Vehicle Description
This car is built for some old school drag racing fun! After the
war, the Henry J was supposed to be a simple and affordable little
car for people to buy and drive. However, they went out of
business, and when they did, drag racers snapped up the remaining
cars because of their light weight, and the Henry J drag racing
legend was born. This is a real deal gasser that is ready to run
down the strip! Check it out.
There is absolutely no mistaking what this car is all about! As
soon as you see it, you either know exactly what it is from its
shape if you are an enthusiast, or it's the basis of a great
conversation with someone who doesn't. This one is ready for
whatever kind of paint job you would like to apply. Or, running it
like it is might be fun too. The body is straight so no work is
needed in that respect. The fins on the back remind you that it is
from the '50s and Henry J appears in script across the center of
the trunk lid. The massive tires in the back and tiny ones in the
front on different style wheels conjure up visions of small-town
racers lining up at a local track having fun.
Open the door and you will find that the interior is as sparse and
purpose built as the outside. The engine is set way back in the
chassis which would put it in the drivers lap if it wasn't for
pushing the seats back too. The whoa pedal on the left controls
dual brake master cylinders, and the go pedal is, of course, on the
right. A simple steering wheel is set up with dual push buttons for
controlling nitrous, or a trans brake, but could use a bit of
refinement in the mounting system. The Cheetah SCS shifter on the
other hand, is a quality piece, properly mounted, that enables
precise, dependable gear selection. A Jegster electrical panel is
mounted next to it for ignition, fuel pump, water, fan, lights and
startup, while five Auto meter gauges mounted on the fiberglass
doghouse keep track of critical engine functions as well as the
transmission temp. There is even a passenger seat for anybody brave
enough to get in it.
When they started pushing the engines back completely behind the
front axles on these cars, they became the precursors of what we
know as funny cars today. This engine is a 327 cubic inch V8 with a
Proform 750CFM carburetor feeding an Edelbrock intake. Big custom
headers exit out just behind the front tires, and this thing is
loud! There is an aluminum radiator along with a Meziere
Enterprises electric water pump and an electric fan to keep things
running cool and the power runs back through an automatic
transmission controlled by that Cheetah shifter. Ladder bars keep
the rear axle under control and get the power to the ground through
29x14.5x15 Hoosier racing slicks mounted on deep dish mags. Up
front, 26x4.5x15s mounted on Wildwood wheels keep you pointed where
you want to go, provided that they are actually on the ground, and
disc brakes are there to haul you back down from speed after the
run.
As the song says, There ain't no such thing as too much fun! But
this car might come close. So, come on down and check it out.