Topic: Puzzle #1037 - Solved! Kurtis 550X

[Otto Puzzell]

Know what it is?

Please, respond below and let us know the make and model designation of the car posted here.

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[Ehhxekt]

Kurtis 500SX?

[Otto Puzzell]

It's a 500X (no S). Well done! 

[ron6827]

This Kurtis 500sx, the first one, was built for Al Hoskin with a
Cadillac motor. Bill Pickford and Johnny Mantz drove the car for
Hoskin. Mickey Thompson bought the car and drove it with the Cadillac
motor with fuel Injection and, sometimes, with a GMC blower attached.
Jerry Unser later drove the car for Thompson, minus the blower. When
Thompson became associated with Pontiac, he installed the Pontiac
motor and sold the car to Paul Cunningham. The car was just an old
crock by then. Cunningham did have a good finish at a Riverside pro
USAC race with the Kurtis. I am not sure if club racer Norm Babcock
was involved later.

The car was originally painted white. After Mantz rolled the car at a
Santa Barbara California Sports Car Club amateur race, the car
sprouted a two tone paint job over the partially bent metal. When
Thompson owned the car it was in bare aluminum until the Pontiac
motor was installed.

...links deleted...
Ron Cummings, Arcadia, Calif.

[Ultra]

This Kurtis 500sx, the first one, was built for Al Hoskin with a
Cadillac motor. Bill Pickford and Johnny Mantz drove the car for
Hoskin. Mickey Thompson bought the car and drove it with the Cadillac
motor with fuel Injection and, sometimes, with a GMC blower attached.
Jerry Unser later drove the car for Thompson, minus the blower. When
Thompson became associated with Pontiac, he installed the Pontiac
motor and sold the car to Paul Cunningham. The car was just an old
crock by then. Cunningham did have a good finish at a Riverside pro
USAC race with the Kurtis. I am not sure if club racer Norm Babcock
was involved later.

The car was originally painted white. After Mantz rolled the car at a
Santa Barbara California Sports Car Club amateur race, the car
sprouted a two tone paint job over the partially bent metal. When
Thompson owned the car it was in bare aluminum until the Pontiac
motor was installed.
...links deleted...

Ron Cummings, Arcadia, Calif.

Nice first post.  Hope to see you around more often.

 

[ImpishGrin]

So, 500X or 550X? Or maybe SX? I'm confused

[Allemano]

500X

[Avalanche]

Dragging another back from the depths in an effort to get the correct information posted. This is a 1955 Kurtis 500SX, as suggested elsewhere in the thread. Serial number SX-001. This was the first 500SX built and, as posted elsewhere, was built for Al Hoskin and was built with a Cadillac engine. The car currently has the 370 c.i. experimental Pontiac engine that was installed when Mickey Thompson was the owner. The car is an absolute beast. The engine is running 13.5:1 c/r with a very aggressive camshaft and Hilborn injection. 500 hp in a 2200 lb car makes for all kinds of fun. I had the honor of riding in this car a week ago...

Dale

[sixtee5cuda]

Lucky you, Avalanche!

Here is a more recent image of the car with Pontiac power.

[Avalanche]

Lucky you, Avalanche!

Here is a more recent image of the car with Pontiac power.

This is exactly how the car looks today...

I am indeed lucky. Lucky to work for a gentleman with an extraordinarily diverse taste in cars and the wherewithal to purchase the cars he admires... and the desire (and nerve) to drive them...