Cunningham C-3
Written by Keith Fudge

Before America had the Corvette, it had another sports car: the Cunningham C-3! “The what?” you may be asking. That's right, it had the Cunningham, and in this special segment of My Classic Car , Dennis Gage will introduce you to this legendary vehicle.

Thomas Coady Jr. is the owner of this rare car, a vehicle that features the best of European design and American muscle. Thomas told Dennis that the chassis for the C-3 was built in West Palm Beach , Florida . After the chassis was built, Cunningham contracted the services of Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti to design the body of the C-3. The result was basically a likeness to an early Ferrari 212 and 225, but with a Hemi under the hood—that's right, it's got a Hemi in it! Powered by a 331 cubic inch Hemi, with special manifold and carburetor modifications the stock 180 horsepower engine was transformed to a more than respectable 260-horsepower motor! The European styling and elegance also shines through on the C-3 as the attention to fine finishing and detail was simply stunning. Rich leather, and another prized element for 1953, plastic, adorned the interior!

Concerning the Cunningham's racing history, Thomas told Dennis that the nine racing C-3s that were produced competed well on the track with the best that Europe had to offer. Now, you may ask, “if this car was so awesome, how come I have never seen one?” Well, there was the issue of the C-3s production. Only thirty-one of these cars were produced: nineteen coupes, three convertibles, and nine racecars. Part of the reason for this scarcity was the production cost. The price on the coupe was $14,600. Now, by today's standards that is not a lot to spend on a Hemi-powered, European designed sports car; however, when the most expensive Cadillac at the time cost approximately $3,800, then one can easily see how the Cunningham was financially out of reach by the general population. Cunningham stopped production in 1955, but I am sure that all those associated with these cars would be proud to know that they are still around more than one-half century later!

Finally, on a beautiful fall day in the Midwest, Thomas and Dennis took this legendary ride for a spin on the Illinois backroads. Thomas told Dennis that he drives the car to events but he has to make sure of his speed on the road because the C-3 has drum brakes and it takes a longer time to stop! There is no doubt that Cunningham had the right idea for this two-seater with its big motor was an obvious influence toward the production of modern American sports car legends such as the Corvette, the Cobra, and the Viper. Thomas, thanks for sharing this rare treat with us—we hope to see you again soon!