Long live the Kellison! Proof that kit cars can be cool. Granted it took A LOT of work to get it there. Thanks to Jay for having the vision and to Mechanic Matt for turning the wrenches!
to be honest the Shelby's and Salinas/henissie( TT copperhead vipers definitely counting in my 2C's my sibling favourite sporting car, the 1967~turbine-dart 4-door is another of there-favourites also a one-off~/kit-car/official-prototype )/other are in my mind kit-car's ( always has been included are mustang's, the 1970~is the * as Shelby didn't get really anything say wise and or it was 99%trim/paint/decal's and not like the 1967~ with different rims/tires/ball-joints/IRS-opportunity/option or 4X4-drive/ect or or cammer added-blowers ect ) but they got ford/dodge ( i don't what to mention the fugly challengers/charger's-80's( have a pre1970 so i see my view's as valid and other owners agree with me-ect ) but yes let's stickler to GLH naming on a omni and QC-wise and or how it's assembly-ect the 1-3~gen vipers would probably also counting but so would morgan's after about ~1950's if that's looser definition used as there hand casting's/milling-ect/assembled/not-automation manufacturing plants )/AC( AC ace originally created but ford-bastions = cobra, not as sure for the Chevy's-version naming or the one 572-hemi bastion i saw naming wise, or a BEV-version ) blessing's kellison would probably work really well as a fully BEV model as it has lower aero-needs and or smaller rad-openings and or frunk-space in the body's shaping ect
This was a super fun project. Took about ten years all told, not even counting the endless years that the great Skip Snyder put in before I got it. Until John and Matt took it on, it was a terrifying death trap. With incredible skill and diligence and engineering, they were able to transform it into a possibly slightly less terrifying death trap. The NE1000, with Steven Cavalieri codriving, was absolutely hilarious. Except maybe the whole final day, when Steven had to shift while I steered with my right hand and wiped rain and fog off the windshield with my left. Delighted we did it; equally delighted we never have to do it again!
Bravo to you for sticking with it! This project feels like a good capstone segment of a documentary about Kellison kit cars or about kit cars in general.
I have a Kellison sandpiper pickup … I’d love to have a Kellison badge for it… how did you make yours? If there is a cad file, could you maybe share it with me?
having a hard time fitting a front motor i4 type35 looking thing as being built from a rear engine boxer thing... It has to be one or the other since they can't coexist sharing nothing except 4 wheels? I guess if you turn the VW bug around so the engine faces forward you're going in the "right direction" but driving the wrong wheels.
Believe my brother's was the Aztec (?) on a VW pan and motor. No. Florida summer heat, motor a foot from your head ..... the original airfrier . Early 70's-but who cared ?
My neighbor built one of these cars in 1968 . Im talking Waterbury Ct. He was 18 years old and when it was done he said he hit 150 mph at 4 AM , on the newly built Rte 84 Highway. Love this story. The car is really Cheat!!!
I think you are talking about me! I never claimed 150. I'm sorry I can't seem to recall meeting you. See the my classic car channel and look for Kellison in Tucson.
It appears that my first reply did not make it. I think you are talking about me. I never told anyone 150. I might have said I would like to. My second Kellison is on the my classic car channel here.
The Kellison has very graceful, elegant, swoopy lines. I'm not surprised it was accepted. I had a 1974 Charger SE that was the exact same color, with white interior. Unusual, but it works.
Ficarra is the absolute best. I realized what I want to do for a grown-up job and it's his job. He's worked so many cool places in his job is awesome. That's what I want to do when I grow up.
@ I can see it, but this I think just has crazier windows on the side, than the Ferrari and it makes it a lot different. it’s got a lot of elements from cars like TVR and Maserati and it’s done really well. Its got a lot of inspiration from others but it’s still unique to me.
@@HolgerKuhrts I agree but the interesting thing is that Kellison sold this series (J) years before the 250 GTO. It was not inspired by the Ferrari but was ahead of its' arrival.
Ten, twenty, a hundred years ago there was an article in R&T(?) about an MGA that got a "sanded with a brick, painted with a broom" driveway paint job. An assortment of aftermarket body panels covered in red paint. They took it to an all Ferrari car show, got waived through the gate that they were not even trying to go in. To their surprise, the body panels, the paint and the general aesthetic fooled several people into thinking it was a war torn unrestored race car. The car drew a crowd of armrest "experts" who loved the great racing Ferrari. Nobody seemed to notice the vents beside the hood which clearly read MGA on them. Does this sound familiar to anybody?
