Build it Your Way: Kellison J5 Body + Chassis and Rear End

Occasionally, a blank canvas project candidate appears that is worth more than a passing glance. Such is the case with this Kellison J5 kit car. The included parts list isn’t extensive, but they could hold the key to creating a car that turns heads and provides neck-snapping performance. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder T.J. for spotting a car that someone could transform into something genuinely special and potent.

Jim Kellison served as a fighter pilot during World War II, forming Kellison Engineering & Manufacturing Company in 1954. Considering his aeronautical endeavors, it is unsurprising that when his attention turned to kit car design and construction, aerodynamics played a key role. His early models were strictly Roadsters, with the Kellison J4 Grande Turismo Coupe his first vehicle with a roof. The J5 soon followed as an evolution of that design. The photos and listing don’t indicate what year this body left the factory, but it appears it has never found its way onto our roads. The body itself is complete, with the doors safely stowed inside the vehicle. The seller states that it is one of the nicest bodies you will find, and the lack of obvious stress cracks and other issues seem to support that belief. It is worth noting that this is a bare body, so the winning bidder faces the task of locating trim and glass as part of this build. However, there appears to be a healthy network of owners who might be willing to help a fellow Kellison owner achieve a roadworthy state for their project build. One question that may be on your lips is what chassis to use, and it seems that the seller has that base covered.

Kellison designed the J5 as a potent sports car, and any vehicle within that category needs a sound foundation to cope with tremendous power and torque. The seller includes a chassis that should be up to the task, because it was designed to slide under one of the many Cobra tributes produced by Era Replica Automobiles of New Britain, Connecticut. It looks rock-solid, and bolting the V8 of your choice between its rails should be straightforward. It is also worth noting that the combination of body and chassis will be light, so even an engine with modest power and torque will provide impressive acceleration figures.

This J5 is a case of “what you see is what you get.” The buyer won’t receive seats or interior trim, but the supplied rear end could allow this Kellison to handle exceptionally well. It is a narrow rear that started life in a Jaguar XKE. The seller includes the associated suspension and brakes as a starting point, and there is no doubt it represents a step up from a live rear end. The only question in my mind is how much power and torque it can handle without crumbling under pressure. I can’t find any definite figures and will be interested to discover whether we have readers who can provide enlightenment. However, I suspect that it could handle a mildly-tuned Chevrolet small-block, and considering the curb weight, that combination would make the J5 genuinely fast.

The seller listed this Kellison J5 with the chassis and XKE rear end here on Facebook Marketplace in Hazel Park, Michigan. Their price of $8,000 doesn’t seem cheap if taken at face value, but the chassis alone probably justifies that figure. This isn’t a project that the new owner will complete in a weekend, but the finished product could roam the streets menacingly, or serve as a potent track day option. The only limiting factor will be the buyer’s imagination, and history demonstrates that our Barn Finders don’t lack in that department. Therefore, it will be fascinating to gauge your views on this project.