Real_Grant_King_Cars

"Real Kings" The Real 14 Grant King Modifieds Real "Grant King Racers Indy sticker" as found on the hood of the Ferraiuolo #73 We've put together the following page that "we think" includes all of the 14 original Grant King built modifieds.... Many of these cars were re-sold, and repainted, and were then driven by others.... Based on your information, here are the 14 original cars as they originally appeared on a racetrack, before being resold/repainted/renumbered.
The Builder - Grant King - Indianapolis, Indiana The way the story was told to me is that Ken Brenn Sr. had known Grant King for many years from his open wheel racing days. When Mr. Brenn chose to go modified racing near the end of the 1971 season, he purchased a car (coupe) built by Budd Olsen. He would then have 2 cars (coupes) built by sprint car builder Floyd Trevis for the 72 season. He also provided plans to Bob Rossell who then built two Gremlin bodied cars (at least one with a luggage rack!) I am pretty sure that the Trevis coupes and the Rossell built Gremlins continued to be run up to and including the 1975 season. At some point (possibly at the end of the 1975 season), Mr. Brenn provided Grant King with plans to build a modified. It was also around this time that Mr. Brenn asked Mr. Tony Ferraiuolo if he wanted to "take a ride to Indianapolis" with him. If I remember correctly, Mr. Brenn purchased 2 cars and also received a 3rd "partially completed" car. Mr Ferraiuolo purchased 2 cars as well. Prior to the completion of the cars, Ken Brenn Jr went out to Grant King's shop for 2 weeks and was involved in the final assembly of those first Grant King built modifieds.
The Original Kings All cars listed below were original King cars, as they hit the track for the first time (paint & # and driver listed.) We are sure of the order of the first 4 cars only - We are not sure of the order of the other cars were ordered or purchased. In addition, King frames were purchased as spares (frame only), so it is possible that some of them were used to build a couple additional cars that could be considered "Real Kings", although they were not purchased from Grant King as assembled cars.)
Note: The "Original Kings" pictured below are what we have come up with to date. We are always open to additional information. If you have direct information as a result of owning/driving/working on any of the cars below that will help with the collecting of correct information on the originals, please email us at: KINGS@3WidesPictureVault.com . Thanks!
Additional Information on Grant King Modifieds: From Larry F (12/11/16): The very first 2 cars to leave Kings shop (the #24 and #73) were fabricated next to each other, and were built with a 2" longer wheelbase. Every other King car that was built had a 2" shorter wheelbase. We decided on our second car, after getting it home and racing it a few times, and after a few wins, to lengthen it, which was done in the roll cage area. That's why you see the larger gap from the front of the back tires to the back of the door panels on our second car. I don't know why King did it. Maybe Mr. Brenn wanted it for his second car for the smaller tracks (Flemington, EWS). Once he began building the shorter" wheelbase cars, King kept building them that way.

The first "9" cars listed below are "Generation I King Modifieds" because of the sharp angle that the side "shoulder" roll cage bar is welded to the rear upright of the roll cage.

Ken Brenn Yellow #24 (1st King Car Purchased) Original Driver: Ken Brenn Jr. 1976 This car, and possibly other "versions" of this car are pictured below.
Ken Brenn Jr. 1976	Ken Brenn Jr 1976?	Ken Brenn Jr 1976	Ken Brenn Jr 1976
Ken Brenn Jr 1976	Michel Lussier (early 80's?)	Rene LeClaire
Where is it now? Scraped. Info from le sieurs: The car was sold directly from Ken Brenn Racing to Michel Lussier from St-Constant Quebec Canada. He ran the car for two seasons. This car was purchased by Rene Clair of St Edmond QC. Rene raced the car in 1983. It was then scraped at the end of the season. Based on the above information, it is possible that either the body from the 3rd Brenn/King car (see info a little further down this page) was sold with this car (1st Brenn/King), or the Michel Lussier car had a body built to looked a lot like the body that was on the 3rd Brenn/King car.