*R&T editors freely admit they were smoknig a lot of crack back then.*
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There's never been a shortage of know-nothings willing to bloviate about their imagined expertise. I've heard a guy telling his date that my Pantera was a Lambo Countach, another one who thought my Beck 550 Spyder was an MGA, and another one telling a girl that the custom 240Z convertible (first one on the planet) I was driving during the build process was nothing special, because he had read "FIAT" on the gearshift knob that was in the car at the time.
John, thanks for another fantastic real life story that this time, the real heroes in it were you, Matt (and my friend Skip Snyder, the original builder of the Kallison) before the car went to those mechanics of chop shops where they ruin the car before your hands getting on it ! I just sent this video to Skip and I'm sure he's going to be thrilled . All the best to you and Matt, Essy Fariab
It was a home built car category there were like a dozen cars in 2023 that were very odd and many of their creators were there to talk about them. It was very cool and yeah totally different from the rest of what is otherwise among the stuffiest of car events.
Thank you EB for introducing true enthusiasts such as John Ficarra to the world. For those who may not have seen it, John telling the '65 LeMans behind-the-scenes story is a must; of course there's the Enzo vs. Henry Il grudge match, but also the Goodyear vs. Dunlop battle as well... the man is hands down the most entertaining storyteller on VinWiki, let alone TH-cam. Chris Michaels is also a must watch. Keep'em coming !
I first met Jim Kellison in 1956 when he brought his first generation car to our High School Auto Shop, This is the same High School the Barris Brothers graduated from. Later I worked for Jim Kellison when he had his company in Lincoln CA. At that time we were building the "Stallion". A sorta Cobra type car, that almost passed the Federal Specs for Road worthy. Jim was buying parts from Ford Motor Company and using their bank. I'll leave the story there because finances were not Jim's speciality.
Kit cars are very cool if you actually enjoy driving vehicles and wrenching rather than just being a brand snob or a flat bill wearing vape puffer at a car meet.
How is a kit car any less worthy than early Lotus and other British bespoke component cars? Chapman visited many salvage yards to source the various bits used to build his masterpieces.
Well said, they are cars, who cares who builds them and whether it's built in large factory or a garage. This 'it's a kit car' mantra is what perpetuates the misconception that kit cars are bad, yes some are, but then some mass produced cars are.
mostly because the makers are rarely more talented at design and engineering than they are at marketing so you'd get these warped heavy fiberglass bodies and the amount of effort to get that fixed and assembled meant most never drive
The Quail - truly epic - bravo my friend - so awesome !!! Great story teller - really draws you in - can’t wait see the finished product of the Porsche Limo !!!
I had a Beck Spyder that was built by John Willhoit, a Porsche 356 expert. He used lots of 356 parts including a 1956 Speedster engine, modified of course. It fooled some folks who thought it was a real 550. Mostly it was kick ass fun to drive. I took my 8 year old son to pick it up at John's place in Long Beach and we drove it 1,500 miles home to Gig Harbor. No top, radio, nor heater. Had a blast.
I love kit cars and replicas! People that try to pass them off as the real thing are hilarious. I caught a guy trying to pass off a factory five type 65 as a genuine shelby daytona at a car show, too bad for him I'm obsessed with the daytona and I pointed out all the differences to him and I said I sure hope you didn't pay too much for this LOL
Your love and knowledge of the history from that era made you the perfect choice for this project my friend. It's always a thrill to see the shop. Great job!
That is one gorgeous car ! It's a real testament to the caliber of work done on it to be able to get it such a level that it would be accepted into such a prestigious car show ! Good for you guys ! That, is huge feather in your cap !!
Great video and absolutely beautiful car. I'm presently building a 1965 kellison Astra x300 gt with x box frame, C1 from end, 10 bolt rear axle. I decided to go SBC 400 and 5 speed tkx. Using gm tilt column, Omni manual rack, lzf front disk, drum in back, willwood master and clutch. 17 gal aluminum cell. Simple elegance is what I'm building. Radiator is installed gt40 style to take advantage of long beautiful nose. Started project about 4 months ago. Most people wouldn't touch it to build, I'm blessed I get the opportunity to build my own kellison. Absolutely beautiful.
Very impressive. The first time I ever heard of Kellison, was when Counts Customs restored one adding some side vents and chrome wire wheels. This one looks like a modified version of a Ferrari 250 GTO. I hope to get to see a Kellison in person some day. Great job. Thank you.
When I was a kid in the '50s & early '60s I used to see Kellison ads in "Popular Mechanics" magazines. A few years later, "Popular Mechanics" also ran ads for Grumpy Jenkins and his Vega V8 conversions. They ran some interesting ads back then. They were fodder for an active teenager's imagination!
