1952 KURTIS 500 SS REPRODUCTION ROADSTER

Summary

One of very few Kurtis 500S Continuation cars descended from the dominant Indy winning Kurtis single seat racers of the 1950s. Original torsion bar suspension, disc brakes and Halibrands. Powered by a 350cid Chevy with a 4-speed.

Details

In the early 1950s Kurtis Kraft Indy roadsters dominated the 500 mile race. Billy Vukovich won both the 1953 and 1954 races with Kurtis' taking the first three positions each year. The 500S is the Vukovich KK500 Indy winning roadster, widened for two passengers, fitted with fenders and headlights to produce a race car which can be driven on the street. Approximately 26 500S models were eventually produced. In 1954 Bill Stroppe won Pebble Beach and Jack Ensley was the SCCA National B Modified champion and 12 hours of Sebring pole sitter. With assistance from Frank Kurtis' son Arlen, John Ward built a chassis jig and also acquired the fiberglass molds and other proprietary component tooling. Ward won the La Carrera Pan America in 1991 with one of his six cars. Jim Mann bought the jigs, molds and all of the remaining component parts including the finished chassis for this car from John Ward. Mann's six cars are faithful reproductions of the original Kurtis 500S. When Arlen Kurtis restored his personal 500S he chose a Chevrolet small block and 4-wheel disc brakes like this car. In a 1,980 lb car it offers exhilarating performance with a power-to-weight ratio that exceeds a stock 289 Cobra. The 4-speed transmission coupled to an 8' Ford rear end is the ideal compliment to the full Kurtis torsion bar suspension. Of particular importance are the genuine pin drive Halibrand knock-off wheels.