1975 Kellison J6 Panther
"Although hundreds of kit car companies have cranked out fabulous fiberglass flyers over the years, only a fraction of them built more than a handful of cars before slipping into oblivion. One of the few companies to leave a mark on the industry was Kellison Engineering, started in 1958 by former Air Force pilot Jim Kellison, who built the handsome J4 coupe. Kellison made a staggering number of models, some of which he designed, some he bought from other manufacturers." Hot Rod May 2005
For consignment, a 1964 Kellison J6 Panther roller on a Volkswagen chassis. Our consignor saw this car when he was 10 years old in Northern Indiana and vowed to buy it one day. Forty years later, he rediscovered the car and fulfilled his promise. Although quite a few were produced, they don't come up for sale often.
Exterior
Add paint job to your project list as the silver and maroon paint here is faded, peeling, and checking heavily. But it is the shape of the Kellison after all, that makes it especially unique. The long straight hood leads to a E-type shaped cabin accented by side intake ducts and leading to lifting rear haunches that create a defined shoulder, all flowing to a Stingray-esque tail, right down to the quad tail lights. A raised center line on the hood becomes a pointed hood bulge, and the roof line includes a raised center line, visually enhanced with a maroon stripe. Front window trim is missing and that's okay because the windshield is cracked and will need to be replaced. 14-inch aluminum slots are what the car currently rolls on making this project maneuverable.
Interior
A myriad of materials make up the rough interior including red velour on hollow doors, a material that also covers the side walls all the way to the back. Glossy black vinyl bucket seats flank a transmission hump covered in orange loop carpet, and it's possible this was red that has just faded. An elementary hand brake and basic wood knobbed shifter rise above the shag here while the instrument cluster has a machined metal overlay surrounding four gauges and a row of indicator lights. Texture fiberglass painted black makes up the rest of the dashboard in which an AM radio is embedded along with slim switchgear and a clock. The back shelf is covered with the orange carpet while the roll bar and headliner retain the red velour, and it's all pretty rough.
Undercarriage
Plenty of surface rust and project-like patina underneath. There's a transaxle present and the frame has advanced surface rust while the suspension consists of a transverse torsion bar in front and swing axle with trailing arms and torsion bar in the back.
The sky's the limit with where you want to go with this vintage fiberglass sports car! There's lots of information at kellisoncars.com and a small but fervent group of enthusiasts. Roll up your sleeves, this one is definitely a project.
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