| "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." |