Max Balchowsky -- 6:  Old Yeller VI "Godzilla"

Historian Ron Cummings sent these photos of a little-known Max Balchowsky creation.
 

"These photos of Old Yeller VI, aka 'Godzilla', with a Jim Larkin Pontiac motor was supplied by Ellen Sohus. Ellen is the daughter of the original owner/ driver, Bob Sohus.

The Old Yeller VI chassis was already welded together at the time of the OY IV  accident at Pomona, July, 1961. 

OY VI (Godzilla) has a patch on each side welded in the frame where Max tried to prevent the OY IV failure from happening on OY VI.
 
More from Ron Cummings:

"Old Yeller VI was purchased by Bob Sohus as a bare rolling chassis. Sohus installed an ugly homemade body along with the Pontiac motor from the "Reynolds Wrap Special".

The only time I saw the car was at Santa Barbara in 1965.  It took Sohus a long time getting the car ready because of money problems. I will get you the exact date and number for Santa Barbara as I have the race program at home.

Sohus called the car "Godzilla" after a falling out with Balchowsky over payment for the car. The original bare cassis is now owned by Reagan Rulau, the mechanic who (used to) maintain Ernie Nagamatsu's Old Yeller II."
 
The chassis sat unsold for a while. It was always called Old Yeller VI. Because of a falling out between the Balchowskys and Sohus over payment, Sohus named the car "Godzilla". It took several years for Sohus to get it to a race. 

I only saw it at the Sept. 1965 Santa Barbara CalClub races.  Max's original plan was to sell only rolling chasses, with Buick motors, to customers.  However, he had to accommodate the buyers' motor choices to sell the cars.
 
The car with its second body.

From Ron Cummings:

"The new body was installed by the owner that Bob Sohus' ex-wife sold the car to after the Sohus divorce."

Next:  Max Balchowsky -- 7:  Old Yeller Updates

Back to:   Max Balchowsky -- 5:  Old Yeller IV Camera Car

Back to:   Max Balchowsky -- 1:  Old Yellers I / II