The end results are pretty damn cool! Def a head turner. Won’t see another beside you near anywhere. I love all the choices made. Engine compartment is spot on period! Great job
Old British Smiths instruments, ex Jaguar but a bit more recent than 1960. As a teenager I bought a similar 1850s "home built", fiberglass special that had been designed for a Ford 10 chassis, a little English saloon. It had been modified and fitted to a Riley 1750 cc six cylinder chassis with knock on wire wheels. I put the engine back together, got it all going, it was fast and quite exciting. A fellow came up to me out on the road, asked me what the running gear was and made me a very good offer. He was restoring a pristine Riley and my bits were just what he was looking for.
AMAZING. Ok, it’s time for a Ficarra Classic kit car. He could do it.
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Pretty impressive. I've been building/ restoring/ race prepping/ modifying cars for over 5 decades, know exactly what it takes to do this, and well remember seeing these bodies drag-racing in M/SP. As an aside, a guy I worked for eons ago had a Kellison with a 283 SBC on a modified TR chassis, while I was running a Corvair-powered Avenger. Both of 'em were kinda awful, unfinished, rough around the edges, but some of the most fun I've ever had. I'm currently going through an early Beck 550 for myself, undoing all the backyard bodged messes. Keep on building cool stuff.
NGL, I wasn’t interested until I saw that this was a John Ficarra story. He, along with Christopher Michaels, is one of the most entertaining storytellers and never fails to delight and amaze. Kudos to Mr. Ficarra & co. for getting the Kellison roadworthy and Quailworthy and sharing its story! This was wonderful!
The GT12, GT15 and the Valkyrie made by Fiberfab are good cars too. Made to go over a VW Beetle chassis or a coach built frame with a Buick V8. They also made something called the Banshee. Kelmark GT is another good one. Kinda looks like a Ferrari Dino. Kellison also made a GT40 type car. All these vehicles are really cool and affordable.
Such a superb job John! The interior is just *chefs kiss!* everything just looks great. What paint did you use on the logos for the valve covers? Amazing. The white exhaust, the mirrors, the passion for details. Again amazing. If only it was red.
@FicarraClassic everything turned out really well John. Great project to showcase your talent. That interior, the attention to detail, just beautiful. Even had Red logo on the valve covers!
@@FicarraClassicyou sir, are one hell of a car guy, one hell of a story teller and one hell of a human. I ALWAYS find your stories so fascinating. Doesnt matter that this Kellison is a kit car, you and your team really did a number on it to make it look and run as well as it has...and obviously that is NO small feat. Cant wait to hear your next story. Enjoy your day!
To me, even if it's a kit car, that Kellison is still a wonderful piece of Americana and automotive history. It deserves to be at The Quail more than any of these new Ferraris and Paganis being shown there.
It's like the move "A Knight's Tale" where a peasant dreamed of being a knight but he didn't have a royal lineage only to "change his stars" and get knighted by the King for his bravery. This Kellison finally made it!!
There is another old kit car here on TH-cam called the Novetta that looks just as good as this Kellison does. I love when these old historic race car inspired kits get built to this quality.
I’ve always wanted a kellison but I’ve just bought a Ferrari Daytona spider that was one of the kits produced for Miami Vice and I’ll be dedicating myself to that for the next year or so. “Kit car” means something different than it used to, thanks to companies like factory five, superformance and slc. After seeing what these companies produce, there are more and more people turning old and new kits into high performance, or at least well appointed machines. It’s a new day.
I have seen a Kellerson built as everything from a street car sports car to full on gasser drag cars, body looks good on anything, they are awesome.... it looks like what every 7 year old thinks a race car should look like😉
one of the best vinwiki stories in a long while. real stories like this keep me from unsubscribing despite some of the filler stories that get uploaded with uninteresting narrators and even less interesting premise.
I saw it when I went! It was amongst the cars I had no idea what they were at the time (and it’s tough to stump me). Looked positively brilliant. How cool to know it was “just a kit car”
well a beautiful car. and now that its been to the quail -- ITS official - KIT car is a real car- says the owner of a Ginnetta G20 with a factory build plate - but still gets accused of being a kit car. Yes
I saw this exact car in the paddock at the Lime Rock Historics in September. It looked amazing, but it took me forever to figure out what it was. The interior was gorgeously made, and that baby blue color is perfect for it.