Ferriauolo Burgundy #73 (2nd King Car Purchased) Original Driver: Gary Balough 1976 Additional notes: Sammy Beavers also drive this particular car (the 1st King #73) at Syracuse in 1980. The color of this car, as well as the 2nd #73 car was DuPont # 4490 Burgundy from a 1967 Ford. This car, and possibly other "versions" of this car are pictured below.
Billy Osmun	Gary Balough Syracuse	Balough or Osmun at Reading	Sammy Beavers at Syracuse 1980
Anthony Ferraiuolo 1981	more on the way...	more on the way...	more on the way...
Where is it now? Restored! Restored by the original Ferraiuolo and Sons crew! Above photo taken at Motorsports 2008.TE

2nd Brenn Yellow #24 (3rd King Car Purchased) Original Driver: Ken Brenn Jr. 1976 (also) Additional Notes: This was the 2nd yellow Ken Brenn Racing Team #24 King car. The car featured torsion bar front suspension.
Ken Brenn Jr 1976?	Ken Brenn Jr.1976?	Ken Brenn Jr 1976?	Ken Brenn Jr.1976?
Ken Brenn Jr - March 1977	Ken Brenn (inside) April 1977	Ken Brenn Jr. 1978!	Jimmy Brenn 1980
Jimmy Brenn 5/81	Jimmy Brenn '82?	Joe Luzi Flemington '83	Joe Luzi (May '83)
Where is it now? Unknown.... The last owner that we know was Joe Luzi (Joy Auto Parts.) Joe purchased the car directly from Mr. Brenn (Warren NJ.) Joe drove the car at Flemington in 1983, and at some point during the season, flipped out of the park in the 1st turn. The 2 X 4 frame rail was bent and the car was given away. We are not sure if it ever resurfaced as a racecar again, or not.

2nd Ferriauolo Maroon #73 (4th King Car Purchased) Original Driver: Gary Balough This 2nd Ferriauolo King #73 was also driven by Billy Osmun. Billy O 's first time driving was at the the end of the 1977 season at the Daniel Boone event after Gary Balough had returned to Florida after he had won the Eastern States 200. Car was also driven by Anthony Ferriauolo. This car, and possibly other "versions" of this car are pictured below:
2nd #73 King Car	Billy Osmun (?)	Billy Osmun May, 1978	Anthony Ferraiuolo
Mark Fluery	Mark Fluery	Ron Gosse	more on the way...
Where is it now? Unknown.... Last known configuration was as the light blue Mark Fluery #52 and then yellow. Mark Fluery then sold car to Ron Gosse, where Ron raced it as a sportsman at Lebanon Valley.

3rd Brenn #24 King Car Original Driver: Ken Brenn Jr. The car was received as "incomplete" from Grant King, and then assembled by Ken Brenn Jr. Included was a complete frame motor plate, steering, body panels, and some other components. Not sure if the picture below is the paint scheme when it first hit the track or not. The car was driven by Ken Brenn Jr in the modified division at Flemington, East Windsor, Reading (above), Syracuse, etc. This car became Jimmy Brenn's sportsman car, and later his modified. It was then purchased by Rolph Schnur with Jimmy Brenn behind the wheel. Later, still owned by Rolph Schnur, the car was repainted white (#17) with Bob Fisher the driver. The car was then sold to Joe Coverdale and run first as a black #J9, and then as the white "STS" #J9. It was then sold to Carl Bettinger who made changes to the frame, and ran it in the late 80's and possibly into the 90's. Car possibly was then sold to Gary Bennett (not sure of color or #) and we're told that he ran it at New Egypt in the late 90's. The car might have been involved in a crash at New Egypt, and possibly sold to Gary Hager, repaired, and raced by Gary at Bridgeport (not sure of color or #). If that is the same car, we're told that it was then scraped. *This car, and possibly other "versions" of this car are pictured below:*
Ken Brenn Jr. '79	Ken Brenn Jr. '79	Ken Brenn Jr. '79	Ken Brenn Jr. Syracuse '80
Ken Brenn Jr. Syracuse '80	Ken Brenn Jr. '81	Ken Brenn Jr Syracuse '81	Jimmy Brenn 82
Bob Fisher '83?	Joe Coverdale (around 1984)	Joe Coverdale	Carl Bettinger
Picture Needed: (Gary Bennett)	Picture Needed: Gary Hager	more on the way...	more on the way...
Where is it now? Unknown.... We're told that the car was last driven by Gary Hager, but was involved in a wreck at Bridgeport. The car was scraped sometime in the early 2000's'

