From Shed to Showstopper: The Wild Ride of the Godsal

Britain’s got a long history of turning garage dreams into automotive legends… think Morgan, Lotus, McLaren. But one lesser-known gem nearly slipped through the cracks: the Godsal, a one-off wonder built in 1935 by Charles Godsal, son of a clever London barrister with a taste for speed.

Charles whipped up a sleek prototype powered by a Ford V8, featuring a custom chassis and bits borrowed from Bentley and Lancia. The finishing touch? A hand-formed body by the legendary Corsica coachworks.

Just as things were revving up—boom! WWII hits. Charles pivots to aircraft, and the Godsal disappears… only to resurface decades later in the 1969 film Mosquito Squadron, sporting some questionable stripes and cycle fenders.

Fast forward to the 1970s: classic car detectives tracked it down and started bringing it back to life. After a few hops across the U.S., the Godsal landed with a dedicated collector, who teamed up with restorer Evan Ide and none other than Wayne Carini (Chasing Classic Cars) for a jaw-dropping, concours-level revival.

The result? A one-of-a-kind beauty that stole the spotlight and snagged Best in Class at the 2020 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.

See this stunning slice of automotive history only in April at Stahls Motors and Music Experience! Don’t miss it!