I used to drive past Kellison’s last location in Lincoln twice a day- iirc they were making camper shells by then. I bought a wrecked bugeye sprite with a Kellison-made Sebring bonnet out of a field on West Catlett Road and there was a Kellison business card laminated in the fiberglass .
I like to call these "custom cars." They may start from a kit, but are fully custom by the time they are finished. Heck, can you really call the kit a kit? Nice work with this Kellison. She's a beauty!
Counting Cars,Danny Koker's shop built theirs for SEMA in 2019 i think,it was the featured car at the Borla booth,,his car is every bit a hand built ALL AMERICAN super sexy v8 with a one of a kind Borla fuel injection,its hard to believe that its an American designed cars that look like it rolled out of Turin,just beautiful
I remember them well, and was briefly tempted by one in about '68; an incomplete mongrel, banished on a side street, waiting to be "rescued", (and maybe even stolen), to rid the owner of the "albatross around his neck." This one is, by far, the best example of the Finished product!
A friend of mine owned and drag raced a Kellison J6. Had an injected Chrysler hemi. I think it was a 417 Donovan hemi block. My friend owned a speed shop called Performance center back in the 60s and 70s. The car was found by you tuber Hot rod hoarder and featured on his channel.
Long live the Kellison! Proof that kit cars can be cool. Granted it took A LOT of work to get it there. Thanks to Jay for having the vision and to Mechanic Matt for turning the wrenches!
Thank you @FicarraClassic for the most awesomest Car Story about the Kellison. As always, Always remember and Never forget, #ThisCanBeRed
Always good stories from John!
to be honest the Shelby's and Salinas/henissie( TT copperhead vipers definitely counting in my 2C's my sibling favourite sporting car, the 1967~turbine-dart 4-door is another of there-favourites also a one-off~/kit-car/official-prototype )/other are in my mind kit-car's ( always has been included are mustang's, the 1970~is the * as Shelby didn't get really anything say wise and or it was 99%trim/paint/decal's and not like the 1967~ with different rims/tires/ball-joints/IRS-opportunity/option or 4X4-drive/ect or or cammer added-blowers ect ) but they got ford/dodge ( i don't what to mention the fugly challengers/charger's-80's( have a pre1970 so i see my view's as valid and other owners agree with me-ect ) but yes let's stickler to GLH naming on a omni and QC-wise and or how it's assembly-ect the 1-3~gen vipers would probably also counting but so would morgan's after about ~1950's if that's looser definition used as there hand casting's/milling-ect/assembled/not-automation manufacturing plants )/AC( AC ace originally created but ford-bastions = cobra, not as sure for the Chevy's-version naming or the one 572-hemi bastion i saw naming wise, or a BEV-version ) blessing's
kellison would probably work really well as a fully BEV model as it has lower aero-needs and or smaller rad-openings and or frunk-space in the body's shaping ect
Well, what placement did it get?
Good on you John. Ed is a pansy and don't \ won't work on amything
I could listen to Ficarra describe his process for mopping the floor. Dude just has such a gift of how he tells a story.
Definitely had some amazing story telling skills, this is the most enthralled I’ve been in a VINwiki video in a while.
He and Rabbit will go down in the history of story telling. ❤
Ficarra , Doug from switch and Christopher have the best stories and i click instantly
He has his own youtube channel if anyone doesn’t know yet. Really worth the view imo.
This was a super fun project. Took about ten years all told, not even counting the endless years that the great Skip Snyder put in before I got it. Until John and Matt took it on, it was a terrifying death trap. With incredible skill and diligence and engineering, they were able to transform it into a possibly slightly less terrifying death trap. The NE1000, with Steven Cavalieri codriving, was absolutely hilarious. Except maybe the whole final day, when Steven had to shift while I steered with my right hand and wiped rain and fog off the windshield with my left. Delighted we did it; equally delighted we never have to do it again!
Bravo to you for sticking with it!
This project feels like a good capstone segment of a documentary about Kellison kit cars or about kit cars in general.
Good to see you’re enjoying a terrible car! I hope you bring the Kellison to a Lemons race sometime.
I have a Kellison sandpiper pickup … I’d love to have a Kellison badge for it… how did you make yours? If there is a cad file, could you maybe share it with me?
I have a Bugatti kit car, a type 35 built on a 72 vw bug. It is the most terrifying experience you can have at 25mph, and yet it is so much fun.
I want a ride!
having a hard time fitting a front motor i4 type35 looking thing as being built from a rear engine boxer thing... It has to be one or the other since they can't coexist sharing nothing except 4 wheels? I guess if you turn the VW bug around so the engine faces forward you're going in the "right direction" but driving the wrong wheels.
