Vehicle Description
Frank Kurtis needs little introduction to anyone familiar with
American racing in the 1950s. His Kurtis-Kraft cars dominated
American oval racing for decades, winning on everything from local
dirt bullrings to Indianapolis. The son of an immigrant Croatian
blacksmith, Frank Kurtis got his start in the car business at 14,
when his family moved to Los Angeles and he took an apprenticeship
with Don Lee Coach and Body Works. Don Lee Coach built custom
bodies for luxury automobiles, particularly for the Hollywood
elite. It is also coincidentally the same place where a young
Harley Earl got his start in the industry. From the start, Kurtis
displayed natural fabrication talents, and in his off hours,
produced a number of one-off customs for private clients. In the
1930s, Kurtis began focusing on the construction of race car
chassis. His exquisitely constructed cars were so admired that one
was nicknamed "the jewel box" by competitors. Success brought
demand for his chassis and starting in the 1930s over 1,100 Kurtis
Kraft midgets were built as the cars of Frank Kurtis became the hot
ticket in open wheel racing. That legend that would continue
through the 1960s with 5 Indy 500 victories and countless wins on
local tracks across America. While Kurtis was building his
successful Midget, Sprint and Indy car business, he kept his team
busy in the off season by building Hollywood movie cars and one-off
specials. In 1948, he built a unique sports car based on a wrecked
'41 Buick, and the car caused such a sensation that he decided a
production version would be the perfect way to expand his business
into a new market. At first, Frank made an agreement with
Studebaker to supply suspension components and their upcoming OHV
V8 engine. Based on a reworked Champion chassis, the car would be
designed and built by Kurtis, and sold through Studebaker dealers.
But production delays with the V8 saw Frank Kurtis grow
increasingly impatient. His first prototypes used Studebaker's
inline six (even a Lea Francis engine was planned!), the first
naturally aspirated, then later supercharged. Despite positive
reviews from the likes of Tom McCahill of Mechanix Illustrated who
tested the supercharged six-cylinder prototype, Kurtis felt that
Ford's flathead V8, with a few choice upgrades, would provide the
motivation he required. A deal was struck with Benson Ford (William
Clay Ford's brother) to provide a supply of V8s and when production
began in 1949, the Kurtis Sports used a combination of Studebaker
underpinnings with Ford V8 power, wrapped in a modern and unique
streamlined body of fiberglass, steel and aluminum. It is believed
that about 15 Kurtis Sports were built before Frank was persuaded
to sell the rights to Earl "Madman" Muntz who stretched the chassis
to accommodate four seats and fitted Cadillac V8 engine, softening
the car and turning the Kurtis Sports into a boulevard cruiser. Our
featured 1949 Kurtis Sports is Chassis number KB003, the very first
production car and arguably the most famous of all the cars built.
This very special example was Frank Kurtis' personal car which he
used extensively to promote the project. From new, this car was
fitted with a hot Ford 8BA "stroker" built by Vic Edelbrock himself
with Edelbrock heads, Offenhauser intake and twin Stromberg 97s. In
1949, the Kurtis was brought to the Bonneville Salt Flats to take
part in the very first Bonneville Nationals, where, in the hands of
Wally Parks (famously the founder of the NHRA and first editor of
Hot Rod Magazine) KB003 was driven to a sports-car class world
record two-way average of 142.515 miles per hour. After Bonneville,
a milder Ford V8 was installed and KB003 remained with the Kurtis
family, with both Frank and his son Arlen enjoying it on the road.
It was later sold to a racer from New York, where it is believed to
have gained a Cadillac engine. It may have been a bit of a handful
with the Cadillac power, as the body sustained some damage in the
hands of some less-than-talented drivers. The car was eventually
discovered in the mid-1970s by Charles Treadway of Iowa who
purchased it from Ms. Genevieve Cowan. Treadway began a restoration
but soon sold it to Marlin Weakly of Moline, Illinois in the late
1970s. Both Treadway and Weakly had corresponded with Frank Kurtis
in attempt to get parts and information relating to this very
unusual automobile, but alas, the restoration would stall until
many years later. In the hands of the most recent owner, a
collector and aficionado of unusual sports cars, the Kurtis Sports
was finally treated the comprehensive restoration it so deserved.
Thoroughly researched, KB003 was returned to its original
specification using a Ford flathead V8 with period speed parts
including Edelbrock heads, twin Stromberg 97s and an Offy 2 x 2
intake - all genuine parts sourced from early hot rod experts. The
body was completely restored and finished to a high standard in
dark green and the extensive chrome - including the signature wide
band that wraps around the car- was beautifully refinished. The
missing windscreen frame was recast using an original template, and
numerous other key items sourced using the help of Arlen Kurtis and
others. Since its restoration, KB003 has been shown at prestigious
concours and has been featured in both Hot Rod magazine in 2009 and
volume 10 of Hop Up magazine. It remains in fine form showing in
excellent condition, with the restoration having matured very
slightly. Green paintwork is very good, the tan leather upholstery
remains taut and supple, and the black nylon loop carpets maintain
a period correct look. The dash wears a full set of correct S-W
instruments in an engine-turned fascia and a plaque from the So Cal
Timing Association proudly declaring this as the very car Wally
Parks used to set his record. The sale of this important motorcar
will include numerous photos, correspondence with the likes of
Frank and Arlen Kurtis, copies of the SCTA time sheets, and notes
related to the restoration. KB003 is so much more than just a
home-grown special, Frank Kurtis applied the same attention to
detail and quality when he built the Sports that he used for his
racing cars, and Hot Rod Magazine perfectly describes it as the
world's first "Sports Rod". This very car was at the forefront of
the American sports car revolution and will be a welcome addition
to any collection of important rods, sports cars or racers.
