Legendary racecar builder Frank Kurtis needs little introduction; suffice it to say that, if you were searching for a competitive sprint, midget, or Indy car chassis in the years following World War II, Kurtis was near the top of your list of constructors—and the Kurtis Kraft 4000 ably demonstrates why.

Introduced in 1951, the 4000 was equally comfortable on the bricks at Indianapolis and the dirt tracks of the AAA championship circuit.

Up to 15 are believed to have been built, and the attractive styling and workhorse abilities gave the model impressive longevity in the fast-evolving world of racing.

Chassis 346 became part of Indianapolis 500 history when it debuted at the storied race in May 1952 as the Bowes Seal Fast Special, driven by the soon-to-be-well-known Art Cross.

After qualifying 20th at a speed of 135.288 mph, Cross climbed through the field to finish a remarkable 5th place, earning him the Speedway’s very first Rookie of the Year honors.

This achievement was detaile...