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The Courtland "Corky" Bell Pages

 

Corky Bell

Corky Bell campaigned the Datsun Roadster for a number of years in the late 1960s/early 1970s.
His black Datsun 1600 and 2000 were a regular sight at Nationals and the ARRC

Corky Bell is highly respected for his engineering knowledge and ability. He has published Maximum Boost, a best seller on turbocharging and is soon to release another book, Supercharged!

While pursuing his engineering career, initially with Bell Helicopters, Corky was a regular campaigner on the SCCA  circuit. Racing in the SCCA's Texas Region/South West Division, Corky started his racing career in earnest in F Production, with limited sponsorship from Earl Hughes Datsun of Fort Worth, at the wheel of a black Datsun 1600.

Corky enjoyed many successes with the 1600. In 1968 he scored the highest number of points in the SCCA's National race series, an excellent achievement. That same year Jack Scott, another Texas roadster campaigner was enjoying success in C Production. Jack was to achieve improved results in 1969 in D Production, where the roadster was more competitive. and it was not long before Corky made the move to the 2000. Indeed, in his first season at the wheel of the 2000 he won the South West divisional championship, ahead of Willie McKemie (2nd - Elva Courier) and Jack Scott (3rd - Datsun 2000).

Over the period Corky qualified his roadsters to a number of ARRCs, at Riverside, Daytona and Road Atlanta. In 1970 he took the roadster to the ARRC in both C and D Production trim, finishing second in the SCCA's South West Division in both classes. His results appear below:
  

CORKY BELL  AT THE ARRC - Datsun Roadster Results   

    YEAR/CAR  

    ARRC PLACING   

1967 (F Production - Datsun 1600)

DNF (19 laps)

1968 (F Production - Datsun 1600)

9th

1969 (D Production - Datsun 2000 - Hitachi-SU)

8th

1970 (D Production - Datsun 2000 - Hitachi-SU)

8th

1970 (C Production - Datsun 2000 - Mikuni-Solex)

N/K

After the Datsun Roadster, Corky enjoyed a brief spell at the wheel of a Datsun 510 in the Trans Am series. He continued racing until 1985.

In the meantime, Corky had left Bell Helicopters, where he had become their expert on crashworthy design as well as an authority on rotors. In 1977 he formed his own engineering company, Bell Engineering. Since that time Corky has become recognised as a leading authority on turbocharging and supercharging. He has also received a number of commissions from leading racing teams, and was involved in the 1986 IMSA GTU Class Championship (Porsche 924 Turbo), the 1994 SCCA Escort Series Championship (Nissan 300ZX), and a Bonneville salt flats record (Mazda RX-7).

Turbo and supercharger kits produced by Bell Engineering have been featured in over 120 magazine articles. Kits are now available for a wide range of applications including the Mazda Miata and Jeep Wrangler. Visit www.bellengineering.net for further information. Other product lines, including Ford Mustang kits, are available through Corky's other company, CarTech, at www.cartech.net.  

Rob Beddington


Casper Jack

CORKY'S CORNER
Corky was to start writing technical pieces early on, and enjoyed a regular slot in the Texas Region SCCA's Roundup newsletter, writing Corky's Corner. Click on the thumbnail opposite for one of Corky's technical features, on race chassis tuning, from 1968.

Left: Logo from Corky's Corner, drawn by Larry Williams

 The Corky Bell Datsun Roadster Gallery
 
The following images are from Jim Kellar.
 (Click on thumbnails for enlargements)
MAR, 1968 Mid-America Raceway, 1968 - Corky's 1600 had recently received a new engine, which would see Corky amass points in the SCCA Nationals that year.  

MAR 1968 Mid-America Raceway, 1968 - awaiting the starter's flag

Jack and Lotus head to head Mid-America Raceway, 1968 - off the line

Jack chasing Mid-America Raceway, 1968 - Corky leads


  Credits/Acknowledgements  

 

Many thanks go to Jim Kellar for the excellent images you see on these pages - Jim raced Datsuns himself in the 1960s - look out for further images from Jim on the Brewer's Datsun, Dick Roberts, Jack Scott, and Bob Hindson, as well as in future important updates.

Thanks also to the SCCA for allowing the reproduction of Corky's article. T

Should you have any further information or images which you think would benefit these pages please E-Mail me.ults are provided by Pete Hylton at the SCCA.

Rob Beddingtondatsun.org/fairlady counter

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These pages and images, unless otherwise stated, are copyright ©1999, 2000 and 2001, Jim Kellar, Rob Beddington & The Classic Fairlady Roadster Register. No part to be repoduced in any form without the prior permission of the owners.