5 replies to this topic

[Gene Varnier]

Apologies if this is opening an old topic, but does anyone know of the whereabouts of Ken Wallis these days? He is the guy who designed the 1967 STP Turbine powered Indy car. I'm guessing he's around 80 years of age.

[JB Miltonian]

There was a "Day in the Life of Ken Wallis" feature on the back page of Octane as recently as January 2011. He is 94 years old, according to the article. He is shown in a recent picture flying his Autogyro.

[Gene Varnier]

There was a "Day in the Life of Ken Wallis" feature on the back page of Octane as recently as January 2011. He is 94 years old, according to the article. He is shown in a recent picture flying his Autogyro.

Thanks for the response, but although the Ken Wallis I am refering to is also English and has/had a background in Aerospace Engineering, I'm sure he isn't the one who stilll flies Autogyros.

[Davidson10]

Thanks for the response, but although the Ken Wallis I am refering to is also English and has/had a background in Aerospace Engineering, I'm sure he isn't the one who stilll flies Autogyros.

I'm sure he's not, too, Gene. I think the Ken Wallis who designed the STP and Shelby Indycars was an ex-pat Englishman who worked for the Douglas Aircraft Corporation and later set up Ken Wallis Engineering in California. I'm sorry to say that I don't know whether he is still around.

[JB Miltonian]

Please pardon the error on my part, I had no idea that there were two Ken Wallis's. Learned something new.

The Ken Wallis you are asking about was featured in a pair of articles in "Sports Car International" magazine, written by Karl Ludvigsen, in 2000/2001. Mr Wallis apparently was rather unhappy with the articles and with Mr Ludvigsen, and fired off a letter to the editor of SCI stating his objections. His letter was sent from San Diego, Ca. I don't know his current status. The text says he was 37 years old in 1967, so that would make him approximately 80-81 years old at present, as you suggested.

[Gene Varnier]

Please pardon the error on my part, I had no idea that there were two Ken Wallis's. Learned something new.

The Ken Wallis you are asking about was featured in a pair of articles in "Sports Car International" magazine, written by Karl Ludvigsen, in 2000/2001. Mr Wallis apparently was rather unhappy with the articles and with Mr Ludvigsen, and fired off a letter to the editor of SCI stating his objections. His letter was sent from San Diego, Ca. I don't know his current status. The text says he was 37 years old in 1967, so that would make him approximately 80-81 years old at present, as you suggested.

Thanks again. Maybe he doesn't want any exposure these days. As an aside, the Sports Car International link adds "interesting" background to the Shelby 1968 turbine project, via an interview with Ray Heppenstall. By coincidence I found part of this interview on page 95 of Karl Ludvigsen's book 'Colin Chapman, Inside the Inovator'.Regarding the Lotus turbine car drive train,Maurice Phillippe had a different version of how the concept came to be.