Full Race Jalopy

The American Heritage Dictionary defines jalopy as a word used to describe an old, dilapidated motor vehicle – especially an automobile. The origin of the word itself is hazy. The Ultimate Hot Rod Dictionary goes further, suggesting the word may have come into being as a result of many dilapidated automobiles sent to the Mexican city of Jalapa. The second definition of the word is the very automobile seen here. Any rough, oftentimes crudely constructed early-vintage automobile used in circle track operations during the ’40s and ’50s. Once driven by Benny Hofer, this is not just any jalopy, but a genuine 1940 two-door Ford coupe full race jalopy.

The famous jalopy now belongs to Dennis Gerdes, who picked up the car from a barn in Indiana by way of New York state. The previous owner had restified the racer as a tribute to Benny Hofer. When Dennis took delivery of the jalopy, the flathead Ford V8 was running on three-and-a-half cylinders despite a relatively recent refresh. A fuel cell flush and a fresh Stromberg 97 were the first steps in figuring things out, but the flathead was still not up to snuff. A compression check checked out, but that very same squeeze was pushing past two blown head gaskets and into the cooling channels – wrecking all sorts of havoc. A new set of gaskets, some aviation gasket sealant, a retorque, a set of points and the flathead runs and sounds like a race-prepped flat-knocker should.

After getting the jalopy running right again, Dennis rolled down to the March Meet at Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield to show off and have some fun. Dennis was hanging out at the swap meet with the jalopy when none other than Ed Iskenderian himself took a liking to the Ford coupe. Dennis started up the flathead for Isky, who by ear thought that it may be an Isky cam bumping around the poppets. Maybe not. Either way the Camfather liked what he heard.

“The Camfather would like to give you a sticker to put on your car”, said Isky as he handed Dennis one of his famous stickers for the hardtop.

Dennis plans on keeping the jalopy and rolling it down to events as they happen. The number 50 livery is a faithful reproduction applied by the previous owner to bring the car back to as-raced by Benny Hofer condition. Actually racing the full-race jalopy in the modern world would require some major safety upgrades to the stick-welded and bent as it went in roll cage, among many other things. Dennis is hunting around for a new set of tires anyway, and might just get the full race jalopy back out on the roundy-round where it belongs. Plan B is to take the jalopy down to El Mirage and make a big circle track of his own.

More on Benny Hofer, and thanks to the Ultimate Hot Rod Dictionary for helping to sort out this jalopy business. While this car was raced back east, the California Jalopy Association has west coast jalopy goodness.