Kellison J6

Posted on December 4, 2020 by classiccarweekly

1968 Kellison J6 Panther

Offered by Bring a Trailer Auctions | Online | December 2020

Jim Kellison’s Kellison Manufacturing Company was established circa 1957 in California. Their specialty was fiberglass kit cars. Beefy, mean-looking fiberglass kit cars. We’ve featured J4R and J5R models before, and this is a J6, which was the final model introduced.

The J6 was designed for use around a Corvette frame, although this particular car uses a custom-fabricated steel frame. Power is from a 5.0-liter Chevrolet V8. Apart from the body, the car is made up of bits and pieces of other production cars. It’s got a GM transmission, a Ford rear end, a Studebaker windshield, Buick suspension components, etc.

At least 500 J6s were built, presumably all as kits (some earlier cars could’ve been had as turn-key examples). They’re a rare sight today – and they are still good looking. This one is currently up on BaT. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $64,928.

Kellison J4R

Posted on February 26, 2018 by classiccarweekly

1959 Kellison J4R Coupe

Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 8, 2018

Photo – Bonhams

Can we all agree that this looks like a late model race car? Like it should be sideways, sliding around a dirt short track somewhere? But it’s not, it’s a Kellison J4R, a fiberglass hot rod sold in the 1950s and 60s by Jim Kellison.

Available as a kit or a ready-to-run complete car (which would’ve run you a pricey $6,700 in 1960), the J4 was available between about 1958 and sometime in the early 1960s. This one is powered by a 497 horsepower, 6.6-liter V-8 and was originally set up as a race car (the “R” denotes a lightweight racing body, as on this J5R).

The current owner acquired this car in 2001 and wanted to be able to use it on the street, so he had it converted to a street-legal setup making it an awesome road and track car. The J4 was available as a Coupe or much rarer Roadster. About 300 examples of the Coupe were built and this one should sell for between $35,000-$55,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams.

Update: Sold $28,000.

Kellison J5R

Posted on June 10, 2016 by classiccarweekly

1959 Kellison J5R Coupe

For sale at Vintage Motors of Sarasota | Sarasota, Florida

Photo – Vintage Motors Sarasota

This thing doesn’t like it was designed in the 1950s, but it was. Jim Kellison founded the Kellison Car Company in the 1950s in California to produce fiberglass kit cars. The company was around into the 1960s and offered at least eight models during their existence.

While the J5 was the most produced model in the company’s history, the J5R variant is much rarer. The “R” denotes a lightweight body compared to the original. Not sure how you take a lightweight fiberglass body and make it lighter. Make it thinner? It is powered by a 4.6-liter Chevrolet V-8.

This example has been professionally restored and shown at the Amelia Island Concours. Between 350 and 400 J5s were built, all coupes. Can’t say I’ve ever seen one come up for sale… especially not this nice. It doesn’t even register as real and, frankly, reminds us of this. But it is pretty cool. And can be yours for $45,000. Click here for more info.