul Brim owned it after that and I believe he bought a rough car from Toole. It was stored outside on Brim's property in Bowling Green, Ohio for at least 20 years and deteriorated even more. Paul sold it to Ron Kleber, a psychiatrist in Marietta GA but Ron failed to pick it up for many years. Ron finally got it sometime in the 1990's (after some sort of law suit against Brim) and stored it indoors for the first time in about 30 years. There it sat for several more years until it was sold upon Ron's death to the current owner who spent a lot of time and money on the car. Lew Retzer talked him into bringing it to the 2012 Sweetwater, TN National and it was quite a hit. All the Derham photos of the car (as well as when I saw it a Kleber's) showed it to be a white car. The Blue color was the current owner's choice. And yes, the dash is pretty much factory.
