{"id":492576,"date":"2012-09-01T10:00:53","date_gmt":"2012-09-01T10:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportscardigest.com\/\/?p=25123"},"modified":"2024-11-02T22:33:04","modified_gmt":"2024-11-02T22:33:04","slug":"1954-jado-special","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.supercars.net\/blog\/1954-jado-special\/","title":{"rendered":"1954 Jado Special"},"content":{"rendered":"
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How many of you would journey 500 miles across country to race a freshly built car whose engine had never even been fired?\u00a0That\u2019s exactly what California-based James Kamboor did in 1954, and the lack of preparation didn\u2019t seem to slow him down one bit.\u00a0Kamboor worked in the cafeteria at Harvey Aluminum in Torrance, and was a non-recovering car fanatic. In the spring of \u201954 he shelled out 200 bucks for a \u201934 Ford three-window coupe with the goal of building it into a speed machine for the Bonneville Nationals. Kamboor understood that he\u2019d need serious help with the build and called on Don Alpensfel (Don\u2019s Speed Shop; Gardena, California) to be his partner. The car was dubbed the Jado Special (JAmes and DOn) and the two men quickly got down to work.<\/p>\n

Off came the Henry Ford steel body and the stock frame instantly became a heap of trash; surplus .051-wall Shelby tube was sourced and a new frame began to take shape. Alpensfel convinced his friend to build their coupe with a rear-engine configuration in order to balance Kamboor\u2019s non-diminutive 225-pound husk and improve traction at higher speeds. A chromed \u201932 Ford axle was used up front and \u201942 Ford axle housings were mated to a Halibrand quick-change center section at the rear. No driveshaft was used in the build; the engine was mated to the rear end using a U-joint.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n