A recent conversation with Californian racer Chuck Tatum about his 1960's  "VSR" sold by EMPI , and his attempt to establish an affordable Volkswagen powered Sport Racer for SCCA racing on the West Coast, unveiled his surprise  in now learning that Kellison Motors, who was molding the bodies for his car, was promoting a similar version under their own name, as well.

   Kellison's ad, which appears below, actually has pictured, one of the EMPI  'VSR's ' with Chuck in it ! A comparison with an actual Kellison version in the next  'For Sale '  ad, shows Kellison's change to the rear body , with the remainder of the car being the same moldings as the EMPI.

   The Kellison Car Company was producing the successful " J " series of coupes ( see www.kellisoncars.com )  Jim and Chuck were friends, according to Chuck, but he said he was never aware of Kellison's version of the VSR.

   Only about a half dozen EMPI  " VSR "cars exist today, and only one of the Kellison VSR's, the  Fire-breather driven to 7 Championships by Pennsylvania's  Bob Oswald on the East Coast,  shown below sporting #'s 282, 26 and 69 over the years .

   Dave Perry's 1966 Kellison VSR Sport Racer, a Chuck Tatum design which was redesigned by Korean fighter pilot Jim Kellison, and produced by the Kellison Car Company. This 1100 lb rocket was extensively raced , and 7 TimeChampion in the Pennsylvania Region by Robert Oswald,  also this ASR class racer was campaigned by Robert Pritchard until 1995.    

    Totally refurbished in 1999 by Massachusetts engine builder Doug Segrin, the Kellison VSR now resides in Alabama, and  currently has the SCCA cage, rather than the vintage roll bar, and is  powered by one of Segrin's   " Fast Bugs"   engines.

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