1959 Kellison J-5

Jim Kellison created Kellison Engineering & Manufacturing Company in 1954. The operation was based in California and specialized in kit car creation. Kellison served as a fighter pilot during World War II, and his closeness to aerodynamic designs undoubtedly influenced his streamlined and attractive race car bodies. The company sold its product in a variety of guises and completion. The first of these products was dubbed the J-2 Roadster. The open roadster body had a 102-inch wheelbase and measured 169 inches in length.

The J3 had similar dimensions, being 169 inches in length and a 98-inch wheelbase. Prices ranged from around $380 to over $500 for a complete unit.

The K2 rested on a 154-inch length and an 86-inch wheelbase.

The J4 Grande Turismo Coupe was Kellison's first closed-cockpit car; it was designed to accept a V8 engine mounted in the front of the vehicle.

Kellison used fiberglass bodies to clothe his molds. The elegant bodies rested on tube frames.

During the mid-1960s, Kellison created a new division in his company, named Grand Prix Sports and Racing, for the development of racers for Formula A, B, and Vee.

by Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2015