| "Old Yeller VI was purchased by Bob
Sohus as a bare rolling chassis. Sohus installed an ugly homemade body
along with the Pontiac motor from the "Reynolds Wrap Special".
The only time I saw the car was at Santa
Barbara in 1965. It took Sohus a long time getting the car ready
because of money problems. I will get you the exact date and number for
Santa Barbara as I have the raceprogram at home.
Sohus called the car "Godzilla" after
a falling out with Balchowsky over payment for the car. The original bare
chassis is now owned by Reagan Rulau, the mechanic who maintains Ernie
Nagamatsu's Old Yeller II."
Old Yeller VII was apparently sold as
a bare rolling chassis to a driver in northern New York state who, I am
told, installed some sort of a body and a Chevrolet motor.
The car was raced in eastern races as
Old Yeller VII. Max, at the time, claimed no knowledge of the car
because it was sold only as a chassis. I located an ad in either
"Competition Press" or "Road & Track" when the owner was trying to
sell the car.
According to Reagan Rulau, Brock Yates
and some friends later installed an Ambro plastic body that looks like
a Birdcage Maserati.
The car now races in that configuration.
Starting this season, another car with what looks to be the same body,
the "Hustler", will be racing in vintage events."
Old Yeller VIII was an XKE Jaguar that
Max modified with some sort of American V8 motor. Why he called it an Old
Yeller, I don't know. According to Reagan Rulau the car exists in No. Calif.
I'm not aware of it being raced.
Old Yeller X was never completed. The
bare chassis is owned by Ernie Nagamatsu, the owner of Old Yeller
II. The chassis is in Reagan Rulau's shop and they hope they'll be
able to body it to look like Old Yeller IV." |