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

I believe the last set of photos showing the finished car Hank made for himself  were taken in front
of  the building where Hank was on the team that made the fiberglass body(s) for Andy Granatellis'
1967 turbine Indy race car.  That's Patti's and my old Opel station wagon parked next to it and that
would be about the right time.

Hank's Car

Hank's Car

Hank sold the mold after making the body for the car shown in the 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.


Additional Info and Photos

Sports Cars Illustrated Directory, 1958

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image9

image8


McCormack Plastics Sales Brochure

image1

image2

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This photo appears to have been taken at a Los Angeles auto show.

image5


I can't remember seeing this car before, it looks like a metalic blue, soft top version of Hank's Car.  The photo
appears to have been taken in front of Hank's home in Dana Point. CA., probably some time during the 1970s.

image10


This photo appears to have been taken in the driveway of Hank's home in San Clemente, CA., probably
sometime in the 1980s.

 image6

 



Copyright © 2008, by Rich McCormack

Send comments and questions to macknet@pacbell.net

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