Looking for Kellison style GT40

[The13Bats]

About 30 years ago I became obsessed with the GT40 I bought every book I could find,
I bought an Avenger and then a Valkyrie that were Fiberfabs cars that had a very basic GT40-ish style, no where near a replica.

Both the cars left me very jaded and disappointed from all the hacking and poor engineering of the previous owners I sold both and I placed that GT40 dream on the back burner.

My wonderful wife re ignited the fire for that GT40 dream and because I love the Grass roots kit cars I have been looking high and low for a GT40 that was originally made by Kellison and called a GT40K

Many others ripped off that body and Kellison sold the molds to LA Exotics who tossed out the VW parts in favor of full frame and V8 power, They sold out to T3 who sold out to Dan Melson,

Ok enough of my babbling history I was hoping that while you guys seems to gravitate more to the closer replicas perhaps someone will have or know of a Kellison style for sale,

Many thanks
Cheers,
P.
Orlando Florida
[email protected]

 

[Steve26]

I had one of these before I bought the KVA body that's on my car now. My advice to you would be to get a more original body or you will suffer the same disappointment you had before. When you put a Kellison/T3/LA Exotics next to a GTD/KVA/RCR ect. the Kellision is not even close and you will never be happy given the amount of work required to build one of these. Just my $.02 worth from someone who's been there.

Steve

 

[Steve26]

So I just read your other threads and I may have misunderstood. If what you want is a Kellision then that is what is going to make you happy and that is what's important. I sold mine to a friend and he sold it to someone in Oklahoma I think? I will do some digging and see if I can find out where it is and if it could be for sale. Anything that keeps you in the hobby and makes you happy is good as far as I'm concerned.:thumbsup:

Steve

 

[The13Bats]

Steve,
Feedback like your is invaluable to my research,

I do understand where you are coming from I tried to dance around these points, as not to upset any of the purists here who would just as soon refer to the Kellison as a POS no matter how nicely it is finished.
Fact is I just dont want what I will call a modern replica, one reason being the costs,
The next is how it would pigeon hole me into what the result must look like.

The Fiberfab cars are fun and cheap had I bought the Valkyrie as a kit or project I would still have it, it would be radically modified but you get the idea,

I don't care if what I have looks like hell in some peoples eyes when mine is scrutinized as to how close a copy of the real deal it isn't whenplaced next to another GT40 that is still just a replica, a more exact replica but a replica just the same.
An exact replica isn't what I am after.

I like the idea of tossing in a bit of personal taste with my project and not being forced to build mine to look just like the next fellows , that gets boring to me.
The amount of work to make the Kellison what it will take to please me isn't as bad as you think I have been rebuilding Corvettes, Kits and customs since I was 14

I hope to run into someone just like you Steve, a person who the Kellison doesn't suit their tastes and they sell it to me,
As they say one mans trash the next mans treasure,
Perhaps they will hate it so much they will sell it cheap.

As irony would have it I know of one in OK for sale,
The price is good but the poor thing has the engine and transmission from a first gen Ford escort in it,
the other thing is someone got foolish and remodled the doors so the guillotine part is molded into the roof.

Like you said we are all car crafters brothers in the grease.


Thanks and cheers,
P.

 

[Steve26]

I certainly didn't think it was trash and when I started I was looking for a cool looking fun car to drive that wasn't to expensive and I found the Kellision. The funny thing is that I paid the same amount for the KVA body as the Kellision so that was a wash. I built everything else from scratch so I don't have that much into mine (but 1million in engineering hours). I will try to find the body I sold to Pete and let you know the details so you can build your vision. Rock on!

Steve

 

[roy]

MIKE DD on this forum used to have a compleated one for sale you might send him a PM. I have a T3 from Melson that I have been working on for the last year and a half I'm not really thinking of selling it but I would be glad to share anything I have learned with you to help with your bulid

 

[The13Bats]

Steve,
From what I have seen of resale prices of the few Kellison's I have seen they are not very pricey,
Was the KVA far less expensive than I am thinking they are,
The more a person does themselves the cheaper the project is,
Please do see if you can find where your old body ended up, perhaps it's somewhere unloved looking for a home.

