1954 Kurtis Kraft 500C at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance

50th Anniversary of Indy Roadsters at Daytona

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1954 Kurtis Kraft 500C

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Information on the 1954 Kurtis Kraft 500C

More photographs of the 1954 Kurtis Kraft 500C

This car ran 263,188 kph at Monza, Italy, in 1958 with Jimmy Reece driving.

The Merz Engineering Special Kurtis 500C is Championship chassis number 376, built by Kurtis Kraft in 1954. It is one of nine 500C model roadsters built. This car is one of the few original, unaltered Indianapolis Roadsters in existence, as it still retains the original chrome moly frame, bodywork and chassis components. It was never turned into a super modified race car as many of the Indy Roadsters were. Kurtis built approximately fifty-five Indy roadsters out of approximately one hundred ten Indianapolis race cars produced by the Kurtis shops.

This car was entered at Indianapolis from1954-1959. It made the 500 Race five times. Fred Agabashian, who preferred Kurtis Kraft race cars and assisted Frank Kurtis with technical input, started 24th in the Merz Engineering Special in the 1954 500 and worked his way up to a 6th place finish. The next year in 1955, Walt Faulkner finished 5th in the car at Indianapolis.

The car was also driven by Jimmy Reece, Johnny Parsons, Ed Elisian, Gene Hartley and Red Amick from 1956 to 1959. From 1960 to 1962, it was entered in various USAC Championship Car races until its ultimate retirement from competition in 1962.

The car has been restored to its race day appearance at Indianapolis in 1954.

The Merz engineering Special was one of nine Kurtis 500Cs built by Kurtis Kraft in 1954. It is one of the few original, unaltered roadsters which retains its original chrome moly frame, bodywork and chassis components. This car raced at Indianapolis five times between 1954 and 1959, and was driven to sixth place in 1954 by Fred Agabashian. In 1955, it finished fifth, driven by Walt Faulkner. In 1958, this car ran as the 'Hoyt Machine Special' at the Race of the Two Worlds' in Monza, Italy, driven by Jimmy Reece. It finished fifth against an international field. In 1959, driver Dempsy Wilson piloted the Hoyt Machine Special at the newly-opened Daytona International Speedway.

Also photographed at :

Keels & Wheels Concours d'Elegance >> Historic Race Car

Keels & Wheels Concours d'Elegance >> Indy Roadsters

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