British? Like jag? Hells no. Italian? Yes. In any case, I think the seller owes me and all my shit talking buddies a round of drinks!
British sports cars normally dont have a roof. Plus they were made with SOME practicality in mind...and have better ergonomics.
I am among those who have had my imagination doing overtime when it comes to Kellisons. I still have a drawing of one I did from my high school years over 50 years ago. Always loved looking at the ads and the occasional built car in one of the mags over the years. But Black Panther has the most realistic view of these little heart breakers. As received from the manufacturer, they were a fiberglass 'drapery', a very incomplete shell, that you hung over a chassis. If you wanted something you could actually drive, you had a boatload of work to do. In some ways, all the posts on this thread trying to egg on Ryan are reminiscent of a bunch of high school boys who are bewitched by the local girl with a 'reputation'. You know the kind. All the boys would fantasize and brag about what THEY would do if only they had the chance. But none had the courage to try for the score. Instead, they'd pick some boy and goad HIM to try to get a date with the Sexy Thing, in the hopes he would, and then report back with all the salacious details of his conquest. But that never happened either. Fact is, some dreams are better left as dreams, where we are free to craft any outcome we wish, than to have to suffer the reality of a shattered dream. In this case, the Kellison having been sold elsewhere, the Dream Lives On!
I’ve always wanted one of these and it wouldn’t matter about trying to get in the door of it because it would totally be a body flopper with blown injected early hemi leave the mags on the rear but it would have to have some spindle mounts on the front some day I will have one in due time in reality I some how cram my 6ft 1 self in a willys pickup and a model t so this thing would be a luxury model for me lol Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
...ergonomics and practicality aside what a stunning display of design genius...there are very few of these that don't deliver a major visual pass and it seems as what was under the sexy bod would get you to home plate with a supercharged thrill. That's a nice one @Dean Lowe
I honestly had never paid any attention to these before the HAMB. For me the fuss was about piling on as I have been the guy more than once who all of his friends were pushing him to buy that car he really didn't need. It's all in good fun. The side effect of this exercise is I've spent a bit of time learning about the cars and the history in the last few months, and they are growing on me. I'm in Ryan's camp so far... just dreamin.
I had a red 58 J5 back in the mid 80's Ran it at NE Dragway. Sold it to someone with an English accent. When he got into the driver's seat, his remark was "There's no bloody glove compartment !"
In my opinion this is by far the best looking example that has been posted. I think it has a James Bond or Steve McQueen quality. Lynn
The previous owner told me that it’s titled as a 57 but he believes it to be a 58 body due to the inner fenderwell structures that were absent on the 57’s. I didn’t know much about them other that seeing them in magazines when I was a kid and then the one showed up at the Meltdowns a few years ago and in my opinion was by far the coolest thing on wheels on that property. I’ve wanted one ever since.
You never know it could be a cleverly played purchase......But he said he's 6.2 based on discussion...unless of course you reconfigure the seating to accommodate...which makes me wonder has anybody done that to J5?...I would be hesitant myself being 6'. I wouldn't spend coin on something I couldn't drive.
Surf City this was perhaps a small show. Do you by chance know the owner. Just curious about opinions about driving and the comfort experience. It makes me think looking at the door and the height of the car getting in must be interesting...I suppose it's like many race cars or T Buckets and Speedsters heck even my 29 Chopped Sport Coupe has it's challenges as well as being not totally 6' friendly... That J5 looks to be street driven...very nice indeed.
My good friend Patrick Knight of Louisville, Kentucky, sent me an email with a kick-ass Kellison story of his own. Here it is from the man himself... I'm 16 , driving a 60 Comet delivery car for my first job at the local Drug store. I was always rubbernecking , looking for old iron in driveways and one day the garage door was open and there was this J/6 !!!! They weren't on the delivery schedule, but I was on it and stuck my nose in the garage ! Turned out , he also had a good looking Long legged Brunette daughter......winner winner chicken dinner ! She became my steady and I had full privileges around the garage I was there one Sat afternoon , they were building a 9" rear to go racing that night. I can distinctly remember their procedure for setting backlash.......a piece of newspaper placed between the gears ! Questioning this , I was quickly told that newspaper is .003 and THAT is the drag race spec !!! If you can, please pass this along to @Ryan Patrick Knight
Roger Hardcastle. I remember Roger's channeled '34 coupe, 324 Olds. This Kellison ran Fremont drags for a couple of seasons early on, the boys were on the job working the bugs out...Roger and this car 'came by it honest'!
I have a partial Kellison catalog buried somewhere in my stash of books, I’ll scan it if I can find it. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Hi Stogy, I talked to the owner and the car was not running yet, but still in restoration process. It was used in historical races for many years before but the previous owner crashed it and sold the wreck. To have more room for a race helmet they had added the hump in the roof.
That's wild. I get this impression the car while narrow it has all kinds of room up front to move the engine/tranny forward to give a taller pilot more room but I think this is much smaller than percieved in picture. I guess in the larger car companies this design may never have saw daylight due to size restriction, however many cars may actually be similar and restrict drivers based on size. All that aside a real aggressive and stylish looking package... That Helmet bump is interesting to say the least. Thanks SurfCityRocker.