History The Kurtis Road Specials-KK-500, 500X and the Aguila Racer

There were others, but these stand out as the most beautiful Kurtis sports cars...

KK-500 (3 made) powered by deSoto 291 and I think Jimmy 6?

500X Nailhead powered

Aguila Racer had an SBC

 

the Aguila...

 

Those are some serious hotrods in sports car clothing. All are beauties in my book.
<input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">

 

Cars like that are like sex. Damn!!
The black 155 looks kind of Cobraesque. Hot rods indeed!

 

Aint, that the truth. The cockpits alone are enough to make my pants tight. Beautiful.

 

MMMMMMMMMM DADDY LIKE!!!!!


got any motor shot's?

 

I've never seen the black body or the Aquila before. Is the 500X (#6) the old Bill Murphy Buick car? Useta be a pretty competitive car in SoCal, late '50s I think.

 

ex-Mickey Thompson? looks like another 500X?

 

And to think I always wanted something like a Ferrari. Shame on me. Gary

 

Miller,
If you can find out if Kerry Hogan owns this car then yes, MT was the former owner. Al Hosking being the first.

MT racing Carol Shelby.

 

right on, kurtis, i'll see if the Goodwood entry list has any info...

 

alot like the Cunningham (Briggs) cars...

 

There was indeed a Kurtis with an inline 6.
Hillsborough, Ca. last year.

 

The first Kurtis Kraft road racing special owned by J.Hinkle in 1948.
Where is it now?

In the 1970s FI engineers experimented with multi wheels on their cars in an attempt for better cornering speeds although the placement was at the front and not the back like this Kurtis.

 

More Aguila

 

Kurtis Kraft Sport 1949

 

The 1937 Tommy Lee Special...and NO it is NOT a Cord! Built by Frank Kurtis.

 

Another favorite of mine, the 1955 500KK.

 

The 1947 Omohundro Comet

 

This is also one of just 2 or 3 Kurtis Specials built. Looking through my stuff for another one.

 

Here's the other picture I have. This is at the Wally Parks NHRA musuem. Was race by the Mayor of The City of Industry.



And I'd be remiss if I didn't give credit for the other picture in my last post from Dr. Glen Fruedenburger. Hope I spelled it right.

 

Anyone see the similarities between the City of Industry Special and the Aguila?

 

Affirmative. Is that a Mickey Thompson machine I see peeking out next to it?

 

I think it's Attempt 1.

 

any know how the bodies of the KK-500 were made ?

aluminum or fiberglass with was the thing in the early 50s !

Beaulieu

 

As far as I know bodies were all aluminum. Frank Kurtis' shop was in Glendale and there were a few skilled aluminum benders around courtesy of Lockheed, North American, Douglas and Northrop.

Cheers,
Kurt O.

 

The Kurtis 500K......I think I have my model right(?).......looks like a period 'hi tech' Allard J2X.....torsion bar suspension and absolutely beautiful engineering.
A very clever guy Frank Kurtis with a great eye.

 

Kurtis' car dominated Indy and dirt track racing through the '50s. The 500K and 500X were based on his Indy car design and worked fairly well as sports cars.

 

My Dad just sold this Kurtis chassis sports racing car. It is powered by a SBC and has the torsion bar set up front and rear. This car won the west coast SCCA sports class C championship in 1964. the cars name was "The Alligator" and was owned by the guy that started Campbell boats. When He bought it, it had no body work so he pulled a fiberglass mold off of a neighbor's Jag E type and used it for the front and rear body panels.

 

Kurtis chassis that was Joshua Saslove 1963. Saslove traded the Kurtis for the Campbell Special later in 1963. Bill Campbell then rebodied the Kurtis and raced it as the "Alligator Special"

Here is the pre-Alligator Kurtis at Laguna Seca in 1963

From Tams
http://www.tamsoldracecarsite.net/KurtisCars4.html#Kurtis Cars 4