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HAL DOHC 1930s-40s sprint car. See photos and video!


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OK Guys I have reluctantly decided to sell my fully race prepared historic "Jack Benson Special" with its extremely rare and powerful HAL double over head cam head on a Ford Model A/B block. Probably in the 120 to 140 HP range! Jack was a fixture for many decades in the Pacific Northwest racing scene,and a member of the Golden Spurs historic racing association located in Washington State and Oregon.For a 4 minute video of the car,with its engine running,taken April 3rd 2011,please click on this Utube video link:

This will answer many of your questions if decide you might want to buy it. It runs and sounds like a scalded ape!! I bought the car from Jack Bensons grandson in 2008. The car had been stored at Jack Srs. garage north of Seattle since 1982,when Jack Sr. died of cancer. Jack Jr. is also deceased,and tragically,about a month after I bought the car from the Benson family the grandson was killed in a go cart race.I was however,able to get a treasure trove of photos of Jack Sr. racing this car in the 1970s and early 1980s. Upon request to my personal email I will email you 5 zip files of these vintage photos,and provide the new owner of the car with a disc of the photos. I can also email interested parties a 2 Secrets of Speed articles on the HAL DOHC head,and lots of photo of the car taken April 3rd. According to the grandson,Jack Sr. totally rebuilt the engine in 1982,and finished it right before his death in latter 1982,and never got to drive it. It had never been driven since then when it was delivered to me in late 2008. Over the next 2 years Jim Hunnewell,Chief mechanic and engine builder for my friend Big Daddy Don Garlits took the car to his garage and removed the head, checked out the bottom of the block which is beautiful,installed new valves,totally checked out the car,and installed a starter,and a hydraulic clutch so that the starter would fit in the car. The car runs beautiful and has strong compression. The only mechanical problem I have found is that Hunnewell apparently didn't put in new front and rear oil seals on the pan,and the front and rear seals leak when running. That is an easy fix. Jim moved to Maine last fall,and this spring I had Model T and A expert Steve Ellis crank the car and check it out. Steve is the driver of the car on the video. The frame of the car appears to be from the 1930s in the style of Floyd Pop Dreyer,or Hiram Hillegass,with its one piece rounded frame in the front. The car appears to have been updated in the 1940s with a Halibrand quickchange rear end,a 1940s all metal flat tail body,etc. Jack chromed the axles in the 1970s,which would cost a fortune today! The car is set up for vintage racing,period! It is frighteningly fast! Remember this car was restored in the 1970s and is a 40 year old restoration.You are buying it as is.It is not perfect and the body has its share of nicks and dings. However you can be proud to race it as is! This rare early 1930s HAL head has a hemispherical cross flow design like Harry A. Miller then Fred Offenhauser built at the time! It looks almost identical to a Miller or Offy head. AND tons cheaper,but just as fast! I also have a matching vintage 1940s fully restored trailer for sale that the car fits on perfectly for $3,300. Photos avail. of it also. This would be a killer race car racer speedster for Lime Rock,Watkins Glen Glenn,Laguna Seca,Road Atlanta,Indy Indianapolis,SCCA,SCTA,historic vintage and antique race and midget racing. If you collect Miller,Duesenberg,Winfield,Rajo,flathead,flat head stuff this car is for you. Price is $34,900. Try to buy a Miller of Offy for that! George Albright,Ocala,Fla. cell 352 843 1624 email; gnalbright@gmail.com

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