Anybody remember these 50's high school shop projects called "Jackrabbit"'s? I'm not sure on the name, but if you've seen one, you'd know it. The one I remember had a flathead and 2 Strombergs poking out of the hood. They started with a Z'd frame and used two 50-54 Chevrolet roof sections, narrowed and welded together like a mirror image. The top one would be the hood, the bottom one would be a belly pan and what was once the windshield opening became the grille opening. They used a specific trunklid for an *** end and a slew of other parts all engineered to fit together and make a sports car. It resembled a 50's version of a Panoz Roadster. I believe they were a set of plans that you could build at home. I remember seeing one years ago and would like some more info on them. Thanks!
Never heard of it, but I'm listening intently and hoping it wasn't a drug induced hallucination of yours.
Nope! The one I remember was white with short, red, tuck and roll buckets. Like I said, it was built with parts you'd toss, but I remember it being way cool. It had a brake-line chromed grille, Chrome bumperettes, dropped axle, no doors just a dropped opening and the thing was actually pretty big. I'm trying to get ahold of the man who owned one. He had a couple finished and one that was in sad shape. They all followed the same rules.
serious, I wanna see a picture and when they built these, did the city folk wanna come and have them commited?
Ok, I got hold of a guy who used to work for the guy who owned the one that I knew of. Apparently it's called a "Wild Hare" and they were built from a Popular Mechanics article that laid out all the plans. The more I talked to the guy, the more I remembered how cool this thing was. The rear end was a narrowed rear clip with a couple of fenders and a decklid. Front wheels were exposed and rears were not. Anyway, I got a name now and am going to try to track the guy down who had them. Does "Wild Hare" ring any bells with anybody?
Google found this link to a site that sells books for kit cars from the past and the "Wild Hare" is on there. Still no pics yet. http://www.cybercars.com/bigbooks/pp/listing.htm
Do you actually have that magazine? If so, wanna sell it? Rent it? Just let a guy borrow it long enough to scan PDF worthy images of it?
I'ts on Ebay right now. I've been thinking about buying it, but I'd have to wait a couple of days. ( Paypal glitch...) If you want to snap it up, go ahead...
Yeah, it would be really cool if some of these things were built again. Here are some more pics I found...
Not sure what this wins me (nothing? that's fair, alas), but I remember it from back in the day. Clever use of body parts, I always thought. Using this approach, almost any body shell or two could produce a roadster, given a decent set of metalworking skills and a little design sense. IMHO these would be more interesting, although likely less "popular" than rat rods, say. Not to mention the likelihood that such a roadster might be a more satisfying hot rod, from a practical point of view, than some ground-s****ing mail-slot windshield accident-in-waiting, not that there's anything wrong with anyone's dream project. Props to the Hamber who rekindles the trend! Cheers -- Gary
Look at these early British Specials. ( very early Lola?) How they used single curvature Aluminum panels, and still got a really cool shape...
Wow, Thanks! That's weird that it's the same color combo as the one I know of. It's not quite as cool as I remember it. I remember it having a distinct "1940's Hollywood" feel. Still, the possibilities are there for any wheel/tire/trim/motor combo. And it says I can build one for 300 bucks! Cool...
I have been looking for plans for this for years. I remember reading the artical in one of the how to do it books. I remember the rear was made from 49 Chevy pick up fenders turned on their sides and reversed. The doors look 32 to me. They also built a wood version like a planked boat or model airplane. J C Whitney used the pic for years in their fender ad. I sure would like to get a copy of the artical.
Go ahead and buy it Andy. I can wait till the next one comes along. I'd rather get the whole magazine that was in, not just the Article. I thing there is something really wrong with cutting up old Magazines...
I won't be bidding on the item on Ebay. Good luck to who ever here does. If you win, post up some better, pdf preferred, scans of the pages. (Or send the book/copies to me and I'll do it and send it back to you for noth'n.) Would love to mess around w/ this. Good luck! {On the edit. If someone here on the HAMB IS bidding, please speak up. Otherwise..... sure would hate to loose that copy to a non-HAMBer.}
OK, I'm not either, so that leaves you Andy. Found some plans for a Wood Bodied Sports Car too... ( P/M me for the Ebay #'s if you want...)
I think I actually have the Jackrabbit plans shown. I am looking for the artical on the car I showed in the post!
Oh, OK... If you happen to come across the plans, could you post them Here? And/or tell us in which Magazine they were?
Jesus, I've been looking all over the internets for days and there are plans for $5.00 including shipping on Ebay. Crazy. http://cgi.ebay.com/You-can-build-a...ryZ40152QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem I just bought them. PM me if you want a copy.
The Jalopy Journal