Roy,
At this point in my research I need pictures and more pictures

 

[The13Bats]

Cool Roy,

I tracked down the "mikeDD" T3
That was a completed car it appears to be done very well but I would expect a more exacting replica body on a car that the price is 25K

Of course the next and only post after he offered it for sale was someone poking him that the T3 made the list of ugliest GT40's, bet that helped his sales :furious:

I wonder f the MK3 road car made that list.

 

[Steve26]

I think the KVA was just a great deal and I was in the right place at the right time. I built most everything myself so I traded time for money but it's a hobby and for me the building/creating is the most enjoyable part of the hobby. I have written to the guy I sold the body to and will let you know as soon as I hear anything. Hope it's collecting dust in someones garage so you can get it.:thumbsup:

Steve

 

[The13Bats]

Steve,
Sadly so many times peoples dreams get high and they buy things and believe it will be done in a weekend 5 years later covered in dust it is sold,
Too many grass roots kits lived this way and that's the main reason so many are hack jobs and fodder of ridicule,

I have ran into a weird trend of people who have some untouched project for years offer to sell it then get cold feet and then 6 months later still it is untouched.

I have crawled all over the net, Perhaps I will get lucky soon,
Please do send me any info you have and do you happen to have any pictures of the car?

 

[Ian K]

Have you looked into a new Melson kit?

Melson Motor Sports

Ian

 

[The13Bats]

Ian,
No short way to reply to that,

While have not known him long I have spoken many times to Dan Melson both over the phone and in private emails,
He has the T3 molds and was using the T3 body for a Fiero conversion,

As the purists will contest the T3 is not their favorite nor is a Fiero rebody,
The Kellison/T3 uses a Corvair that is going to be a huge sore thumb for any purist,
So my guess is the person who wants a GT40 replica on a Fiero will get the new V8 Archie car that uses the windshield from all the GT40 kits out there it doesn't use the Fiero roof line so it doesn't look like a constipated turtle like the NAF GT40 Fiero,
But then again even the Kellison looks better than the NAF cars.

I have to admit I would not really place this new Melson rebody high on my wish list
Here are a couple pictures,

One of the big reasons I love the original Kellison is when Mr Kellison designed the car he used early released pictures of the long Le mans nose that was slated for the 427 GT40,
This to me looks wicked on the Kellison, keep in mind I am not going for a "replica" as sorts.

As far as the Melson Fiero rebody above it is for sale 12500.00 which is out of my budget for a car that still needs to be finished and worked out, seems sad that he believes to have 30 grand in a R&D car that isnt in show finish.

If I was going to pay that for one I would want mid engine in the more traditional layout
Melson also reworked the rear flares as a Fiero is like 1.1 inch shorter than a VW beetle, and the T3 has a shorter headlight pod/nose over the original Kellison,
On the plus side T3 adds the hood scoops and vents that Kellison lacks

Dan tells me he still has the T3 molds if a person wanted the one with a slightly longer tail.

Thanks and Cheers,
P.

 

[Ian K]

Hmm, odd. I suspect he should update his website. It shows a custom frame and
SBF - not going to fit in a Fiero.

And it looks like the Lonestar LS40 is no more.

I'll keep my eyes open for an old Kellison or T-3.

Ian

 

[Steve26]

I'll try to find some tonight and get them to you. I will say that the average person walking down the street that see's a Kellision will show the same reaction they would for a GT40. Most people have no idea what a GT40 is in the first place so they won't recognize the differences. If the car is done right so it has some power and handles properly it will be a BLAST to drive and provide many hours of excitement. If you love it that's reason enough to spend time on it as far as I'm concerned. Hope we can find you one.:thumbsup:

Steve

 

[Dave Wood]

If you want a Kellison, I know where one is in the Chicago area that is on a VW pan. He is motivated to sell, I was interested but have too many projects currently. If you are serious, contact me off line and I'll give you his contact info. He was wanting $1000 when I spoke with him, but is motivated. It was never completed so is still in bare glass ( pre-gelcoat I believe).

