1954 Kurtis Kraft 500S Roadster

Frank Kurtis and his son Arlen purchased a 500S chassis in the early 1980s that was in need of a total restoration. After nearly a decade, the work was complete. The project was done in honor of the Kurtis family patriarch, Frank, who passed away in 1987.

The car was given a Chevrolet 350 small-block V-8 engine with an estimated engine output of 400 bhp. This gave the vehicle excellent performance, especially considering the car weighed just over 2,300 lbs.

In 2003, the car was sold to the current owner. In 2005, it was on display at the Quail Motorsports Gathering following its successful completion of the Quail Rally.

In 2011, the car was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. It was estimated to sell for $175,000 - $225,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for $165,000, including the buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2011