The Bocar Manufacturing Company, founded by Bob Carnes and based in Lakewood, Colorado, offered a series of hand-made roadster models from 1958 through 1961. The XP-5, which used lightweight tube frame construction wrapped in a fiberglass body, was the most successful. Unlike many of the era’s low-production specials, this was a sleek and well-proportioned machine, attractive from any angle. Some 40 Bocars are believed to have been built before fire destroyed Carnes’ facility in 1961; the exact number produced, however, is inconclusive, and survivors are rare.

This 1959 Bocar, chassis number 0004, was ordered new as an XP-5 model by USAF Lt. Wendell Burgess, a friend of Carnes. Carnes and Burgess eventually modified the chassis, lengthening it by 12 inches, and raised the sides of the bodywork. This brought the car in line with the specifications for the Bocar XP-6 model, and indeed, a stamped brass tag designating it as an XP-6 was fitted in the engine compartment.

Burgess never completed the car in this form, electing to sell it to Ivan Frank in 1960, who finished the project. The body was painted in the Ford color Rangoon Red with white bodyside stripes after the owner opted to install a Ford powertrain. This 289-cubic-inch V-8—the only such engine known to have been fitted to a Bocar—was reportedly sourced from Garnsey & Wheeler Ford of Greely, Colorado, and featured an Offenhauser intake manifold and XP-6-branded valve covers. A Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed manual transmission transferred power to the rear wheels. Chassis number 0004 is later said to have been used as a display vehicle by Colorado-area Ford dealerships around 1965 and was also campaigned in several SCCA events before it was placed into storage in 1972.

In 2015 the Bocar emerged from its long slumber and was acquired by a new owner, who treated it to a mechanical refurbishment carried out by Farland Classic Restorations of Greely, Colorado. The extensive work performed included a rebuild of its Hi-Po 289-cubic-inch Ford V-8, fabrication of aluminum panels for the cockpit, trunk, and engine compartment, selective reinforcement of the chassis, and more.

Importantly, however, the car was not fully restored; its bodywork and interior exhibit a wonderful patina that simply cannot be replicated. The spartan cockpit itself is a step back in time, featuring a wrapped three-spoke steering wheel and fixed-back bucket seats trimmed in black upholstery. Stewart-Warner instrumentation, including a 160-mph speedometer, is mounted on a center panel, and the body-colored fiberglass dashboard bears “XP-6” and Ford Cobra Jet badges. Useful modifications include Tilton floor-hinged pedals and a 12-volt charging socket; additionally, an aluminum radiator and an electric cooling fan were added to improve reliability.

Following the completion of its refurbishment, the car participated in the 2017 Colorado Grand, and it was acquired by the consignor in 2022. It is sure to draw attention on its next rally, and it could also be further prepared for vintage racing use. Rare, exciting, and unusually attractive for a hand-built American special, this Bocar is ready to begin the next chapter is of its intriguing history.