Frank Kurtis, the highly successful Indianapolis car constructor, built four Kurtis 500SX sports racing cars at his Kurtis Kraft facilities in Glendale, California. Each car was unique. This is chassis number 3 (8 55 SX3) commissioned by Culver City Buick dealer Bill Murphy. Murphy had owned and raced two earlier Kurtis 500S sports cars, but… Continue reading 1955 Murphy Kurtis 500SX
Category: History
Steve Schuler: 1955 Hagemann Chrysler Special
The Hagemann Chrysler Special was built for amateur racer John Barneson by Jack Hagemann of San Leandro, California. Hydroplane and race engine builder George Nauro was chosen to build the powerful Chrysler 300 Hemi motor. Hagemann developed his metal shaping skills during WWII at the Alameda Naval Air Station. He had already designed and built… Continue reading Steve Schuler: 1955 Hagemann Chrysler Special
Rick Cannon: 1950 Cannon Mk1 Special
Ted Cannon, built the Cannon Mk.1 and two other sports racing Specials at his machine shop in North Hollywood, California. It was mostly built from parts accumulated from other projects. The chassis, from his father’s 1934 Dodge, was shortened and the frame rails were boxed for rigidity. The coil spring front suspension and drum brakes… Continue reading Rick Cannon: 1950 Cannon Mk1 Special
1950 Parkinson Jaguar Special
The Jaguar XK120 is by far the fastest car tested by Road & Track!We were pleased to publish on our web site www.DMTRG.com in mid-December 2024 the original road test and review of the Jaguar XK120 in Road and Track magazine of May 1951 (link at the end of this article). Note the remark “The… Continue reading 1950 Parkinson Jaguar Special
1949 Baldwin Mercury Special
The Baldwin Mercury Special was built in Santa Barbara, California by Willis “Bill” Baldwin. Baldwin built four sports racing Specials. This is the second of the four. The Baldwin Mercury’s major components are from a wrecked 1946 Ford Tudor. It is powered by a hot- rodded Ford/Mercury Flathead V8 with three Stromberg carburetors. The Edelbrock… Continue reading 1949 Baldwin Mercury Special
Bill Angeloni: 1955 MGTF 1500
Most of this cars racing history is lost. The logbook that I have begins with a HMSA race at Laguna Seca on 5/19/84. The car was raced 13 – week ends at Laguna Seca and at Sears Point by Kathy Fox and later as Kathy Fox –Downs. Races included the Monterey Historics in 1984, 1985,… Continue reading Bill Angeloni: 1955 MGTF 1500
Rob Manson: 1950 MG TD Von Neumann Special
No.10 in our series of cars and drivers. 1950 MG TD Von Neumann Special, car #11 – ex Jeffrey Abramson and Don Martine This 1950 MG TD was purchased early in 1950 by Johnny Von Neumann. Immediately the wood was removed from the body tub and replaced with electrical conduit tubing. The fenders, hood, gas… Continue reading Rob Manson: 1950 MG TD Von Neumann Special
Luca Maciucescu: 1952 Jaguar XK120
This 1952 XK120 OTS produced February 18, 1952 is the 1907th example delivered in LHD. Original color was birch grey with light and dark blue interior. As was the case with many of the early XK120s, this car was occasionally used for club races such as at the 1952 Janesville Airport Race (photo included.) In… Continue reading Luca Maciucescu: 1952 Jaguar XK120
Doug Klink: 1951 Allard K2
Delivered in Beverly Hills, California this 1951 Allard has had several lives. The name of the original purchaser is unknown, but after a few years of ownership the car was sold to a new owner who drag raced the car in California. Ordered to accommodate a Desoto Firedome Hemi V8, the dealer instead installed a… Continue reading Doug Klink: 1951 Allard K2
Jean Pierre Molerus: 1954 Nichols Panhard
Owner Jean-Pierre Molerus writes “Murray Nichols was commissioned by Bill Devin to make another car to go with the C model already in production . The car was named the S model for sport use. The story of this first car has been published in the January 1955 issue of Road And Track. This first… Continue reading Jean Pierre Molerus: 1954 Nichols Panhard