The Perfect '60s GASSER Comes out of Hibernation - Straight Axle HENRY J
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- Опубликовано: 3 апр 2024
- Of course, it's time for a new project to go along with 47 others that are currently in the Hot Rod Hoarder collection. This one is really special because I've always loved Henry J gassers. My dad had one in the '70s and I can remember looking at pictures of it in his photo albums and hoping to someday find one. Well, this makes Henry J number 6 for me, and finally landed on a very buildable car with lots of great vintage pieces still in place.
The car is a 1951 Henry J, which is my favorite because it doesn't have a trunk and it doesn't have taillights cut into the fins, like the later cars. It has a drilled I beam front axle with parallel leaf springs, and it appears to have been converted to '53/54 Chevy drum brakes. It has an old Airheart master cylinder, which may not be salvageable, but it's a neat piece. The rear suspension consists of factory leaf springs and a custom four-link setup, which is a little bit overkill. The rear end is a GM 12 bolt, but I have yet to determine the gear ratio or any other details. The Weld wheels were already on the back and we bolted some front runners on so it would roll around, but these are temporary...gassers and Weld wheels don't exactly match up.
The quarter panels have been radiused for large slicks. There is VERY little rust in this car...it's amazing solid compared to most Henry J's. The fiberglass one-piece front end is in excellent condition. It had a lexan windshield and fixed door windows, but they have been removed. The seats are mismatched, but it still has the old Bob's Drag Chutes harnesses in place. A three-point roll bar is correct for the '60s. The aluminum work on the firewall/dash and transmission tunnel is outstanding. A series of vintage gauges, including a Stewart Warner 160mph speedometer and Sun blue line gauges fit inside the dash.
I'm excited to start working on this car, and hopefully get it back on the road this summer and maybe to the track someday. 
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Every time I see a Henry J, I think of what my mom said about how they looked. She said" look at it from the side" "doesn't it look like a cricket ready to jump?" And yeah it really does.
Hoarding all these cars is an absolute boomer move. Congratulations.
Thanks, I've always wanted to be like my dad, so I'm glad I'm getting there.
Had a 1952 Henry J. It was a 60s gasser car that came off the strip. It had race motor removed and replaced with junkyard engine a 3-speed. Owned by Larry's Curb Service restaurant it was licensed and inspected street-legal in PA when I bought it in 1972. Sat sky-high all-around with tube bumpers and teardrop scoop, giant traction bar tubes and painted bright yellow. Amazingly I won a lot of street races with junk motor because of super-low strip rear gears combined with super-low 1st gear in truck tranny ;-) Before long I swapped in a 327/375hp race car motor from strip car and 4-speed. Relocated new engine back well into the interior which required putting in late model mustang steering column, new throttle, clutch and brake linkage systems, and largest Mickey Thompsons with similar radiused fenders . Street racing was my life for many years (always safe - late at night remote 4 lane limited access etc.) and this was a wild-ass fun car to drive on the street! Your video triggers many fond memories... I will be watching your project build with interest!!! Thanks.
Glad you found a "Henry J" that is solid with no rust.
I watch your videos a lot and enjoy them. Definitely the good ole days....👍👍
That would be a good car for the Southeast Gassers.
U got to love a Henry j gasser !
You have a great car. The one I had went to Seymour Tn the car was built by Fred White of Whites Automotive. It had a lot of the same features yours has it was named Mighty Tiny It also had a 1967 Nova 12 bolt I would love to have that car back Thank you for sharing your Henry J with us. Maybe someday I’ll find the one I had
It came from that area, so it could very well be the same car.
Was that when Fred White was still in Erwin, TN?
Well, looking 👀 forward to your build on the Henry J . Thank you for sharing your dream car.
❤️💯👍👊
Back in the day of the Henry J my mother had one. A custom modified version with a then small block Ford flat head (I think it ). The rear seat was a stainless steel tank covered with foam and upholstery, it extended into the trunk where a filler cap could load "fluids." She could drive from Indiana to Kentucky or Tennessee, then Indianapolis or Chicago delivering "fluids."
As a long time sub, I would really like to see a total build series on this car. It simply screams "Hot Rod Hoarder" with your Dad's history with these cars, your obvious love of this car, and the potential of this car. To me, it is The Car to build for this channel's identity. I love and appreciate all you do and the time and effort involved in sharing amazing content with Us. THANK YOU!! And I hope to see an amazing series of an amazing build of an amazing car that SCREAMS "Hot Rod Hoarder"!!!!!
Sweet Car !! Love Henry J's.. I want it!!
