Bill Tritt
Encyclopedia
Bill Tritt began working in Glass-reinforced plastic
in 1948. He founded Glasspar Corporation in 1949 due to his keen interest in boats and cars and his belief in fiberglass as a material.
Before the World War II, he studied marine architecture
and boat
building.
He worked for Douglas Aircraft's Production Planning and Illustration Departments during World War II
, and by 1945 had built a number of catamaran
sailboats. In 1947, John Green, a yacht
sman friend, paid Tritt to design and build a racing sailboat
in the twenty foot range. Fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP) seemed the logical construction material, and Otto Bayer of Wizard Boats was enlisted as laminator. The boat was named the Green Dolphin, and four were built. This was Tritt's introduction to FRP.
and spars
for sailboats. This company became the Glasspar
Company and moved to larger quarters in Santa Ana, California
, in the early 1950s. By the mid 1950s, Glasspar was producing fifteen to twenty percent of all fiberglass boats sold in the United States
. About this time Tritt incorporated and offered stock to generate working capital.
hulls. Tritt is credited with designing and building the first production fiberglass car called the G2
. During this period he also designed and or built bodies for Blanchard Robert "Woody" Woodill, Strassberger Motor Company, British Singer Car Company, Willys
, Kaiser (when Kaiser bought out Willys), Volvo, and Walt Disney. He may also have had a hand in helping GM determine the best way to fabricate fiberglass bodies for its new line of cars the Corvette
. With the successes of these car bodies Tritt decided to design and build a complete sports car called the Ascot, but the Glasspar board of directors voted this down in favor of concentrating on core business of boat building.
Recently one of Bill Tritt's G2 cars was enshrined in the Smithsonian Institution
as the first production fiberglass car.
Glass-reinforced plastic
Fiberglass , is a fiber reinforced polymer made of a plastic matrix reinforced by fine fibers of glass. It is also known as GFK ....
in 1948. He founded Glasspar Corporation in 1949 due to his keen interest in boats and cars and his belief in fiberglass as a material.
Before the World War II, he studied marine architecture
Marine architecture
Marine architecture is the design of structures which support ship transport, fishing, coastal management or other marine activities. These structures include harbors, lighthouses, marinas and shipyards....
and boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
building.
He worked for Douglas Aircraft's Production Planning and Illustration Departments during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and by 1945 had built a number of catamaran
Catamaran
A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas...
sailboats. In 1947, John Green, a yacht
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
sman friend, paid Tritt to design and build a racing sailboat
Sailboat
A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails. The term covers a variety of boats, larger than small vessels such as sailboards and smaller than sailing ships, but distinctions in the size are not strictly defined and what constitutes a sailing ship, sailboat, or a...
in the twenty foot range. Fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP) seemed the logical construction material, and Otto Bayer of Wizard Boats was enlisted as laminator. The boat was named the Green Dolphin, and four were built. This was Tritt's introduction to FRP.
Boats
By 1947 he was building small fiberglass boats, and built the first ever fiberglass mastsMast (sailing)
The mast of a sailing vessel is a tall, vertical, or near vertical, spar, or arrangement of spars, which supports the sails. Large ships have several masts, with the size and configuration depending on the style of ship...
and spars
SPARS
SPARS was the United States Coast Guard Women's Reserve, created 23 November 1942 with the signing of Public Law 773 by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The name is a contraction of the Coast Guard motto: Semper Paratus and its English translation Always Ready...
for sailboats. This company became the Glasspar
Glasspar
The Glasspar boat-building company was started in 1947 when Bill Tritt began building small fiberglass boat hulls in his Costa Mesa, California fiberglass shop.-Origins:...
Company and moved to larger quarters in Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
, in the early 1950s. By the mid 1950s, Glasspar was producing fifteen to twenty percent of all fiberglass boats sold in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. About this time Tritt incorporated and offered stock to generate working capital.
Cars
Tritt also designed and built car bodies (one of the first to do so in fiberglass) as well as speedboat and runaboutRunabout (boat)
A runabout is any small motorboat holding between four and eight people, well suited to moving about on the water. Runabouts can be used for racing, for pleasure activities like fishing and water skiing, or as a ship's tender for larger vessels...
hulls. Tritt is credited with designing and building the first production fiberglass car called the G2
G2 (Glasspar)
The Glasspar G2 was a sports car body first manufactured by Bill Tritt in 1949. It is no longer built today. It was the first production all-fiberglass sports car body built by an American fiberglass manufacturer...
. During this period he also designed and or built bodies for Blanchard Robert "Woody" Woodill, Strassberger Motor Company, British Singer Car Company, Willys
Willys
Willys was the brand name used by Willys-Overland Motors, an American automobile company best known for its design and production of military Jeeps and civilian versions during the 20th century.-Early History:In 1908, John Willys bought the Overland Automotive Division of Standard Wheel Company...
, Kaiser (when Kaiser bought out Willys), Volvo, and Walt Disney. He may also have had a hand in helping GM determine the best way to fabricate fiberglass bodies for its new line of cars the Corvette
Chevrolet Corvette
The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after...
. With the successes of these car bodies Tritt decided to design and build a complete sports car called the Ascot, but the Glasspar board of directors voted this down in favor of concentrating on core business of boat building.
Recently one of Bill Tritt's G2 cars was enshrined in the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
as the first production fiberglass car.
External links
- G2 at Hemmings Motor NewsHemmings Motor NewsHemmings Motor News is a monthly magazine catering to traders and collectors of antique, classic, and exotic sports cars. It is the largest and oldest publication of its type in the United States, with sales of 215,000 copies per month, and is best known for its large classified advertising sections...
- Glasspar at Coachbuilt.com
- http://www.ladawri.com at LaDawri.com