This is a 1973 Kellison J4 that is powered by a 389 cubic inch (6.4 liter) Pontiac V8, the same version that had been fitted to the Pontiac GTO. The Kellison J4 is a largely-forgotten American sports car that is thankfully now being rediscovered by many enthusiasts.
We’ve featured a number of Kellisons on Silodrome over the last few years, they’re good-looking, rare, and unusual classic cars that many original owners built with their own two hands, and as such they’re a perfect match for what we like here on the site.
Fast Facts – The Kellison J4
- The Kellison J4 is a rare American sports car built around a lightweight fiberglass body, introduced in 1958. It could be assembled using a variety of donor components, most often Chevrolet V8s, but the featured 1973 car uses a 389 Pontiac V8, producing up to 368 bhp depending on the version.
- Jim Kellison, a Korean War veteran and hot rodder, founded the Kellison Engineering & Manufacturing Company in the late 1950s, applying aerospace-inspired design principles like aerodynamics and weight reduction. His J-series, especially the J4 and J4R, found success in racing and earned his cars a cult following.
- The J4R racing version, with reduced body reinforcements for lower weight, gained attention through events like SCCA road racing. Criticism of handling in early reviews led Kellison to commission a redesigned chassis from Indy car engineer Chuck Manning, improving the car’s driving dynamics significantly.
- Though Kellison closed his company by 1970, he later created the Stallion Cobra replica, one of which featured in the 1995 film “Bad Boys.” The 1973 J4 shown in this article was likely built using unused original parts, it was fitted with a Jaguar front end and Corvette windshield, and is now for sale out of Belgium.
Jim Kellison
Jim Kellison, born James Frank Kellison in Seattle in 1932, was a former U.S. Air Force pilot who served in the Korean War. He was also a hot rodder, and it would be his love for cars (and speed) that led him to establish the Kellison Engineering & Manufacturing Company in the late 1950s.
This is Jim Kellison with one of his creations. Many Kellison J series cars went racing and achieved excellent results in the early 1960s.
After relocating to California, Kellison immersed himself in the burgeoning hot rod scene, developing his skills in building cars and shaping bodywork. His earlier exposure to aircraft during his time in the service had a distinct influence on his approach to car design, he would emphasize aerodynamics and lightweight construction – as a result his cars would become race winners.
The Kellison Engineering & Manufacturing Company
Kellison’s first foray into automotive manufacturing began with the production of fiberglass-bodied kit cars, this was still a relatively new concept at the time. His company offered a range of models that were suited to different production car chassis sizes, but it was the J-series, particularly the J4, that would see significant sales success.
The J4 was introduced in 1958, and as with other Kellisons, it had a sleek, low-slung design that did no harm to its curb appeal. It was available as a kit or as a turnkey vehicle, this allowed customers to choose their preferred level of involvement in the building process. That said, most ordered the kit version as it was just a whole lot cheaper.
The car’s design had a 98 inch wheelbase and it could accommodate various V8 engines, most commonly from Chevrolet. The fiberglass body was both lightweight and surprisingly durable, and builders could use a variety of chassis, or the in-house developed Kellison chassis.
The J4’s racing pedigree was established early on – a notable variant, the J4R, was a competition-focused model that omitted certain fiberglass structural reinforcements in the body to further reduce weight. These cars were used in various forms of motorsport, including road racing and even at land-speed events.
Kellison’s designs were ahead of their time, with some observers noting similarities between designs like the J4 and the Ferrari 250 GTO, which debuted several years later.
The J4R And A New Chassis Design
One J4R, bought new in 1959 by SCCA executive director Don Rodimer, remained in his possession until his death in 1985. The car was later updated with a 405 cubic inch Chevrolet small block V8 (producing a reported 497 bhp), a Muncie M22 4-speed transmission, and a NASCAR-type roll cage – making it difficult to beat on the track.
Kellison’s designs were ahead of their time, with some observers noting similarities between designs like the J4 and the Ferrari 250 GTO, which debuted several years later.
A 1959 MotorTrend review praised the car’s design but criticized its handling, describing it as prone to oversteer. In response, Kellison enlisted the expertise of Chuck Manning, an Indy car chassis builder, to develop a new steel box-tube frame that significantly improved the car’s handling characteristics.
Through the 1960s Kellison continued introducing new models, like the J5 and J6, which offered more interior space and further refinements to help keep them competitive. He also diversified his product line to include Formula V cars, boats, dune buggies, and even jacuzzis.
The End Of Kellison And The Release Of The Stallion
By 1970 slowing sales had seen Kellison had shut down his company and briefly venture into bookstore ownership.
This car is powered by a 389 cubic inch (6.4 liter) Pontiac V8, also used in the Pontiac GTO, and capable of up to 368 bhp in factory trim.
His love for automobiles persisted, leading him to develop the Stallion, one of the early Shelby Cobra replicas, in 1976. Kellison made the Stallion slightly wider and longer than the original car to make it more comfortable, he also gave it an improved chassis.
If you’ve seen the 1995 film “Bad Boys” starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence then you’ve seen a Kellison Stallion. A specially-prepared one was used in a ~3 minute chase down the Opa-Locka airport runway with bad guy Tchéky Karyo at the wheel, pursued by Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, and Téa Leoni in a Porsche 964.
The 1973 Kellison J4 Shown Here
The car you see here is listed as a 1973 Kellison J4, which is unusual because by this time the Kellison J4 had long-since left production. The year was taken from the Pontiac that supplied the engine and transmission, and the car was apparently built in the mid-1970s.
It seems most likely that the car was built using a left over, or otherwise unused Kellison J4. What we do know is that it’s powered by a 389 cubic inch (6.4 liter) Pontiac V8, also used in the Pontiac GTO, and capable of up to 368 bhp in factory trim.
Power is sent back through a 4-speed manual gearbox to a General Motors live axle rear end on leaf springs. The independent front suspension was sourced from a Jaguar XK120, and the windscreen is said to have come from a C2 Corvette.
This car has a green exterior and a black vinyl interior with bucket seats for two and an unusual targa-style roof that we haven’t seen on a Kellison before.
This car has a green exterior and a black vinyl interior with bucket seats for two and an unusual targa-style roof that we haven’t seen on a Kellison before. It’s left-hand drive which implies it was originally built in the United States, and it rides on wire wheels.
It’s now being offered for sale out of Limburg in Belgium on Car & Classic. If you’d like to read more about it or place a bid you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Car & Classic
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
