1953 Kircher Special

Physicist Charles Hughes and automotive engineer Kurt Kirch built the Hughes-Kirch Special in Colorado in the early 1950s. The alloy body was designed by Charles Lyon, who used a two-piece construction method to allow for easy access to the mechanical components when the top piece was removed. In the front was a large grille fitted with two headlights. The side exhaust pipes exited the bodywork just behind the front wheels.

The car had a ladder frame that was constructed from chrome-moly tubing, a rack-and-pinion setup sourced from an MG, an independent front suspension, and a deDion unit in the back. The car had Alfin drum brakes and was powered by a six-cylinder double overhead camshaft Jaguar engine that displaced 3.4 liters. With the help of three SU carburetors, the engine offered 250 horsepower and gave the car a top speed of over 150 mph.

In 1954, at Fort Sumner, the car won its inaugural race followed by another victory at the Los Almos Hillclimb. Several other podium finishes were achieved before the close of the year. 1955 was not as successful, as a new breed of racing machines was being fielded by several competitive automakers. In an attempt to stay competitive, the engine was replaced with a Mercedes-Benz 300SL factory race engine. Unfortunately, the new engine did not help the car.

by Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2014