For Sale: 1951 Kaiser Henry J in Lavergne, Tennessee

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.