I absolutely love that PATINA
The canadian guys on the Penny's Hot rods Channel are just finishing a Henry J gasser built on a Shoestring budget.
Good Looking ride bro. Look forward to seeing you bringing it back to it former glory...
Nice find! Cool car with a nice stance. Congrats!
Awesome 👍
If you could I would build it as a replica of what you're dad had and surprise him with it
Yes. Build Dr. Feel-good. Please. Thanks.
100% agree
Build it for you! Let's see your take on it.
love it cant wait to see what you do with it
Nice car. I love the HJ as well. Looking forward to seeing the progress on this piece of history.
Henry-J's and Opel GT's are my favorite. Your Henry-J looks great! Fun project for sure.
This car is gorgeous. Everything about it. Could you do a series on the build
Great score Tommy-Lee....🔥😎🔥
I'm building a 1948 frazer the big cousin to the henry j
I'm running a chevy 454 blown love the videos keep them coming
I remember watching your dads Henry J race
That's awesome! It went through several configurations through the years...it's still around, hope to do a video on it someday.
Cool one have fun 👍😊
Dream Car! Wow! Congrats!
Hell, yeah! Ready for updates!
Now, this thing is cool. Can't wait to see what you do with it. 💪
Awesome!! You are getting some really awesome cars for your museum. You need to be able to race the ones you have ..Keep them in running shape...
White Post Restorations can almost certainly save that Airheart master cylinder.
One cool old car nice Henry J one of my favorite car
I have wanted a Henery j for decades. Would love to find one in that shape. Do some build video on that car and take us along
The Henry J is also my favorite car of all time.
I was literally raised up riding in a Henry J as it was our family car.
Do not have them anymore. My Dad sold them years ago.
It is so nice to see others who also like the Henry J.
I like watching your videos.
I love you're knowledge of the old drag cars we have to keep that alive
Awsome car. Looking forward to see more of it
Thanks.Your daughter is really growing up
Man I'm with you it's one of my favorite cars also and that things are awesome shape can't wait to see you do something with it
Man the old 409 would look pretty Good down in the Henry j
Looks like willys axle and spindles, 39-41 had hydraulic drum brakes
I was thinking the same thing w/ the rounded/tapered up-kicks on the axle ends . . . I wasn't aware of the hydraulic drum info you mentioned.
Awesome find! Great acquisition for your collection and our entertainment. I'm very happy for you that you not only found this car, but found an owner that was willing to sell it to you, plus you're young enough to rebuild and enjoy it! Play safe! 😊
I think she’s trying to talk to you. I bet she’s got a good story to tell.
I like the rear tires that A r e on it
Nice find. Making that a replica of your dad's car would be nice. Looks like it might have had an automatic. Didn't see a clutch pedal. Good luck. Can't wait to see updates.
Cool car man
That's a nice piece, great aluminum work. I read that no trunk lid was a cost cutting measure. Also, they were the cheapest car on the market, so if you had one, you were perceived as a cheap skate, killing sales with that stigma.
🎉🎉 let's go 🎉🎉
Willy's, Anglia, and Thames. Light cars and great gassers. My son graduated from Kaiser high school
Great find
Like the profile on the radiused rear wells - Henry Js look great like that. Nice theme w/ the doghouse & all.
Very cool Henry J, my Pop raced one too, back in the early and mid 60's. I'm also digging the old Dodge van, I had a 66 Dodge van when I was about 17 or 18, loved that thing, slant 6 and 3 on the tree.
A really nice piece.
Once again you rocked it I hope we can watch the whole build
Looks cool champion 👍🇦🇺
Glad you found a "Henry J" that is solid and pretty much rust free. Real cool looking cars with a straight axle and a stance such as yours. Just as iconic as a Willy's or Anglia set up for the gas ranks. Watch your vids a lot and enjoy them....👍👍
Way back in the day, my Dad had a Sears Allstate motorcycle. I remember playing on it when we were kids. Good find with that ol Henry J! A guy here in Auburn Me. Has one, I dont know the year, but he drag raced it for years. Awesome vid!
Very KOOL
Great up coming project can’t wait to see your progress onit
Nice find looking forward to seeing what you do with it
Cool find
CUTE ! .... looking at the Chev wagon beside it ... I didnt realize the Henry J was that big
Get it running and you and sleeper dude can have some drag time
Didn't know that about the "No trunk". Probably one of the reasons why they weren't very popular, you couldn't get groceries in it. 😅 And in the 50s, gettin groceries was THE THING. Very cool car! Congratulations on another acquisition! 👍 I hope I'll still be around in 50 years 😂
That's awesome, hope you find some history on it ,would be really cool to see it back in the day ,bet it was a super good lookin car
1364 miles... Is that a quarter mile at a time? Thanks for sharing
Very nice. Back in the day I put Traction Masters on my '63 1/2 Galaxie 500, '65 1/2 Mustang 2 + 2 and '69 Mach I for axle control (welded 2 gussets with bolt holes to each spring plate to replace the cast mounting brackets on the Mustangs).
