OK, so I started to feel a little bad for calling Max Balchowsky's wonderful American specials "purposely ugly." Even though it's absolutely true that they were, for the most part, and that he did do that on purpose. In his defense, he did finally settle the score all the way around by ultimately building a lusciously beautiful sports car and proving that he could achieve total perfection, all the way around, if taken to the mat.
What came on the So-Cal sports car racing scene in 1959, courtesy of Mr. Balchowsky, was the stunning Ol' Yeller III. This car is so attractive that it feels a bit strange that it too was labeled with the mutt level dog title. I mean really, look at that body; hints of Ferrari Testarossa 250, a bit of a Maserati 300S mouth, and a D-Type Jag faring... the car really had it all. And thanks to yet another super tuned 414 ci nail-head Buick V8 ( Balchowsky's trademark ) that was nestled down into a tube frame that Max drew out in chalk on the concrete floor of his shop, this car went like the proverbial 'snot'.
Many a Ferrari, Maserati, and Jaguar were humbled by this fine American special, and many would agree that it was the high water mark in the Max Balchowsky Ol' Yeller series of sports specials.
4 comments:
That is one suhweeet machine. The lines coming out from behind the front wheels and running to the back are just outrageous. And with the those intimidating pipes...Ouch!
Great Blog! I saw it on the Hub.
Yeah, I love this car. I can't imagine what this must have sounded like driven in anger with that injected nail-head screaming through those pipes.
Thanks for checking in and thanks for the compliment on the blog. I hope you continue to enjoy it.
I'm with anderst5 on this one. That machine is gorgeous, and those lines are so European one would never guess that an iron Buick is beneath the "bonnet." I agree on the side pipes as well - good old American nastiness.
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