Vehicle Description
Chassis No. 004
Born from the enigmatic vision of Bob Carnes in Denver, Colorado,
the Bocar-named after the combination of the first letters of his
names, BOb CARnes-appeared in the late 1950s as one of America's
most compelling limited-production sports cars. Carnes himself
remains a figure shrouded in uncertainty, variously described in
period accounts as an ex-Detroit engineer, aeronautical engineer,
mechanical engineer, or aerospace worker. What is certain is that
this mysterious figure possessed genuine engineering talent,
evolving his design from the experimental X-1 in 1957 into the
production XP-4, XP-5, and XP-6 models.
These sleek, low-slung fiberglass-bodied machines concealed a
sophisticated chrome-moly tubular space frame chassis with an
amalgam of parts including Volkswagen/Porsche suspension, Buick
brakes, and the choice of a Chevrolet or Pontiac V8 engine. Built
to customer order with no two Bocars alike, the blistering
combination of 314 horsepower in standard tune and a featherweight
1,650-pound dry weight created truly explosive performance,
achieving zero to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds and exceeding 160 mph in
period road tests.
Despite widespread praise from the automotive press, Carnes's
bespoke creation was hampered by an enormous $8,700 to $11,700 list
price when new-more than triple the cost of a Corvette-and his
operation was plagued by inconsistency, failed deliveries, and
lawsuits. The dream ended tragically on 26 December 1961, when the
Bocar manufacturing facility was destroyed by fire under
circumstances that prompted an arson investigation, though no
charges were filed. With total production believed to number just
25 complete cars, today these diminutive Colorado-built rockets
serve as tangible reminders of both extraordinary engineering
ambition and the mysterious man whose vision-and troubled
legacy-created one of the most captivating American sports cars
ever built.
Among the surviving examples, chassis 004 surely stands as one of
the most well documented and restored examples extant, and
represents one of just four XP-4s built. Originally completed with
a 389 cubic-inch Pontiac V8 engine and a three-speed manual, 004
reportedly served as Bob Carnes's own testing vehicle before being
sold to its first private owner, Jack B. Oldham of Houston, Texas.
Oldham retained the Bocar for eight years during the height of the
American sports car boom, parting with it in 1967 when it was sold
to Irvin W. Henson of Palacios, Texas. Previous registration shows
that the car remained in the coastal Texas town with Henson for
over two decades, even mounting a Fiat windshield and a convertible
top for added practicality during his college commute-a
modification that actually aligned with Carnes's original vision,
as Len Griffing of Sportscar Graphic noted that Bob intended the
Bocar "to handle hillclimbs and city traffic as easily as it
handles D-Types."
Chassis 004 would embody the latter part of that vision under the
ownership of Al Morris III of Salem, North Carolina, who acquired
the car in 1988 and embarked on an ambitious vintage racing
campaign that would span nearly two decades. Two well detailed SVRA
log books chronicle the Bocar's exploits at tracks throughout the
Midwest and Southeast, including Mid-Ohio, Road Atlanta, and West
Palm Beach, even making the pilgrimage to the legendary Road
America. Period images on file depict Morris's comprehensive
transformation of 004, which involved removing Henson's practical
modifications and renewing the body in red-with its log books
noting the car was at that point powered by a 308 cubic-inch
Holley-carbureted Chevrolet V8 engine mated to a four-speed
transmission. As recently as 2010, Morris recounted to the current
owner that he spent years perfecting the suspension for safety and
performance. Following a rewarding vintage racing career, Morris
returned the car to street-use specification, lacking a roll bar
and wearing a burgundy finish.
The Bocar's next owner, Doug Karon of Plymouth, Minnesota, acquired
it in 2005 in "driver-quality" condition, and elected to conduct a
comprehensive frame-off restoration, returning it to original
specifications. Mechanical work included fitting a correct 283
cubic-inch Chevrolet Corvette engine, said to produce around 400
horsepower, mated to a Muncie four-speed transmission. An extensive
file of parts receipts and invoices dating from 2008-2009 document
the monumental scope of the project, which saw the car renewed in
its current silver livery with a red center stripe and a
black-upholstered interior. Shortly thereafter, the Bocar was
acquired by the current caretaker and subsequently shown at the
15th Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance in 2010, where it was
showcased in the Forgotten Fiberglass Class. There, it attracted
the attention of its former owner, Al Morris, who commented that
the exquisite restoration had reversed his suspension modifications
and thus restored "all of Bob Carnes's flaws!" To rectify this, the
current owner then invested over $10,000 in 2014 to realign the
front axle, replace the torsion-bar front suspension with
coil-overs, and fit new Dynamics dampers and custom swing arms,
entrusting the work to O'Leary Motorsports in Lake Zurich,
Illinois.
In current ownership, this exceptional Bocar has seen regular use
on the challenging mountain roads of Colorado-just as Carnes
envisioned-partaking in numerous editions of the Colorado Grand
including in 2013, 2014, 2018, and 2024. The Bocar also returned to
Road America where it was driven in exhibition laps and was also
presented at the 2015 Concours d'Elegance of America at St. John's
in Plymouth, Michigan. Throughout its current stewardship,
requisite maintenance and mechanical refinements have been
performed to ensure that it remains a consistent performer.
Today, chassis 004 stands as perhaps the finest surviving example
of Bob Carnes's indelible legacy, serving as a tangible reminder of
an era when individual vision and engineering talent could still
challenge the established order of the automotive world.
