Ernie Nagamatsu is no stranger to the Phillip Island Classic Festival of Motorsport, competing in this wonderful event many times over the years in his 1959 Old Yeller 2 Buick Special. Since the early 1990s, Ernie has raced this car in historic races around the world.
And again this year, Ernie will return once more with wife Elaine, this time bringing with them two incredible cars that we have not seen on shores before - all the way from their residence in sunny California. "We are always so humbled by all of you at VHRR" Ernie says talking to to us ahead of their big trip down under.
"Elaine is always great with all of the fans non stop, and we have cards and postcards and some items for the kids and gifts for the marshals as special flagger trophies for them... the fans are great and like friends to us now..."
Ernie and Elaine certainly know how to take it all in and are heavily engaged with the historic racing community.
The first car will be their 1971 Group N Datsun 510 (more commonly known in Australia as the Datsun 1600) This particular type of production car competed in the American Trans-Am series back in the day, helping revolutionise sedan racing in America in the early 1970’s.
In the beginning The Datsun 510 was homologated, engineered and raced by Peter Brock (not our Peter Brock) and Brock Racing Enterprises (BRE) in the American Trans-Am series as the Datsun Dealer Team.
The same Peter Brock that designed the original Shelby Daytona coupe, a car which now unfortunately shares an eerie connection with our own Peter Brock, who tragically lost his life in an updated version of the Daytona Coupe during the 2006 Targa West Rally in Western Australia.
Ernie tells us that he also has the 1964 CSX 2203 Shelby Cobra and for over 25 years of historic racing, he had one of the three original AC built, Le Mans Hardtops which was perhaps the inspiration for the aerodynamic shape of the afore mentioned Daytona.
The BRE Datsun Dealer Team team won the 1971 and 1972 SCCA Trans Am Under 2.5 Litre Championship, with the first considered a major upset. No one really believed that the little Datsun from the land of the rising sun, could match the BMW's and Alfa Romeo's from Europe, but it did. And from then on, it was knows as the "Giant Killer" in U.S racing circles.
Ernie and Elaine's Datsun 510 is not an original BRE race car but it is an original type period race car that competed in Trans Am at the time and a wonderful nod to history.
The second of the two cars that will be visiting us at the classic this year, will be Ernie and Elaine's "Old Yeller V AKA MacDonald Corvette Special" reconstruction. When you look into why this car is so special, and why it was created, you can’t help but get caught up in the emotion of it all and the incredible story that goes with it.
The original car was built in the hay day of America's 50's and 60's sports car racing. It featured a lightweight chassis and true to it's Corvette roots - a powerful 327 fuel injected V8 Corvette engine, making it an agile, yet formidable competitor. The car embodied the raw performance and innovation that defined early American road racing, where privateers and engineers pushed boundaries with every lap.
The original #00 car competed in SCCA and West Coast sports car racing in the early 1960s, taking on some of the biggest brands in racing, including Ferrari, Maserati and Lister. The Corvette Special’s performance against these giants made it a standout.
The car itself back in the day was driven mostly by Dave MacDonald. A driver well before his time, and an incredible talent in U.S racing circles across almost every road racing discipline between the mid 50’s and mid 60’s, before he sadly lost his life on lap two of the 1964 Indianapolis 500 at the tender age of only 27.
Whilst MacDonald only drove the Corvette Special fewer than a dozen times, from October 1961 to September 1962 it was certainly one of his favourite cars to drive.
The original Old Yeller V AKA MacDonald Corvette Special is sadly no longer with us, but marks a time of ingenuity and determination in an era when racers built their own machines to chase speed and victory.
Ernie had long wanted to find the 00 Corvette Special and bring it back to life in honour of his good friend Max Balchowsky – the original cars creator, but after much searching, the car was sadly resigned to history and no longer around.
Max Balchowsky who passed away in 1998, was a well know race car builder and driver through 50's and 60's in the U.S. He also worked in the movie industry as a stuntman and automotive mechanic, and is most famous for his work with Steve McQueen and the Classic Movie "Bullitt" - what a life!
He was known mostly for his "Old Yeller" Specials that competed against the more popular and expensive European marques. He built nine in total between 1955 and 1963 at his shop Hollywood Motors in Hollywood, California.
Interesting side note here. Max's first two cars were called "Old Yeller" after a movie of the same name from that time, where the dog in that movie was "yellow, dirty and not wanted".
The first two cars were roughly built, and parts were sourced from wreckers but the cars were very competitive. Imagine being beaten in your Ferrari by a car made from scrap and oddball parts! The term "no replacement for displacement" comes to mind.
Something also worth noting. At the time, Disney weren't too happy about Max calling his cars Old Yeller, so Max changed the spelling to "Ol' Yaller." And fomr there, ever care after that was an "Old Yeller"
Now, given that Old Yeller V AKA MacDonald Corvette Special (the 5th Old Yeller) was no longer around, Ernie had an idea. He had actually started a similar project to the Corvette special decades earlier when Max was still alive. He even had Max weld together a chassis for him, but the project was shelved.
So he decided that given he had a chassis that was designed and built by my Max himself, as well as other suspension parts from other race cars of that era, Ernie decided to build this 00 Corvette Special recreation.
Under Ernie’s ownership, and intimate knowledge of the original car including drawings, parts and period photos, the Corvette Special was meticulously recreated and will be a regular at historic racing events the world over.
So far this car has only run demonstration laps at the Monterey Historic's at the famous Laguna Seca race track in California. But as a thrill for race fans, The Phillip Island Classic Festival of Motorsport will be the first time that Ernie will race this very special car in a competitive event.
So whilst this car is a “reconstruction” of the original car, it still has a period chassis from the cars creator, Max Balchowsky with parts from the era and has been meticulously re-created down to every nut and bolt, with Ernie being known for keeping the car in its original racing configuration, preserving its authenticity.
Ernie tells us that the Old Yeller V AKA MacDonald Corvette Special is so true to the period, that is has official "international FIA certification as enough significant original parts and correctness" has been added to the vehicle. So what you see here, is exactly what it was. A true testament to Ernie's desire to build such an incredible recreation true to it's roots.
The double-zero (00) racing number also became synonymous with the car, making it instantly recognisable at vintage racing events.
Ernie’s Corvette Special is more than just a participant—it’s a fan favourite. The car’s striking presence, combined with Ernie and Elaine’s infectious enthusiasm, draws a crowd wherever it goes.
Whether parked in the paddock or flying past at full throttle, it serves as a living tribute to the golden era of sports car racing.
For vintage racing fans, seeing the Corvette Special in action is a reminder of a time when racing was raw, mechanical, and deeply personal. It’s not just about speed—it’s about preserving history, celebrating engineering, and keeping the spirit of competition alive.
Ernie’s commitment to historic racing extends beyond just driving. He’s a storyteller, an ambassador for motorsport history, and a link between the past and present.
His Corvette Special, like his other legendary machines, serves as a bridge that connects racing’s golden age to today’s enthusiasts.
As we continue to celebrate and showcase historic racing machinery, the presence of Ernie and Elaine Nagamatsu and they're incredibly meaningful race cars at this years Phillip Island Classic Festival of Motorsport, serves as a powerful reminder of why we cherish these cars—not just for their speed, but for their stories.
You can admire these incredible race cars and over 350 other historic racing cars at the 2025 Phillip Island Classic Festival of Motorsport on March 7th – 9th. Be There!
Author: Trent Collett
Resources:
oldyeller2.com
classicmotorsports.com
supercars.net
revsinstitue.org
Ernie Nagamatsu