Jim Kellison, a former Korean War fighter pilot, founded Kellison Engineering in 1954. Jim designed his signature car, the Kellison J4, the same year and started production and testing. The J5 evolved from the J4, adding an inch to the 39-inch roof and extending the wheelbase from 98 to 102 inches which allowed more length in the doors. The J5 R designation was for a lightweight racing body. This J5 has a 1959 Chevrolet 283 with dual quad carburetors and three-speed transmission. The Kellison J4/J5s influenced the design of several cars, including the British 1996 TVR Cerbera, some 40 years after the original design.
