Kelmark GT: A Wild 1970s Kit Car Built in Your Driveway

Fiberglass Fever - In the wild days of the 1970s, when car design was unchained and garages were playgrounds for dreamers armed with wrenches and ambition, a small company from Michigan dared to think differently. This was an era when the scent of gasoline mixed with fiberglass resin filled suburban neighborhoods, and visions of exotic machines took shape in backyards. Among all the creations of this gearhead golden age, one stood out for its boldness, creativity, and slightly eccentric execution: the Kelmark GT. Part Ferrari fantasy, part muscle car monster, and all homegrown ingenuity, the Kelmark GT wasn’t just a kit car—it was a personal adventure on four wheels.

The Kelmark GT—possibly a 1974 Model 1 pictured—featured a sleek fiberglass body inspired by the Ferrari Dino 206 and 246, powered by a big-block Olds 455, yet was built in home garages using scavenged parts. (Picture from: RareCarNetwork)

The story begins in 1969 with two men: Russ Keller and Randy Markham. Combining their last names, they formed Kelmark, a company based in Okemos, Michigan, with the audacious mission to help everyday people drop big, growling engines into small cars—most notably, the humble Volkswagen Beetle and the Chevrolet Corvette. Their early effort, the Kelmark Sleeper, was a brilliant bait-and-switch: a Beetle that looked stock from the outside but hid a roaring V8 under the rear hood.

The Kelmark GT—possibly a 1979 Model 2 pictured—had a body widened by five inches and, in true kit car spirit, used unexpected parts like a Ford Pinto windshield and flipped side windows from a Chevrolet Caprice or Impala. (Picture from: Pinterest)

But it was in 1974 that Kelmark made its most lasting mark. That year, the first Kelmark GT hit the scene, also known as the Kelmark 1 GT. With a sleek fiberglass body that nodded lovingly toward the Ferrari Dino 206 and 246, this car looked like a million bucks—yet it was built in home garages, often with parts scavenged from scrapyards. Designed originally to be mounted on a Corvair platform or a custom mid-engine V8 layout, the Kelmark GT gave its builders options that ranged from merely ambitious to absolutely outrageous.

 

That same year, Kelmark introduced the Kelmark 2 GT. To make it compatible with the widely available VW Beetle chassis, the company widened the body by five inches. In true kit car spirit, components came from unexpected sources: a Ford Pinto donated its windshield, while Chevrolet Caprice or Impala side windows were flipped to fit. This creative parts mash-up gave the car a signature charm and an unmistakably DIY character. | fpnZpth8AeE |

Kelmark didn’t stop there. The lineup soon expanded with variations that each offered their own personality. The Kelmark GT Independence was tailored for Volkswagen and Porsche Type 4 engines, offering a lighter and more European-feeling driving experience. The GTS edition came in silver and often housed a Buick 231 cubic inch V6, bringing more muscle to the mix. For those seeking a bit more comfort, the Kelmark GT Chairman offered air conditioning, leather seats, and a stereo system—though its rear-heavy weight distribution, especially with the Buick V6, made handling a bit of an adventure. 

The Kelmark GT—possibly an Independance model pictured—was tailored for Volkswagen and Porsche Type 4 engines, offering a lighter and more European-feeling driving experience. (Picture from: Wikimeida)

Then came the beast: the Kelmark Toronado GT. Built on a custom tubular frame, it housed enormous Oldsmobile Toronado powerplants—either 425 or 455 cubic inch engines—paired with the durable THM 425 transmission. One version reportedly used a monstrous 700 horsepower ZL1 big-block engine, managing a mind-blowing top speed of 202.7 mph in 1977. That feat made it the fastest street-legal car documented at the time, outpacing even Ferraris and Lamborghinis, though likely with a fair bit more rattle.

The interior view of this Kelmark GT—possibly a 1979 Model 2—reveals a blend of comfortable luxury and a more refined, European-style driving experience. (Picture from: Wikimeida)

The Kelmark Liberator was another ambitious entry, designed to accept anything from VW engines to burly V8s. Around 200 units were built, contributing to an overall production run that’s estimated to fall somewhere between a few hundred and 1,200 cars across all variants. By the 1980s, Kelmark production wound down, with the final units reportedly assembled in Holt, Michigan.

 

Even long after the last Kelmark GT rolled out of a garage, the car has continued to inspire a passionate niche of enthusiasts. Some families built them together as weekend projects, others spent years restoring their Kelmarks piece by piece.  

The rear view of this V8-engined Kelmark GT—possibly a Liberator model—shows an ambitious design built to accommodate everything from VW engines to powerful V8s. (Picture from: Wikipedia)

Today, the Kelmark GT still pops up at classic car shows and online forums, its owners sharing tips, tales, and the occasional complaint about cracked fiberglass. Debates about whether it outshines rivals like the Bradley GT still bubble up, but those conversations only add to the legend. | Hr9dKDfOJ1c |

The Kelmark GT wasn’t just a car—it was an idea made real with hand tools and heart. In a time when building a dream car in your own driveway seemed almost reasonable, this strange, beautiful machine gave hundreds of people the chance to live that dream, even if just for a Sunday drive. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | WIKIPEDIA | WEB.ARCHIVE.ORG | FIBERCLASSICS.ORG | RARECARNETWORK | HOTROD | CLASSICAUTOMALL | GRASSROOTSMOTORSPORTS ]

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