Vehicle Description
The Midget racers, Sprint cars, and Indy cars racing under Frank
Kurtis'Kurtis-Kraftbanner amassed an incredible record of success
in open-wheel oval racing from the 1930s through the 1960s.
Kurtis-Kraft earned five outright wins at the Indy 500 and
countless victories in local dirt-track racing across the country.
Attempting an offshoot of his oval racing business, Frank Kurtis
designed and built a road-going sports car in 1949, but after only
15 chassis, he abandoned the project and sold the rights to Earl
"Madman" Muntz, where it became the Muntz Jet. Kurtis-Kraft had
another go at a sportscar in 1953, this time with a focus on
road-racing competition. The new 500 S was an evolution of the 500
B Indy chassis, and it shared much of the open-wheel car's
architecture, including the transverse torsion bar suspension
design. Aside from being widened to accommodate a passenger seat,
the 500 S and 500B were so similar that some competitors called the
sports racer "the two-seat Indy car." As the popularity of open
road racing exploded in the early 1950s, Kurtis offered competitors
a sophisticated, race-proven chassis, with the versatility of
off-the-shelf engine options to suit each owner's requirements and
experience. After the 500 S came the KK500, designed to accommodate
a range of aftermarket fiberglass bodies, and either model could be
ordered as a turnkey car or as a kit, and engine options included
the ubiquitous Cadillac 331, or various other V8s from Buick,
Mercury, Lincoln, or Chrysler. Despite their oval-racing roots, the
500 S and KK500 were highly competitive road racers, with the likes
of Briggs Cunningham, Frank McGurk, Mickey Thompson, and Bill
Stroppe on the roster of Kurtis 500 owners and drivers. This
fascinating and hugely desirable Kurtis 500 Chrysler joined the
collection in the 1980s. Marque experts familiar with this car
believe it is a KK500 chassis that's been modified with this
amazing 500 S-style body, though the car's early history is not
fully known. Frank and David Kleptz fully restored the Kurtis in
the early 1990s, and today it presents in excellent condition, in a
striking livery of orange and black, with period-correct Halibrand
knock-off magnesium wheels and side-exit exhaust. The cockpit is
all business, with dimpled aluminum floors, authentic Stewart
Warner gauges, and a period-correct four-spoke steering wheel. The
mechanical spec sheet comprises a 325 cubic-inch Hemi V8 from a
1957 Dodge D500. The engine is topped with a low-rise intake
manifold and dual four-barrel carbs. Breathing through open
headers, it sounds utterly fantastic both inside and outside the
cockpit. The driveline is all correct for this era of Kurtis, with
a four-speed Jaguar gearbox feeding a Halibrand quick-change
rear-end. Following some minor sorting, the big Hemi runs
exceptionally well, and the Jaguar gearbox feels positive and
slick. Its enormous performance potential is evident from the
moment the big Hemi bursts into life. Following its restoration,
the Kurtis 500 was displayed in a special class of Kurtis cars at
the 2002 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance and has since lived a
quiet life in the collection. With minimal preparation, this Kurtis
has the potential to be a competitive vintage racer but is
versatile enough to be a thrilling entrant into prestigious road
events like the Colorado Grand, Copperstate 1000, or a wide range
of vintage rallies worldwide. Offers welcome and trades considered
For additional details please view this listing directly on our
website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/6849-1954-kurtis-500-s-roadster/