... another one birthed at age 47 ....
Hilarious!
Believe my brother's was the Aztec (?) on a VW pan and motor. No. Florida summer heat, motor a foot from your head ..... the original airfrier . Early 70's-but who cared ?
Old cars that have been rebuilt multiple times or completely torn down/reassembled are basically kit cars anyway
Not in design.
This can be Red!
This can be Rad!
Gay
This has been read
@joshuagibson2520 I'm proud of you for choosing this platform to come out 😂😂😂😂😂😂 THIS CAN BE RED! 😂😂😂😂
😆😆😆😆😆
If you don’t get the reference… watch more of John’s videos, time well spent
My neighbor built one of these cars in 1968 . Im talking Waterbury Ct. He was 18 years old and when it was done he said he hit 150 mph at 4 AM , on the newly built Rte 84 Highway. Love this story. The car is really Cheat!!!
I think you are talking about me! I never claimed 150. I'm sorry I can't seem to recall meeting you. See the my classic car channel and look for Kellison in Tucson.
It appears that my first reply did not make it. I think you are talking about me. I never told anyone 150. I might have said I would like to. My second Kellison is on the my classic car channel here.
Ficarra stories are the best way to wind down a week! Happy Ficarra Fri-Yah
Ficarra is a great guy and his stories are awesome!❤
See a Ficarra story, click as fast as possible.
The Kellison has very graceful, elegant, swoopy lines. I'm not surprised it was accepted. I had a 1974 Charger SE that was the exact same color, with white interior. Unusual, but it works.
Ficarra is the absolute best. I realized what I want to do for a grown-up job and it's his job. He's worked so many cool places in his job is awesome. That's what I want to do when I grow up.
That car is honestly really beautiful, and a very unique shape
You might be dissapointed that the Ferrari 250 GTO looks very similar, which this kit is all about.
@ I can see it, but this I think just has crazier windows on the side, than the Ferrari and it makes it a lot different. it’s got a lot of elements from cars like TVR and Maserati and it’s done really well. Its got a lot of inspiration from others but it’s still unique to me.
@@HolgerKuhrts I agree but the interesting thing is that Kellison sold this series (J) years before the 250 GTO. It was not inspired by the Ferrari but was ahead of its' arrival.
Really pretty ---think the MGA frame was .....a start
Ten, twenty, a hundred years ago there was an article in R&T(?) about an MGA that got a "sanded with a brick, painted with a broom" driveway paint job. An assortment of aftermarket body panels covered in red paint. They took it to an all Ferrari car show, got waived through the gate that they were not even trying to go in. To their surprise, the body panels, the paint and the general aesthetic fooled several people into thinking it was a war torn unrestored race car. The car drew a crowd of armrest "experts" who loved the great racing Ferrari. Nobody seemed to notice the vents beside the hood which clearly read MGA on them. Does this sound familiar to anybody?
No
*R&T editors freely admit they were smoknig a lot of crack back then.*
There's never been a shortage of know-nothings willing to bloviate about their imagined expertise. I've heard a guy telling his date that my Pantera was a Lambo Countach, another one who thought my Beck 550 Spyder was an MGA, and another one telling a girl that the custom 240Z convertible (first one on the planet) I was driving during the build process was nothing special, because he had read "FIAT" on the gearshift knob that was in the car at the time.
Yes I remember the MGA article. Funny as heck. I Believe it is in my R&T collection. Likely Peter Egan.
@@thecountywilliams5098if you find it, mind giving an issue number? Would love to give it a read.
I see FiCARra, I click. Love you John!
John,
thanks for another fantastic real life story that this time, the real heroes in it were you, Matt (and my friend Skip Snyder, the original builder of the Kallison) before the car went to those mechanics of chop shops where they ruin the car before your hands getting on it !
I just sent this video to Skip and I'm sure he's going to be thrilled .
All the best to you and Matt,
Essy Fariab
John’s really leaned up, barely recognized him. Congrats looking great!
Only Ficarra takes a kit car to The Quail.
CarBros did this like 5 years ago. #OneBadEnzo
It was a home built car category there were like a dozen cars in 2023 that were very odd and many of their creators were there to talk about them. It was very cool and yeah totally different from the rest of what is otherwise among the stuffiest of car events.
@@31Schweinsteiger7 I wonder how much it would cost to get a whole collection of different Locost 7s there for a meet one year...
