And?? Is there a final to the story besides "Where were you in '72?" Is is gone? Is it in the barn? Does he still have it?
some people will argue that there are convertibles out there: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/52-allstate-vert.212826/
Those cars are such fun! I had a 53 for awhile. 301/4 speed,straight axle etc etc Mine had all the stock, factory stuff on it the day I brought it home.
Fuck yeah! My first exposure to a J was the Revell kit of a J gasser. There's no way that was a cool ride for anyone in the 50's, or any other time in the immediate future. But that Revell kit was even cast in yellow
Henry Junk - my brother's street/drag car, was sold in 70s body only (engine went one way, trans another...) and eventually some kids bought the body, and as soon as they rolled into their driveway the dad was all "Oh, HELL no!" and actually made them drag it straight to the Ames landfill, and he made them watch as the dozer took two passes over it. HA! the roll bar held up for first crush, but was defeated after solid sideways crunch. damn! Broke my heart when I heard about it. Title just into the trash.
If that's for real, I'd bet the kids left home right out of High School and "Dad" led a miserable, lonely life.
Great story, however if you think that were kind of an odd ball on the drag strip... ...they were almost unheard of as stock cars! This Henry J ran the Fonda speedway is the only known surviving car that ran the opening night. The car ran of Warnerville N.Y. and is now owned by Mike Gray who is making in runnable. In the Fonda Speedway book. Check out the tow bar made from the stock lower A frame, the car was changed to Ford front axle.
I believe that my first exposure to them was when I saw one on display at our local Sears and Robacks Store In the automotive section. Everything in automotive was named Allstate: tire pumps, btteries, tire patch kits, b icycles everything. Then there it was painted black, I thought it looked like a Anteater Don't ask me why, I just did, I was a Kid. Later when I was a little older and was building models: my first 2 tone paint job 'J'
Thanks for this post. Mac’s Henry J was well known by “car guys” , in Ames, whether cruising Main and hanging out at the depot. Never saw it drag racing, but thought it was super cool! Heard about the car’s “death” a few years ago ...not cool. Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
First time I saw a Henry J was at the Itasca Co Fairgrounds in about 63-64. I was 8. It was painted yellow, was number 7, and a guy named Chub Cristie was the driver. It didn't have fenders just the hood. It sounded different than the other cars. You couldn't see flames coming out the pipes as it passed the grandstand, only on the back stretch. My friends Uncle raced there and we got to tour the pits after the races. I still can see the Henry J script on the trunk lid. I was too young to know what kind of 6 it was running, but I've had a thing for 6's and Henry J's ever since.
Hello J, My initiation into the Henry J club was in high school. One of our friends was an avid drag race fan. He liked all of our “hot” cars that he constantly saw in the Bixby Knolls Drive-In, restaurant parking lots every weekend. He was quiet and always looked around to absorb everything he could about the hot rods and cruisers. He built a Henry J for his first hot rod. What a first car it was, but, everyone asked, a Henry J??? It had the standard level stance, very big 409 motor, all aluminum paneling inside, two bucket seats and seat belts. It was a drag race car built for the street. It was lightweight as possible and fast. It was not jacked up (no one in their right mind did this during the early 60s), not too obnoxious, but a cool hot rod to use around town and to school. On full throttle, the power made the front end rise up and move. There was no need for the uncomfortable "nose in the air" stance while daily driving. It was built for the Gas Coupe and Sedan Class, only, if he wanted to take it to Lions Dragstrip a few miles away. He did not. Jnaki We all wanted to see this car race in the Gas Coupe and Sedan Class at Lions. But, for him, the accolades from the racers that came into the drive-in parking lots was plenty of ego boosting for him. A power run or two down the Cherry Ave. Drags was plenty of boost for him. If one was lucky enough to be sitting inside, on those bucket seats when the power came on, that was plenty of " full power thrills" to last for quite some time. The noise of the full throttle 409 and the wind whistling by made anyone's night. A big 409 sitting inside a lightweight Henry J, what a combo. THE MOST FUN IN A HENRY J: "On one Spring Break (Easter Vacation) challenge race, there were big bucks (for us) bet on the race. A 301 SBC with dual quads in a 1962, red, Jag XKE Roadster was challenging all racers at Merle’s Drive In. They always came back to cruise the front row smiling, as he was showing everyone that he just won the race against someone. We were just sitting in a friends Henry J with a 409 motor in it. He had just completed building it and wanted to cruise down to Newport Beach just to sit in the parking lot to have a great time. He had not raced it at all, just a few runs down the “Cherry Ave. Drags” on some timing runs. After much prodding and challenging from the XKE driver, we drove out to the most empty street we knew about. A public street right down the middle of a Navy Ammunition Supply, Depot Base in the back woods of Seal Beach. No traffic, no big time street lights, no police, no MP jeeps, etc. It all played into the scene. The XKE driver was extremely cocky and flashed a few $100 bills, but we scraped together $45 dollars between 4 teenagers and that guy said OK. My friend had never started a real street race or at the drags. He was new and wanted me to drive. The XKE guy said owners only. So, it was planned that I would be the starter and my friend remembered the "elbow move." On the first race, he jumped out to eek out a ½ car length win. On the next race, he lost by a car length because he panicked out and missed a shift. So, for the last race, he psyched himself up and watched my elbow to the first drop. He won by a car length and bought everyone gravy/fries and cokes at our own Bixby Knolls drive-in restaurant at the end of our long, road trip. The XKE/SBC driver and friend? He raced away in a flurry of dirt and pebbles as he was totally mad and frustrated. Teenagers vs. an older pair of 20+ somethings (win) is always a positive in our books…" Here are some information threads from 2018 about my friend’s first time build, a blue Henry J with a big 409 motor in it: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ed-for-the-light.1116186/page-5#post-12737293 https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/henry-j-gasser-pictures.657219/page-4#post-12240467
When I was about 15, several local guys bought Henry J sedan delivery wagons and modified them. I thought they were pretty cool looking. The other Henry J models weren't very common among the hot rodders I knew, but the sedan deliveries were seen fairly often. Cool little wagons, I thought.
I always wanted a Henry J, I chased after this one for at least 15 years and when the guy finally decided to sell it he called me and I wasn't at home. A friend of mine bought it and I happened to drive by his shop and saw it sitting out front. I pulled in his place and ask his son where his dad had found ot and he said they pulled it out of a old house, I knew it was the same car I had chased all those years. After I talked to Micheal he offered to sell it to me for what he paid and actually put it on his roll back and delivered it to me that day. I started making plans & gathering parts while I was still building my 32 Coupe, I looked at the car for a couple of years and one day I decided to send ot down the road. It turned out pretty nice. HRP I still would like to build one some day. HRP
Here is a picture of a Henry J circle track car that ran in the St. Louis areas years ago. It was restored maybe 10 years ago, and my now wife drove it in races after that.the picture has Theresa standing with the car.
This is the most ugly Henry J I have ever seen, Henry Junk is a thousand times better looking than this thing. And of course my own Henry J "Bad Moon"
GT Norris runs this one in New Zealand. Built in the Early 60s in California with an injected 354 Hemi. Now running a 440, and the Hemi found it's way into GT 's brother's FED.
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