The Kellison... A history of sorts...

...........BTTT............too cool to fade away.........

 

BTTT for this thread -- too interesting and important stuff to just die out so soon.

Hot rodders provided much of the creativity, skill, and p***ion that fueld sportscar racing in the US in the '50s and '60s. Cars like the Kellison, the Cheetah, BOCAR, Manning Specials, and such are as much a part of our heritage as Doane's roadster, the Pierson coupe, and the Chrisman dragster.

 

Another GREAT thread, thanks for sharing your info, everyone. The personal stories are cool.

 

The 102" wheelbase is very close to the Early Vette- I believe they are 103".
I have a '80s Malibu ch***is[108"] under my 61body ,it was cut in length 5" to end up at 103.

I have a BAD habit of looking at a pic [or a body] and "SIZING UP" /imagining what it would take to make it look one way or the other,and it appears that if you had a 57 vette body shell and were to "sweep" the wheel openings and enlarge them ,that would put you a long ways toward aquiring the appearance of the red race car- Kellison pictured above.
Sure you would have to build the grille opening[ and fenders ]from about the front of the hood of a stock body,but isn't that what us hot rodders are good at?
I would suppose if you could get your hands on a Kellison nowadays, it would be gl*** right?
I wonder if he was inspired but the Vettes, or if he considered the slight similarity at all??

 

This post has dredged up all manner of neat memories for me and sent me on an extended Google search for some of the affordable sporty car bodies and ch***is from the '50s/'60s. No shapes were quite as exciting as the Kellison and the Cheetah, but many of the others made their mark nonetheless. And while not all of them were in racing, they're worth taking a trip back in time. One of the most fruitful sites is . . . http://www.ladawri.com/

Thanks again, Ryan, for setting this in motion!

Mike

 

My neighbor has this chunk of **** in his backyard. He says its a kell?something. He said he would pay me $50 to haul it away.

 

Now we're talking! I have wanted to build one of those FOREVER! I pplan to some day...after the Hudson is finished, after the 32 is finished, after the trump is finished, after the olds is finished.....

 

I hear you, although for me the "some day" will have to be soon!

Are you talking about the Beck Spyder? Without a doubt, a turnkey Beck Spyder is one of the best bargains in the fun-car market today. Performance to equal the original with a jump in reliability, excellent build quality, accurate orignal look that will put a lump in your throat and elsewhere, at a price roughly equal to that of a modestly equipped mid-level grocery getter. And now club-racing acceptance?! Are you talking about this homely little guy?

 

more interesting "kit cars" and a couple of early Kellison pictures can be found here www.acmefluid.com.au/larry/specials.html

 

HEY, had a Kellison back in '67.

















It was a Kellison one-piece nose for my '56 Chev wagon.

 

could a guy cut up somethin like this and end up with something cool like a Kellison? Hmmmmmmm........I aint no restorer.

 

No...Probably not...
But it would make a really cool G***er.

Edit.

I forgot about Ol Yaller #5. ( I think it was # 5...)
Ch***is and Suspension by Max Balchowski and a Light weight body shaped like a Vette of about that Year...

 

I’m surprised no one has mentioned the Kellison web site yet. I especially liked the copies of early magazine articles. Also, the May 2005 issue of “Kit Car” magazine has a 4 page article on Kellison and his cars.

http://www.kellisoncars.com/

 

Indeed they do, and engineering and manufacturing as well. I'm living with and still loving my second BMW 3-series coupe. They run as strong at a third-million miles as they did when they're new, and they burn no more oil than they did during break-in.

I've been scheming about building a simple modified with a Beemer four-banger and five-speed. It's old-time hot-rod simple -- an ineresting, decent power-pack in a lightweight open-wheel modified.