 

[The13Bats]

Thanks Steve
That's what this hobby is all about I wish more people had your attitude about it all,

Here is a fun example,
I had an Avenger many years back and it was sitting in the front yard, an older neighbor around 75-80 who I didn't know walked up and walked around the Avenger,
It had not been painted yet so it was an odd Burgundy maroon color and had a buick v6 hanging off the VW tranny the old fellow said what he wanted to know was how in the hell did I had a old Lola race car and how in the hell was I street driving it,

If you think about it the Avenger does favor the Lola the early one that became the GT40 more than a later refined GT40,

So I think that is just a one time thing , well, no,
I had two Laser 917's I had one in the front yard for a buyer to pick up, the car attracted so much attention that people were coming up and knocking on the door or taking cell phone shots,
And as fate would have it another old timer let it be known that he knew what my car was and it was a Lemans racer.

This is all about your point, most people have no clue what the real deal looks like, they see something wild and think exotic.

Ian,
I like Dan Melson and would never want to offend him, so I have to carefully choose what I say,

The red GT40 in those pictures appears to be a LA Exotics car but could be a T3
Dan is offering the body to build that car but also is working on a Fiero rebody.

 

[Steve26]

Hi P,
I talked to the guy I sold the body to yesterday and he couldn't remember any info on the guy he sold it to. I'm sorry. I will keep an eye out but they come up so infrequently it's like a lightning strike. Are you planning to make the chassis or do you have one already? My first experience with an exotic kit car was when I was in college and saw a Valkyrie with a mid mounted 327 Chevy. The car was for sale and try as I did I could never afford it (I think he wanted $4000.00 for it which was a lot when you're a poor student) Many years later I found an Avenger for sale for $500.00 in a guy's front yard with a rear mounted Corvair and I passed on it because I wanted a mid engine car and couldn't see how to make it a mid engine easily. Both cars were very cool and would have been a blast to drive. I feel they are cool in their own right and don't need to be a GT40 to be fun or cool. I hope you find what you are looking for and turn it into whatever YOUR dream is and experience the thrill of making that dream come true. I will never have any regrets for spending the eight years it took to make my car, it was a fun process and I learned a great deal and met many wonderful people. Keep looking and good luck, I'll let you know if I find a Kellision.rockonsmile

Steve

 

[The13Bats]

That's ok thanks for trying,
I get leads and then something or another spoils the deal,
I admit I am a pain in the butt to deal with, I am no purist, nit picker or tire kicker, I just know too much about the older kits, I know what these cars do sell for and resell for and I dont want a freebie but when someone for example asks 6-9000.00 for a VW kit worth 1500.00 I do pass on it,
I really would rather have a Kellison mostly because they are harder to find and to me look a bit better than a Avenger or Valkyrie but those cars have their pros over the Kellison, the hottest Grass roots car I ever saw was a Flared out Valkyrie,
Right now I am waiting on pictures of a Avenger built like a Valkyrie and a Kellison body, boy, a package deal would be sweet, take off the Avenger and add the Kellison,
Drive it as the valk until the other body was ready.
Good way of putting it, like a lightening strike, and they also come in groups, it's weird it will dry up then several will pop up at once,
Like here I have tried to flood the net that I am looking for one so I believe the dream will happen just a matter of time,

 

[Ron Earp]

Aren't you looking for something like this:

eBay Motors: Replica/Kit Makes (item 190259530287 end time Oct-21-08 16:57:28 PDT)

 

[The13Bats]

Ron,
Thanks for the heads up, That car is the Avenger and not a very nice one, they slapped a coat of paint on it and some ghetto wheels to sell it, the fact it is a complete car but has no title makes it a nightmare to title in Florida if you go about it legally,
The Lady in charge of such things in my county says that she will not issue a title to a built car that comes from out of state with no title,
I almost bought a V8 Avenger but the price was too high compared to what work was left and a very poor thought out engine placement, had the price been better I would have bought it.
I am mostly interested in the Kellison GT40K or one of it's spin offs or rip offs like the T3 or LA Exotics, that body while not a purists replica is far better looking than the poor Avenger.
While I boast about being into the "grass roots kits" I am pretty much done with the Volkswagen platform, this time it's mid engine V8 or maybe v6 but mid engine full frame.
While I am not interested ( price wise ) in it Dan Melson is selling his Kellison bodied Fiero test mule for someone wanting that sort of thing,
Seems it dried up for a spell,
I have tried to follow up on this car, would love to buy it but it would seem the whole site they promote isnt legit
1965 FORD GT 40 RACE CAR RARE FIND
Perhaps someone knows who JR Towing in riverside CA is and I can find the owner directly ( if there is one )
Many thanks
Cheers,
P.