@@MishraArtificerI believe they’ll call you…
Thank you EB for introducing true enthusiasts such as John Ficarra to the world. For those who may not have seen it, John telling the '65 LeMans behind-the-scenes story is a must; of course there's the Enzo vs. Henry Il grudge match, but also the Goodyear vs. Dunlop battle as well... the man is hands down the most entertaining storyteller on VinWiki, let alone TH-cam. Chris Michaels is also a must watch. Keep'em coming !
I first met Jim Kellison in 1956 when he brought his first generation car to our High School Auto Shop, This is the same High School the Barris Brothers graduated from. Later I worked for Jim Kellison when he had his company in Lincoln CA. At that time we were building the "Stallion". A sorta Cobra type car, that almost passed the Federal Specs for Road worthy. Jim was buying parts from Ford Motor Company and using their bank. I'll leave the story there because finances were not Jim's speciality.
I hope someone interviews you about your Kellison experience!
Love these Ficarra videos
This is like sneaking my kids finger painting into the Louvre
It was a custom built car category
@@31Schweinsteiger7 Still art
Thanks John another great story.
Who thinks kit cars are still cool?
I think some of them are incredibly awesome. Not all, but they're out there.
Definitely 🎉😅
Why wouldn’t you? It’s nice to build/put together things and make it your own way
Me
Kit cars are very cool if you actually enjoy driving vehicles and wrenching rather than just being a brand snob or a flat bill wearing vape puffer at a car meet.
How is a kit car any less worthy than early Lotus and other British bespoke component cars? Chapman visited many salvage yards to source the various bits used to build his masterpieces.
Basically just heritage, like with any vintage items that exist in small quantity or just as singular objects.
Well said, they are cars, who cares who builds them and whether it's built in large factory or a garage. This 'it's a kit car' mantra is what perpetuates the misconception that kit cars are bad, yes some are, but then some mass produced cars are.
mostly because the makers are rarely more talented at design and engineering than they are at marketing so you'd get these warped heavy fiberglass bodies and the amount of effort to get that fixed and assembled meant most never drive
looks like a Ferrari race car from the 60s to me beautiful car
The Quail - truly epic - bravo my friend - so awesome !!! Great story teller - really draws you in - can’t wait see the finished product of the Porsche Limo !!!
This is fantastic. Aside from Ed, Ficarra stories are unbeatable. Awesome guy, awesome cars.
This was a remarkable episode featuring a equally remarkable restoration of a vehicle.
🏆 🏎 🏆
Hard to believe that kit car was parked at the Quail, congratulations and hats off to you John Ficcarra. 🎉
I had a Beck Spyder that was built by John Willhoit, a Porsche 356 expert. He used lots of 356 parts including a 1956 Speedster engine, modified of course. It fooled some folks who thought it was a real 550. Mostly it was kick ass fun to drive. I took my 8 year old son to pick it up at John's place in Long Beach and we drove it 1,500 miles home to Gig Harbor. No top, radio, nor heater. Had a blast.
Best memories were working on cars with my dad and learning how to do 90% of my own car repairs. Has saved me thousands over the years.
I love kit cars and replicas! People that try to pass them off as the real thing are hilarious. I caught a guy trying to pass off a factory five type 65 as a genuine shelby daytona at a car show, too bad for him I'm obsessed with the daytona and I pointed out all the differences to him and I said I sure hope you didn't pay too much for this LOL
Well considering they built 6 real ones, the likely hood of seeing a real one on the road or at a show is 10billion to 1
Uh sure kid, sure.
@@LennyTwo-o7q plenty of ignorant people think they have the real thing while its a fake.
WOW! a true automotive Cinderella story! And told nicely, great job
(on building the car as well)
I listen to John Ficarra's playlist when i work on my cars. Finally got a new one!
Love love LOVE this story!! Outstanding.
Your love and knowledge of the history from that era made you the perfect choice for this project my friend. It's always a thrill to see the shop. Great job!
That is one gorgeous car ! It's a real testament to the caliber of work done on it to be able to get it such a level that it would be accepted into such a prestigious car show ! Good for you guys ! That, is huge feather in your cap !!
Great video and absolutely beautiful car. I'm presently building a 1965 kellison Astra x300 gt with x box frame, C1 from end, 10 bolt rear axle. I decided to go SBC 400 and 5 speed tkx. Using gm tilt column, Omni manual rack, lzf front disk, drum in back, willwood master and clutch. 17 gal aluminum cell. Simple elegance is what I'm building. Radiator is installed gt40 style to take advantage of long beautiful nose. Started project about 4 months ago. Most people wouldn't touch it to build, I'm blessed I get the opportunity to build my own kellison. Absolutely beautiful.