 

Ryan, check this out it'll give you "Good-Wood" be sure to open the link that says "The Experience" & play the vid clip of Damon Hill in a GTO, wait a few minutes for it to load......really worth watching.
Kev.

http://www.goodwood.co.uk/revival/

 

Here is an inside-front-cover ad from Popular Customs - Fall 1965. Not the one I was looking for with the sportscar, but interesting anyway.

Kellison was into a wide range of products:
Drag and Ski Boat: white bottom and 40 different Metalflake top colors, 18' 3", guaranteed to withstand speeds of 125mph - $1095.

"The Springy Thingy" dragster ch***is and body, 135" and 150" wheelbase, in chrome-Moly tubing, ch***is 95 lbs, body 25 lbs, together - $650.

T-bucket kits with a ch***is in lengths from 96" to 104" wheelbase with aavailable torsion bar front suspension. Bucket, turtledeck, 2 gl*** seats, grille shell, and ch***is would set you back $345.

(sigh!)

 

I sold this Kellison about 15 months ago.....(well the body was a modified Kellison)

 

I've got Beck 550 #71 out in my shop under a coat of dust. Red gel coat. 1700 CC Berg motor. I gotta clean it up and move it. Mama will not let have another rod until it is gone.

Back in the mid 70s I stopped by the Kellison shop. At that time they were building a VW based car with an engine bay that would accomodate a Corvair flat 6. I was impressed. But at that time I was in the middle of a career transition and even at the prices of the day one was out of reach.

 

Okay, drop the other shoe . . . What's the price of the Beck?

 

I have really not given it much thought. Couple of years ago I called Chuck Beck and he said 10-12K was market. I need to clean it up and kick it over.

Comes with a trailer that Mama wants out of the yard. I am in the process of fixing it up a bit. New tires and paint. But like all my projects, that one is dragging along to.

Guess I'd entertain an offer.

Plan was to pretty it up and show it this year in hopes of finding someone with motivation. Well, it is Spring and I've got all Summer to catch up.

 

While looking for Bill Thomas info, I noticed this in the Sept. '63 HRM.


Mutt

 

cheap body:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=7251&item=4547686421&rd=1

 

I produced the catalogs and advertising for Kellison in the mid-sixties. Jim made a ton of money with waterslide components and he was on the ground floor of the fibergl*** porta-pottie business.

A drag racer decided that a Jag XKE coupe would make a great flopper. So, Jim went to Sacramento and told the local Jag dealer he wanted to buy an XKE, but needed to test drive it over the week end. Using cases of Saran wrap, the crew pulled a mold that was good for three bodies and Jim returned the Jag and told the dealer he wasn't impressed!

Jim built two prototypes for me based on Tom Daniels designs that were in R&C.

Cl***ic Jim Kellison was the time he told Bruce Meyers that he should of used the money he paid lawyers to sue Jim for knocking off the Meyers Manx (Bruce lost) to buy more chopper guns!

Bill Thomas Race Cars (Cheetah) was also a client and there were some discussions between Bill and Jim to do a Cheeta kit car in gl***. Nothing ever came of it.

 

the time he told Bruce Meyers that he should of used the money he paid lawyers to sue Jim for knocking off the Meyers Manx (Bruce lost) to buy more chopper guns!

LOL Bruce still talks about that... he is alive and well, and still making 'gl*** buggy bodys from his SoCal home..
<www.meyersmanx.com>
I'm lucky enough to live about 10 miles away from him, and see him all the time.

And those Beck Sypders- the guy who builds the turn-key engines for the complete cars, just built one for a customer, with a turbo engine that put out close to 450 flywheel horsepower...

 

Saw one on FB today that has canted quads. @Moriarity that would look good in your foyer or laundry room.

 

Thanks a lot Billy, just as I talked myself out of working on my P.O.S. ,you pull me back in. I feel like Al Pacino in the Godfather. Now a whole 'nother round of Kelliholics Anonymous is in order. I need help... I sure wish all the old photos were in this thread.

 

Hot Rod Hoarder is selling his