Kangaroo Chassis

Mk 2 - DSR

This car was designed and built by Fred Plotkin in about 1967. "The original intention was to use an Alfa Romeo engine, and race in an under 2 liter series started by SCCA. However, the 2 liter series was discontinued before the car was completed, and it was decided to install a Mueller sponsored 1300cc Triumph spitfire engine. The car usually finished near the front in SCCA's C Sports Racing class.

In about 1971, Fred's brother Don Plotkin installed a Fiat 850 engine, and raced the car in DSR, both in southern California and the mid west.

In 1979, the car was sold to Don Wishardt, who raced it in DSR until about 1984."³

"Don Wishardt sold the car to Ken Clayholt. At that time the car had a Fiat 850 engine and was converted to a Fiat 1200/1300 when the rules changed. Eric  Scheible became involved with the car in 1984 after Ken had gone through Drivers School. The car had a Tiga body by then and a very large air scoop. The car had a very bad reputation as a one lap wonder.

Eric ended up rebuilding the rear-end and re-skinning the car. He took over the engine building and got the car reliable. He also started working on the spring rates until the car began to work very well. Both Ken and Eric drove the car and took a couple of 3rd places in the San Francisco Region.

Ken and Eric sold the car to Bruce Sunseri who drove the Kangaroo Mk2, circa 1988, in Drivers' School and during his first season of racing in the San Francisco Region. Bruce refined the car further until he crashed heavily at Sears Point turn 11. The car sat in Bruce's shop, Omni Fab, on a pallet until being sold back to the original builder for restoration. Bruce then went on to design and build the Cheetah chassis."²

"The Kangaroo Mk 2, which was a DSR, is currently under reconstruction (seriously crashed and trashed). It is currently about 2/3 completed."¹

"Eric Scheible went on the build the Scheible SC 90K DSR that Bruce Sunseri, Rich Navarra, Ken Clayholt and Eric drove until Bruce finished the Cheetah chassis. Like the Kangaroo Mk2, the Scheible SC90K was totaled at Sears Point, this time with Ken driving."²

Mk 1 - H Modified

This car won the 1968 SCCA National Championship in DSR.

Engine: Fiat 850

Transmission: Fiat 600

Builder: Plotkin Bros.

Current Owner: Plotkin Bros. of Atascadero, CA

Chassis

It was built in 1963 and has an aluminum monocoque chassis, held together with pop rivets, which was quite unusual at that time.

Suspension

The suspension was from an NSU Prinz.

Engine

The engine is in the rear (behind the axle), and it originally used the NSU two cylinder engine. That was soon replaced with the more powerful Fiat 848cc engine, with a pair of SU carburators from an MGA (also unusual).

Weight

It weighed 820 lb. wet, (without driver)

Later Years

It was sold in 1969.

"The car was restored between 1993-1996, and has been vintage racing since then, mostly with VARA due to their less restrictive tire rules."¹