I think I would save the lower link on your rear suspension to simulate Traction Masters, perhaps remove the top links (store if needed later). Remove one vertical flange on each adjusting channel (front?) while tapering the remaining on an angle ending at 3/4 inch on the bottom. Remove the square web corner on an angle matching the angled longitudinal brace. If possible move the angled brace to the inside.
I ran a set of traction masters, they worked well. I helped a buddy build what Mopar racers called a leaf link suspension using just the top bar. It was good for high 9's in a Dart.
Nice project. Good chance to put some blisters on young hands. "Builds character"(lol).
Great job on the video there there was a guy around town here it had made a plum crazy paint job on a 327 I don't remember the year it was Henry Ji think it was the one with the tail lights up on the fence so it had to be 5253 and there's a guy and it was a powerglide if I remember right and it was gasser look of course and then there was a guy just outside of town that had a real love with them Henry Jays and I think he had accumulated about 12:15 of them in his shed and in various years and whatnot and then there was a tornado that come through and blew the shed down Anna I don't know what he did with them I I know a lot of people had talked it they had he had sold a lot of them to somebody so anyway hell is one of my classmates that had that bought that from a guy in the next town over the building need cars
great video.Thankyou.Was wondering if you know anything about Bob Callahan from Georgia?
Heck ya .......
It needs to be towed behind the A 100 for the perfect period combination.
👍👍
Does that rear suspension have sliding plates on the leaf spring if it does that's old school I've seen that under a 56 chevy gasser in my area they used it to put rear steer in the car to help it go straight they also could roll the pinion up or down neat old stuff that worked back in the day
The keen eyed viewer will notice that Austin Healey hot rod in the background. Guess he got it... SCORE!!!
Haha yep, couldn't pass it up.
Nice old gasser... Build it like your dad's car
I really dig it I still have a model i built of one when I was a kid . Suggestion I know your a Chevy guy how about putting a 409 in it?
Tribute to your dad maybe? Yeah his was a pretty nice ride got to admit it.
Congrats on getting another J, isn't that the car Mike Davis had and sold a couple years ago ?
That’s 1364 HARD miles! It earned those. 😂
You and sleeper dude build this together
That’s a Willy’s for sure about 1938-41
1364❤isnt that the length of a quarter mile drag strip????❤
Never really liked them until recently
Motor and trans ideas?
Are you looking for deluxe headlight rings😊
HENRY"Z WAY K😮😅😊L !!! ... .. . THANK"$ BROTH"R ... .. .🤠
Hey - I have a question: You mentioned you had "plans" for the appearance and mechanical - BUT I'm wondering if you have a vision for the function?
Will the finished build be for the Street or the Strip, both - or a dedicated race car??? If you are planning to put it on the street, you will need to title it - if sale was without title.
If you want to re-title car you will need the serial number ID plate found on the original firewall. Did car come with that plate separately - or do you have one from another J?
I do plan to drive on the street and occasionally take it to the track. I bought it without a title but luckily it has its original plate, which makes it a little easier to get a new title.
@@HotRodHoarder
Glad to hear all that. I still had my old plate and was going to offer it to you.
I think you finally found a car to really focus in on building to completion - with a short deadline ;-).
I remember my Dad driving up our driveway years ago I was just a kid about 8-9 years old
Henry J Kaiser organised Kaiser Permanente as a means to provide health care at an affordable cost and for his employees. That seems to have lost it's way in 2024.
After a close look at the tilt front the mounting bracket is the same as the one I had would love to talk to you about it and what I know about it How do I get in touch with you
Email me at byrdrods@yahoo.com or look me up on Facebook under Tommy Lee Byrd.
Cool Project, make it your own and get it down the track. Please don’t make it a 50 year project 😢.
Just make it run first, race it and then decide on the appearance.
Btw. The placement of switches and buttons is a nightmare when having the safety harness on, can’t reach them. 😂
Race car
Whats with the Healey?Yep converted my 52 to a 51 They be uglier! Nice that the rear quarters unbolt. Good luck on the history search.
You can make a tribute car😂😂😂😂😂😂😊
6th or 7th one i owned. Yet, I still never did anything with them. He's a real car guy here.
"Straight axle"?
No it's not.
Got to be one of the ugliest cars ever made. To each their own
Awesome !