The Hensley ’26

The only thing better than a laid-back traditional hot rod is a no-bullshit, purpose-built vintage race car. For me, purpose is everything. A car built to do one thing and do it ruthlessly, without compromise, is a work of art—far better than some all-purpose contraption trying to be everything and mastering nothing. Race cars just sing to me… always have.

One of my all-time favorites? The Tom Hensley 1926 Ford. Built between 1954 and 1955, this Buick-powered A/Modified Roadster is the blueprint for a proper 1950s drag car. Rear-engine setup, custom tubular chassis, a Model T steel body with a sleek track nose, and a wickedly modified Buick Nailhead V8 hooked up to a Halibrand quick-change rear end. It was pure racing perfection, and Tom proved it, dominating the A/Modified Roadster class at Phoenix Raceway and beyond well into the ’60s.

When Tom passed, the car went to his son, then to family friend Bill Shaw, and eventually through a string of owners before selling at auction in 2011 for just under $25k—a bargain for something this iconic. Current owner? Unknown. I haven’t seen it since, which is a shame.

But here’s the thing—I have never dug too deep into the history of the car or Hensley’s life. I fell for the car, plain and simple. The lines, the craftsmanship, the raw energy of the auction supplied photography. Both the machine and the way it was captured are just perfect. And so, I’ve never felt the urge to dig much deeper. Hell, the lead image has been one of my phone backgrounds for over a decade. And for whatever reason, I felt like digging through my archives this morning to find the accompanying shots.

Enjoy them: