A Personal Recollection: Hank's "Sporty" Car



Hank was drafted into the army at age 18 years old.  He went through  bootcamp at Fort Ord
in Northern California and spent the rest of his two year hitch as a tank mechanic in Texas. 
I'm not sure, but I think the 2 dimentional drafting part of the development of his custom car
took place while he was in the army.

From Scale Model to Finished Fiberglass Body

After his two years were up, he moved into a house on Pepper street in Orange, CA, a couple
houses down from where I lived with my parents.  I'm not positive, but I think he built the scale
model, shown in the photo, in the garage behind his house on Pepper street.

scale model

The full size plaster mold from which the female fiberglass mold was taken was definetly built at the house
on Pepper street.  The brick building in the background of the photo of Hank and the plaster mold in the
driveway is West Orange School, the elementary school I attended while living on Pepper street.

full scale



Motor Life Article

I think the photos featured in Motor Life (February, 1956)  magazine were taken in front of the Anaconda
Wire Company office building in Orange.  As I recall, the car wasn't finished at the time and had to be
trailered to the site for the photo shoot.  I scanned the photos from a borrowed (from my mom) copy
of the magazine several years ago.  I don't know what happened to the magazine, it wasn't with her
personal belongings I found in her mobile home after she passed away.  When I scanned the photos,
the magazine was missing the cover.  I found the photos of the magazine cover with Hank's car on
a website dealing in old magazines, and an Ebay auction.  Not knowing if I'd ever find the copy my mom
had, I bid on an Ebay auction and now have a somewhat tattered issue of the Motor Life magazine
featuring my brother's "sporty car" on the cover with accompanying descriptive article inside.

cover photo

inside article 01

inside article 02



Finished and Fully Functional


Hank's Car

Hank's Car

I think Hank sold the mold after making the body for the car shown in the above photos.  I know at least
two "McCormack Coupes" were made but don't know if any more were made or what happened to the
molds.  I also don't know what happened to the original car he made for himself.  I assume when he passed
away, his wife at that time inherited the car.  As I've had no contact with her or know where she is, the
current condition and whereabouts of the car is unknown to me.




Copyright © 2007, by Rich McCormack

Send comments and questions to macknet@pacbell.net

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