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cylinder heads (#180-181) heighten performance and
give the Flathead its signature look. The engine is fed by
a BDS 4-71 supercharger topped with three Stromberg 97
carburetors. Both the supercharger mount and carburetor
intake were hand-formed along, with the lakes-style
1.75-inch chrome headers. The superb engine creates a
timeless and wonderful sound, directing power through
a 1939 Ford Manual gearbox with Lincoln Zephyr
25-tooth gears and onto a ’48 Ford rear end.
“The headlights, front valence, running boards, trunk,
doors, dashboard and instruments, as well as the whole
front axle, are all as they were on the car back in the early
’50s,” Jackson said. “They’ve upgraded the car, but with
all the period-correct components.”
Stunning in its design and execution, Hula Girl is
finished in an orange base coat followed by three
coats of pearl. The beautiful interior features a walnut
- - - dashboard carved from a single tree and embedded with
the original gauges from 1952. The pearl-dyed calfskin
A RARE SET OF PORTED AND POLISHED ARDUN CYLINDER HEADS
seats are offset by Berber carpets. And, in true ’50s-style
(#180-181) HEIGHTEN PERFORMANCE AND GIVE THE FLATHEAD hot-rod charm, a skull shift knob was contributed by
ITS SIGNATURE LOOK. famed hot-rodder and actor Norm Grabowski. The
custom wire wheels are from a 1953 Buick Skylark and
- - -
have been widened 0.5 inches up front and 2.5 inches in
the rear, and are wrapped in 60 Series Goodyear tires.
San Jose Igniters car club on the condition that it be
channeled, allowing the body of the car to sit lower Upon completion, Jerry Ash drove Hula Girl cross-
without altering the suspension. The beautiful roadster country and celebrated the car’s completion by heading
would once again return to the Oakland Roadster Show to the 1997 edition of the Oakland Roadster Show
in 1955 and be kept in show condition. A short time for the third time, bringing home Second Place in the
later, the new owner, Al Cebrien, would pull Hula Girl’s Roadster Class. The roadster made an appearance at
original flathead V8 and replace it with a monstrous Barrett-Jackson in 2006 and found itself in the personal
nitro-burning race engine. The full-fendered hot rod collection of Craig Jackson years later.
would reach speeds of 106 mph down the quarter-mile “Rarely do these period-correct hot rods come along, and
before being parked for the next 34 years in a Turlock, this is a real special one,” Jackson said. Hula Girl was
California, garage. far ahead of its time; it would take another four decades
As fate would have it, Hula Girl would be hunted down for the “street-rod fraternity” to catch up to its chopped,
and acquired by longtime admirer Jerry Ash (who just channeled and contoured lines.
so happened to have gone to high school with Bill As if not already a headliner, the well-known Forza
Montero Jr.), who brought the roadster back to his home video game franchise immortalized Hula Girl as part
in Florida. “That’s when the car’s full rebirth started,” of the Barrett-Jackson Car Pack. It has traveled widely
said Jackson. “The goal was to just restore it back to its and famously since but has never lost its abundance of
previous glory.” The restoration followed the hot-rod build quality and brilliance. Hula Girl is more than a
ethos of reworking old parts into something newer and fine example or icon; it approaches avatar status for the
faster to the letter. ways in which it is a penultimate representation of the

The race engine was pulled and replaced by a 239ci 1953 American hot rod. Hula Girl is both fast and elusive –
Ford 8BA Flathead V8. The Flathead was bored out to don’t let it get away from you.
278ci and fitted with Forged 7:1 pistons, a Schneider – Eric Becker
camshaft, Smith Brothers connecting rods, and Mellings For up-to-date information on this vehicle, visit Barrett-Jackson.com
oil pump. A rare set of ported and polished Ardun

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