You are looking at a piece of history for sale. For those who don’t know of Frank Kurtis, he was an amazing Indy car builder whose cars won a lot of races, championships, ect and that all shows where he was featured in the racing hall of fame as well as the first edition of Motor Trend Magazine with this car. I would like to keep the history of him short, but if you do some research on him, you will be amazed. In the late 1940s, he set out to build the first American made sports car, and that he did with the Kurtis Sport car. This car was a custom built car by Frank, although he had huge plans only 16 complete cars were built and the 17th incomplete and given to his son. For the time, these were amazing running and driving cars as they handled great and had lots of power. Many people thought the car used a ford frame, but it was a custom built frame by Frank. Frank wanted to have a Studebaker v8 in it, but Studebaker did not have that option yet in 1949. They were still working on it, but Frank ended up going with a Ford V8 Flathead. Although, before he got there the first 3 cars were built with Studebaker suspension and car number one had a supercharged V6 Studebaker. Later cars would have gotten an Oldsmobile rocket V8. Out of the 17 cars made, number 003 claims to be the first known Sport car. The current owner has youtube videos of it, really nice car, you can look it up, but here is #001. Not only the first American made sports car, but the first one made. The first car had a few special things, not found in the later ones, not just the original 001 number tag. The first 3 had the Studebaker front suspension which this has, (this one someone added disc brakes too, although they work nice, I have all the original brakes if someone wanted to put it back). The first one had an inline 6 supercharged engine in it, and the mounts are thankfully still on this car so it could be put back in! In the original magazines, posters and info I have pictures of this. I have pictures of car 001 on testing in California, sent to me by Frank’s grandson and you can also see the car does not have the vents for fresh air found in all the other cars, as this one does not have. Car 001 had a larger radiator, as can be seen in my pictures of this car and the original car. The first car was said to have inner fiberglass with metal over them, although not on the car I have that trunk is not in great shape, the one on the car is nicer, (so someone must have had a parts car.) The first car had what was a removable framed top rather than a fold down top, this top frame is with the car and goes with the sale, although it will need some work and a new top but is there! Although there are lots of special things about this number 1 car and so much history, I believe it is time to part with it. I bought it with the plans of a restoration and to go in the collection of “toys”, but with a new house being built priorities have shifted. Right now the car runs, drives and stops well, powered by a Olds rocket with 2x3s, with an automatic transmission. The car will need metalwork and body work to make it nice but I have driven it how it is now, and no one has ever complained! The wiring is done, and made more modern, lights work, gauges are hooked up, fuel system all works as it should and so on. Car is ready for interior and body work. I thought the seats in it looked a little high so I bought a set of shorter back seats that go with it. Mechanically, this car seems very nice as I pulled the rear drums off to go through it and the work that was done was just amazing. I’m really sad to sell it, but I just won’t have time to get to it. The chrome was redone before I bought the car in preparation for paint, including a chromed windshield frame to be swapped out with the painted one on the car. Extra parts, this car comes with lots of extra part;one extra damaged fender2 quarter panelsoriginal wiring and other partsThe lift off top I spoke about beforeextra damaged hoodExtra fiberglass/steel trunk I mentioned earlierExtra set of doors, with windows and mechanisms in them, for both windows and door latchesExtra hood hingesExtra steering wheelSet of front brakes, as I mentioned above for anyone who wants to put it back to originalSeats and tracks that are a little lowerExtra Chromed windshieldThe side skirts are not on the car, but are there and the chrome trim is not chromed but needs to be doneLoads of books, articles, magazines and information on the Kurtis sport car.Car has a title and is ready to go. Ebay only allows so many pictures and it is tucked away for the winter in my pole barn. If you need any more pictures of anything please feel free to reach out and I can get some more for you.Im sure I will regret selling this and I’m still having my doubts, I haven’t owned it long, but have already put lots of time., money and love into it, but its time to move on.
Price: Auction
More info: Listing has ended. Click to search on eBay for similar 1949 Kurtis (Affiliate link)
Seller's other items: brandongokart
Location: Gloversville, New York, United States