Tremont Black/White #115 Original Driver: Chuck Ely Car was driven by Chuck Ely. Car was also driven by Kenny Tremont (once) in 1981, at The Mr. Dirt race at Lebanon Valley. (Ken possibly finished 9th.) This car, and possibly other "versions" of this car are pictured below:
Chuck Ely	Chuck Ely	Looking for a picture of Kenny Tremont driving the #115 at The Mr. Dirt Race at Lebanon Valley, 1981.	Looking for picture of the #112 driven by Mark Gauger at Fonda, possibly from 1982.
*Where is it now?* Car is now owned again by Kenny Tremont, who is gathering parts in order to restore the car. Info below from Kenny, provided by friend of The Vault Jack Stanley: "The car was bought directly from Grant King in the winter of 1978,1979. We bought the car complete with out the body. The hood and nose piece (which was fiber glass) was mounted and on the car when purchased. We bought the sheet aluminum from Grant and he traced out the inner wings and doors for us. We bought a complete used 1972 gremlin car and cut the roof and quarter panels off for the car. We mounted the body on the car here at our shop. The car always carried the #115 when we owned it. We sold the car at the end of the 1981 season to a college friend of mine, who I don't think ran it more than 4 or 5 times at Fonda. He stopped racing all together and held on to the car till I bought it back 5 or 6 years ago. He used the #112, and his name was Mark Gauger. When we had the car we ran it at Malta, Lebanon Valley, Devils Bowl, Syracuse, Middletown and maybe once at Weedsport. Anything else let me know. Thanks, Kenny." *NOTE FROM 3WIDE:* Thank you Jack for touching base with Kenny, and please thank him for the up to date information on the #115 King Modified. I understand that Kenny is in need of a few parts for the restoration, so if anyone out there can help, please reach out to Kenny, or contact me here at The Vault and I'll make sure he gets your information. Parts Needed: Complete brake pedal assy. and mounts, a front and rear bumper, torque tube ,tail shaft, torque ball, and drive shaft. Would also like to replace torsion arms if available. 1/10.23: Note there was King copy built by the Tremont crew that looked just like a King car, #15 (black & white), but it was not built by Grant King. Joby Sour in a King COPY in photo above The car was driven by Joby Sour Lebanon Valley as a teamate to Kenny Treemont. We are told car was destroyed in an accident, and scrapped

Len Zito White #7 Original Driver: Len Zito This car, and possibly other "versions" of this car are pictured below: Other drivers of the #7 include Kevin Collins, LeRoy Amy and Tighe Scott.
Len Zito or possibly Steve Chassey	Len Zito or possibly Steve Chassey	Kevin Collins	Kevin Collins
Tighe Scott	Frank Cozze	Frank Cozze	Frank Cozze
Ty Constantino	more on the way...	more on the way...	more on the way...
Where is it now? Unknown. The car was last run by Ty Constantino in the mid 80's at Flemington. Ty tells us that he bought the car directly from Frank Cozze. It had a different body (possibly white and orange, described as a "Cadillac" style body. Ty tells us that he didn't use the body that was provided, but that it wasn't the traditional "King Style Gremlin." When Ty was done wit the car, he sold it, but doesn't remember to who. We are told that at some point (possibly 2006?) that the frame was sold to former modified racer Bob Mraz, who was going to restore the car, however he later sold the frame to someone in NJ.

Maynard Forette White #78 (1of 2 original King cars owned by Forrette) Original Driver: Maynard Forette - 1978 This car, and possibly other "versions" of this car are pictured below:
Maynard Forrette	Maynard Forette	Maynard Forrette	more on the way...
Where is it now? Unknown....

Frankie Schneider Red (Orange Frame) #2 Original Driver: Frankie Schneider This car was originally bought by Pee Wee Griffin from Grant King, We do not know if the car was ever raced while owned by Pee Wee. We are told that Pee Wee then gave the car to Frankie Schneider. This car, and possibly other "versions" of this car are pictured below:
Frankie Schneider Late '78	Frankie Schneider	Frankie Schneider	Frankie Schneider
Frankie Schneider	Frankie Schneider	Frankie Schneider	Frankie Schneider
Frankie Schneider	Frankie Schneider 2012	more on the way...	more on the way...
Where is it now? Restored! Restored to original condition by owner Gary Tetz! Above photo from October, 2016.