One of the best stories yet this year thank you for this!👏🏾👏🏾
Very impressive. The first time I ever heard of Kellison, was when Counts Customs restored one adding some side vents and chrome wire wheels. This one looks like a modified version of a Ferrari 250 GTO. I hope to get to see a Kellison in person some day. Great job. Thank you.
When I was a kid in the '50s & early '60s I used to see Kellison ads in "Popular Mechanics" magazines. A few years later, "Popular Mechanics" also ran ads for Grumpy Jenkins and his Vega V8 conversions. They ran some interesting ads back then. They were fodder for an active teenager's imagination!
The end results are pretty damn cool! Def a head turner. Won’t see another beside you near anywhere. I love all the choices made. Engine compartment is spot on period! Great job
Looks great at the quail. It belonged there. You did too. Great restoration.
Old British Smiths instruments, ex Jaguar but a bit more recent than 1960. As a teenager I bought a similar 1850s "home built", fiberglass special that had been designed for a Ford 10 chassis, a little English saloon. It had been modified and fitted to a Riley 1750 cc six cylinder chassis with knock on wire wheels. I put the engine back together, got it all going, it was fast and quite exciting. A fellow came up to me out on the road, asked me what the running gear was and made me a very good offer. He was restoring a pristine Riley and my bits were just what he was looking for.
AMAZING. Ok, it’s time for a Ficarra Classic kit car. He could do it.
Pretty impressive. I've been building/ restoring/ race prepping/ modifying cars for over 5 decades, know exactly what it takes to do this, and well remember seeing these bodies drag-racing in M/SP. As an aside, a guy I worked for eons ago had a Kellison with a 283 SBC on a modified TR chassis, while I was running a Corvair-powered Avenger. Both of 'em were kinda awful, unfinished, rough around the edges, but some of the most fun I've ever had. I'm currently going through an early Beck 550 for myself, undoing all the backyard bodged messes. Keep on building cool stuff.
The cars! Show the freaking cars! Nobody is interested in watching a guy blabbering for 12 minutes.
NGL, I wasn’t interested until I saw that this was a John Ficarra story. He, along with Christopher Michaels, is one of the most entertaining storytellers and never fails to delight and amaze. Kudos to Mr. Ficarra & co. for getting the Kellison roadworthy and Quailworthy and sharing its story! This was wonderful!
The GT12, GT15 and the Valkyrie made by Fiberfab are good cars too. Made to go over a VW Beetle chassis or a coach built frame with a Buick V8. They also made something called the Banshee. Kelmark GT is another good one. Kinda looks like a Ferrari Dino. Kellison also made a GT40 type car. All these vehicles are really cool and affordable.
I grew and live in Sacramento. I never knew about the Kellison. Very cool.
This is such a John Ficarra story. Well done!
I like the looks of the Kellison. Of course for kit cars I really love the look of the Brubaker Box and would love to find one worth building.
Such a superb job John! The interior is just *chefs kiss!* everything just looks great. What paint did you use on the logos for the valve covers? Amazing. The white exhaust, the mirrors, the passion for details. Again amazing. If only it was red.
Thanks! We used Testors enamel model paint for the logos.
@FicarraClassic everything turned out really well John. Great project to showcase your talent. That interior, the attention to detail, just beautiful. Even had Red logo on the valve covers!
@@FicarraClassicyou sir, are one hell of a car guy, one hell of a story teller and one hell of a human. I ALWAYS find your stories so fascinating. Doesnt matter that this Kellison is a kit car, you and your team really did a number on it to make it look and run as well as it has...and obviously that is NO small feat. Cant wait to hear your next story. Enjoy your day!
This is what I watch VinWiki for, great story!
This is a great story. Awesome detail like the metal badges, and the whole presentation is incredible.
OK, THAT'S a story. Love it. To be sure, that kit car body had the classic lines.
I agree, 100%! What a beautiful car! And the story! Wow, great story! They did such a good job bringing this car up to the level that it deserved!
To me, even if it's a kit car, that Kellison is still a wonderful piece of Americana and automotive history. It deserves to be at The Quail more than any of these new Ferraris and Paganis being shown there.
I did almost the same thing - I inherited a DIno replica from my father and took it to a car show where it won best in class - vintage!!!!
It's like the move "A Knight's Tale" where a peasant dreamed of being a knight but he didn't have a royal lineage only to "change his stars" and get knighted by the King for his bravery. This Kellison finally made it!!
Great story. Congratulations. That has to be the ultimate for a your shop.
Its a beautiful design. Someone with taste designed it. The proportions are spot on.
