58 replies to this topic

[dc-65x]

I just grabbed this on eBay as a buy it now. I've never heard of the company or the car before but when I saw the picture it just screamed, "Please put a Kemtron X503 motor and really big wheels under me!" . Anyone familiar with the slot company or the real car?

Here's the link:

Kellison J-4 body

Is the Dokktor in the house?

[TSR]

Is the Dokktor in the house?

Actually he is busy right now with some Dolly Lama, so I will respond on his behalf:
Symons is indeed an obscure manufacturer, one of so many in the early 1960's. The Kellison is one of I believe, only eight bodies they ever issued, that also includes a... Devin SS.
However I must strongly dispute the auctioneer's statement:

It looks a little like a cross between Datsun 240Z and a Corvette Stingray but its better looking than either.

Shows a definitively twisted sense of aesthetics, like affirming that a Devin SS would be better looking than the Scarab Mk1, or the horrid Fiberfab "replica" of a Porsche 917 looks better than the original.
And, no, taste is NOT in the eye of the beholder but the fruit of a long artistic education, in both the visual and aural fields.

So said William Shakespeare in not so many words, in his famous play "As You Like It".

[dc-65x]

Thanks for the info, Philippe.

The Kellison is no real beauty but it's so mod sixties baby... YEAH!

Where did I put that Kemtron?

[TSR]

You could also mount it on an early Dynamic chassis, the ones that were polished...

With some polished Dynamic "American Mags" it would look super cool especially with a metalflake orange color...

[dc-65x]

Believe it or not, I was thinking about those very wheels.

[dc-65x]

Holy Smokes! There's another one!

Another One!

[don.siegel]

Thanks, Rick, I just bought it! I saw the earlier one, but didn't take it very seriously, guess I didn't really look that closely and see there was the label too, nor did I know what a Kellison was!

Definitely a Kemtron kandidate!

There must have been hundreds of these little producers across the US and elsewhere in '64-68... I've just been amazed by the number of unknown companies popping up on eBay and elsewhere. I think there was a well-known racer at the time named Earl Symons (or was it Symonds?)...

Don

[TSR]

Don,

A very likely possibility...

[don.siegel]

And here's a photo of the car, published in American Road Race Spacials, 1934-1970, by Allan Girdler, and taken from a period publication - in fact, sounds like the car was never actually completed in racing trim. There was supposed to be a test in a 1959 issue of Motor Trend, but nothing was in good shape, so there was no real test, and no specs given. But Kellison continued for years afterwards, selling fiberglass bodies, frames, parts, and plans...

Don



PS: Greg, or Philippe, I'm sizing these to 550 max width, why is it resizing them from 570?

[MarcusPHagen]

[from the links, lest they be lost as eBay ages them:]

NOS VINTAGE 1957 KELLISON 1:24 SLOT CAR BODY CORVETTE ?

"This is for a brand new, never mounted, NOS KELLISON J-4 slot car body. This is from the 1960's I think and was made by Symons Model Products. Kellison was kind of like a kit-car that you build from a Corvette, Austin Healey, MX, Sunbeam, something like that. It looks a little like a cross between Datsun 240z and a Corvette Stingray but its better looking than either. If you use this body on your slot car, you will have the only one at the track."







I see from the "other listings" link that there's one more left...

[dc-65x]

And then there were three...

Kellison J-4

Thanks for the picture, Don.

[Bugeye]

Kellison also made dune buggy bodies (1/1). We own a fiberglass frontend for
an AH Bugeye Sprite made by them. If anyone cares.

[Prof. Fate]

Hi,

I knew about Kellison from the fifties. I loved the whole hot rodder/kit car thing that was going on.

I just never knew anyone did those bodies.

I don't cruise eBay, but now that I know, if you guys would keep an eye out for a couple of the Devins for me, I would be really appreciative.

In the day, I saw several of these backyard specials with Devin bodies being raced, and always wanted slot cars of them.

Fate

[dc-65x]

And the Kellison J-4s are going like hot cakes, folks! I looked up the seller on eBay and he's sold about eight of them so far... This must be driving Dokk crazy .

Thanks for the cool web site, Roar.

[Cheater]

This must be driving Dokk crazy.

Rick,

I trust you realize just how short a trip that would be...

[mdiv]

Hehehe i just bought one! I just have to get my Kemtron to fit in the dang RMM!!!

Mikey!!!!!!

[Pete L.]

Hey,

I bought one yesterday, hmmmmmm...

[TSR]

This must be driving Dokk crazy.

Why would it drive me crazy? Where is the logic? For God sake's people, I collect TOOTSIETOYS!!!!

[The Possum King]

With everyone snapping these up, I believe the seller is misrepresenting them.

He states "If you use this body on your slot car, you will have the only one at the track." and I counted at least five sold to different board members so far.

Now if I bring mine to a race that involves you other gentlemen, I will clearly not have the only one at the track.

I'm filing an eBay complaint right now!

[TSR]

Mike, cool down, what are the odds of all five of you showing up at the same track?

[sportblazer350]

Hey Dokk,

At least two of those bodies will be in our vintage club... so why didn't those guys tell me about those bodies???!!!

[mdiv]

I've got plans involving Mr. Roselli.

[sportblazer350]

I see, I see... guess I will get one after all, but an original for $9.99 would have been nice, too...

[Jairus]

You guys kill me!