The cars listed below are "Generation II King Modifieds" because of less of an angle that the side roll cage bar (shoulder bar) is welded to the rear upright of the rollcage. At this point, we think there were 5 of these "Generation II" cars produced by Grant King.


Scarmadella Cream #121 Original Driver: Billy Pauch This car, and possibly other "versions" of this car are pictured below. Other drivers include Billy Osmun.
Billy Pauch	Billy Pauch	Billy Osmun	more on the way...
*Note: There were two identical #121 Gremlins, but only one of them was built by Grant King. An original King car was purchased by Joe Scarmella. Tommy Cimpko then built an identical looking #121 Gremlin "King Like" car. From what I am told, when both identical cars were campaigned, the Cimpko built car had the black bumpers. I am not sure, but in the picture below, I think it is the King car first, followed by the Cimpko built car. (As you can see, it at this point, they were almost identical.)
Where is it now? *We are told that the original King #121 may have become the Ron Stashek #616. From there, the trail ends.*

Carl Collis Blue #12 Original Driver: Carl Collis This car, and possibly other "versions" of this car are pictured below:
Carl Collis	Carl Collis	Carl Collis	Carl Collis
Where is it now? 1/10/23 Update: We are told that Carl sold the car to Mark Marason, but there are some question as to whether it was a real King car or not... so when he was done with it, he cut it up.

Maynard Forette White #78 (2 of 2 original King cars owned by Forrette) Original Driver: Maynard Forette - 1979 *From crew member Erik:* The second car was in 1979, which was a coil front end car. Maynard Forette ran these cars up until 1981, when he switched to Troyer. This car, and possibly other "versions" of this car are pictured below:
Maynard Forrette	Maynard Forrette	more on the way...	more on the way...
*Where is it now?* *Unknown.*

Billie Harvey Blue #31 (Fast Lane LTD.) Original Driver: Gary Balough This car, and possibly other "versions" of this car are pictured below:
Gary Balough	Gary Balough	Gary Balough	Gary Balough
Where is it now? Found! The frame and hood were found for sale at a swap meet a few years ago and purchased by Paul Fuchs. Frame, hood, other components now owned by Gary Tetz. Plans are in place to restore it to above condition as additional parts are gathered.

Trenton Mack Maroon #74 Original Driver: Larry Kline - May 1980 This car, and possibly other "versions" of this car are pictured below. Other drivers of this car (chassis) include Stan Ploski #74, Frank Cozze #74, Ken Brenn Jr. #74, Mark Blackwell #74, and possibly Jim Loesch #33. We are told that the car was then sold to Jamie Huska, but not sure if it was ever raced by Jamie.
Larry Kline	Larry Kline	Stan Ploski	Ken Brenn Jr.
Ken Brenn Jr.	Frank Cozze	Ken Brenn Jr.	Trenton Mack/Cozze/Mark Blackwell
Mark Blackwell	Jim Loesch	more on the way...	more on the way...
Where is it now? Unknown. We are told that Jim Loesch sold the car to Jamie Huska, but not sure if it was ever raced by Jamie. (Thank you to Brian Pratt for the info.)


We will update above tables above as more information is received - Thanks!


"Mini Kings" built by Jeff Hartman. Here's the closest we'll ever see to a "group shot" of all of what we believe would be the 13 of the 14 original Grant King cars.

Below are more photos of "Real Grant King built Modifieds."
Remember to Click on the each picture to see the full size photo, along with the "Vault Vitals" and Visitor's Comments" on each.

King's Under Construction	Jimmy Brenn & Ken Brenn	Gary Balough	Ferriauolo Kings
Ferriauolo Kings	Jimmy Brenn & Stan Ploski	Ken Brenn & Jimmy Brenn	more on the way...

Cars below are sometimes thought to be Real Kings, but were copies:
Billy Pauch (copy) Syracuse '79	Ken Brenn Jr (real) & Billy Pauch (copy)	Joby Sour (King copy)	more on the way...