Super cool rebuild. Nice job! 😊❤
I think that’s the ultimate dream anyone who restores any car that they do such a good job they get an invite to such a big car show.
As a kit car, is it ever complete? Next challenge: Door windows that retract. I have never seen such on a Kellison.
It's actually a pretty damn nice looking car. A lot of Italian cars of the era were just as crappy for a lot more money
My father had the same journey with a Devin that was on BaT. It's a tough balance between period correct and modern upgrades
A Ficarra story? You know it will be good! Neat car and a great story!
There is another old kit car here on TH-cam called the Novetta that looks just as good as this Kellison does. I love when these old historic race car inspired kits get built to this quality.
undoubtably the nicest Kellison that ever existed
there is absolutely nothing wrong with a GOOD kit car.
I’ve always wanted a kellison but I’ve just bought a Ferrari Daytona spider that was one of the kits produced for Miami Vice and I’ll be dedicating myself to that for the next year or so. “Kit car” means something different than it used to, thanks to companies like factory five, superformance and slc. After seeing what these companies produce, there are more and more people turning old and new kits into high performance, or at least well appointed machines. It’s a new day.
I was on the hunt for a Mcburnie Daytona when I stumbled across the replica 512TR spyder I ended up getting, good job!
@ 512TR is pretty damned cool too;)
I sent away for the Kellison catalog when I was 16. In 1961. Had the whole car built in my head for years.
Wouldn't expect anything less from this guy
I have seen a Kellerson built as everything from a street car sports car to full on gasser drag cars, body looks good on anything, they are awesome.... it looks like what every 7 year old thinks a race car should look like😉
Beautiful car John, you should be very proud of your results. That speaks very highly of your abilities.
one of the best vinwiki stories in a long while. real stories like this keep me from unsubscribing despite some of the filler stories that get uploaded with uninteresting narrators and even less interesting premise.
Really dig this kind of content. Ficarra is king!
I saw it when I went! It was amongst the cars I had no idea what they were at the time (and it’s tough to stump me). Looked positively brilliant. How cool to know it was “just a kit car”
I always love a John Ficarra story!
well a beautiful car. and now that its been to the quail -- ITS official - KIT car is a real car- says the owner of a Ginnetta G20 with a factory build plate - but still gets accused of being a kit car. Yes
I saw this exact car in the paddock at the Lime Rock Historics in September. It looked amazing, but it took me forever to figure out what it was. The interior was gorgeously made, and that baby blue color is perfect for it.
One of the few people on this I still enjoy new content of. R.i.p. rabbit you were my best friend I never met
Weird and wonderful automotive history. Love it.
You did an amazing job! Car looks stunning
I used to drive past Kellison’s last location in Lincoln twice a day- iirc they were making camper shells by then. I bought a wrecked bugeye sprite with a Kellison-made Sebring bonnet out of a field on West Catlett Road and there was a Kellison business card laminated in the fiberglass .
I like to call these "custom cars." They may start from a kit, but are fully custom by the time they are finished. Heck, can you really call the kit a kit? Nice work with this Kellison. She's a beauty!
Ahhh Ficarra you've done it again :-)
love it
Counting Cars,Danny Koker's shop built theirs for SEMA in 2019 i think,it was the featured car at the Borla booth,,his car is every bit a hand built ALL AMERICAN super sexy v8 with a one of a kind Borla fuel injection,its hard to believe that its an American designed cars that look like it rolled out of Turin,just beautiful
As a long time mechanic I actually enjoy mechanical issues that other people say they can't figure out
Great story and the car came out looking really super.
Guys, you did SUCH a great job! Beautiful car. Stunning job!
The work put in to it is what means it deserved to be there, far more then any brand name.
I remember them well, and was briefly tempted by one in
about '68; an incomplete mongrel, banished on a side street,
waiting to be "rescued", (and maybe even stolen), to rid the
owner of the "albatross around his neck."
This one is, by far, the best example of the Finished product!
This guy is always my absolute favorite.
I got a Kellison sandpiper pickup! Love this!
A friend of mine owned and drag raced a Kellison J6. Had an injected Chrysler hemi. I think it was a 417 Donovan hemi block.
My friend owned a speed shop called Performance center back in the 60s and 70s.
The car was found by you tuber Hot rod hoarder and featured on his channel.
Oh! I saw this at Lime Rock last summer! Funny to see it come up here, had no idea about its history/owner.
Awesome story.. made my afternoon..😊
Great story! I am loving this very much!!!!
And that's why you love to do the weird stuff. Hat's off to you and your team!