Bill Foss's Kurtis
"Mystery Car"
From Bill Foss: " I'd
like to post this car, a 1950 Kurtis Sport Car. What I know
so
far: (1). It spent most of its known life at
California
Metal Shaping, owned by Bill Honda.
(2). It had
been modified extensively, with mounting tabs for at least
three
different engines.
3). The owner on the registration was a
19 year old
who lived in LA and would have had very little money (now
deceased), so I assume the
car was bought or given to him in this condition.
The plate
is
a 1956 black on yellow, not a 1947 black on yellow, which
would
have been the plate if registered in California in 1950.
Could
have been an out of state car, a car raced and not registered, or they
gave new plates every time some
new owner registered a car.
4). The car had a lot of Von Dutch
details.
5). Odd as this sounds,
the Hudson I8 had been phased out
in 1952, bu you could still buy the engines, as seen in ads
from
1952 Los Angeles newspapers. Maybe an inline 8 in a
small,
very lite, 100 wheelbase aluminum car would have been competitive in some class. |
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 | 6). The original
engine was not a flathead Ford, as there
were no mounting tabs ever added for this engine.
There are
two holes in the front crossmember that match exactly
an
Olds Rocket, which was delivered in a sister car, KSC #14. #
14
was the brother-in -law of Ed Walsh, also good friends with
Jack
Hinkle.
7). The VIN plate is missing, with the car
firewall
being altered. Frank Kurtis did not stamp these,
only the
plate riveted to
the
car. However, the thin spears on the side of the car indicate
that car was produced after #12, of the 17 made. KSC
numbers 12-17
are all accounted for.
In old transcripts, the Kurtis shop supervisor Don Hicks stated that one "kit" was sold, to
Jack
Hinkle, who then drove it back to Los Angeles to show Frank
Kurtis.
This could account for the 1956 license
plate, as
Hinkle lived in Kansas, and was so wealthy that he probably
would
have used or raced the car very little and disposed of it as soon as
something better was available. Hinkle's driver and
also
mechanic lived very close to the address on registration.
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8), The car was fitted with extra Ford dampers on
the
front and rear, in addition to the stock 1950 ford teliscopic
shocks. Not sure why, but they must have felt it
necessary.
9). The engine compartment was drilled with holes
for
cooling, as well as the brake plates were cross drilled for
cooling.
10).
The sticker on the dash, attached, may be a clue. Either a
car club, or as it appears, a jalopy racing club.
The car
does appear to
have
been set for circle track style racing, however, the aluminum
body panels have never been hit, no dents
whatsoever. The
would seem to indicate it was NOT jalopy raced.
11).
The car never had a top or rear wheel covers. All
necessary support brackets were never welded on, as per
witness
marks. I don't believe this car was ever intended to
be a
passenger car.
That's
what I know, so far. Any help would be great - Bill Honda
hung on to it for some reason, and it certainly was a mule for
someone." |
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