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[GregKhougaz]

Trying to share some family history.  My Uncle Jim Khougaz was a B-17 tail gunner over Italy in WW II.  After the war, he became a well known "rodder."  Here, he relaxes after a quick lakes run. At the July 16-17, 1949 SCTA Speed Trials at El Mirage, entered in the C Lakester class, with this channeled '32, Khougaz achieved a best-ever speed of 141.95 mph. Power was a 286-cid Flathead with a Winfield SU1A cam, Edelbrock heads, and four-carb manifold, backed by a three-speed, '40 Ford box with Zephyr gears.

[GregKhougaz]

Uncle Jim campaigned his '32 roadster successfully at El Mirage from 1946-1950. At first, it was a dual-purpose street and lakes car, but by 1949, with a tank full of methanol and a full bellypan, it could top 140 mph. Here, Khougaz streaks across the lakebed at El Mirage in a period photo that captures the excitement of lakes racing and preserves it for all time.

[GregKhougaz]

Like many lakes racers, Khougaz flat-towed his roadster to El Mirage. Safety chain (on ground) ensured the '32 roadster and tow car wouldn't part company. Although a channeled '32 wasn't as aerodynamic as a '27 T or a purpose-built lakester, with its smooth bellypan and other mods, this car came close. Its 141-plus-mph top speed was an impressive feat. 

[GregKhougaz]

The sleek bellypan on the Khougaz '32 runs from the front frame horns all the way to the rear. Designed strictly for racing, and despite the louvers, the pan retains heat and the car tends to overheat quickly. At the lakes, it was another story. Runs were short and the pan maximized the car's aerodynamic efficiency. Dave Simard reproduced the bellypan from pieces of the original and period photos.

[GregKhougaz]

STREET RODDER Photo Editor Eric Geisert shot the ex-Jim Khougaz roadster out at El Mirage dry lake. Running on methanol, it hit 141.95 mph there at an SCTA meet in July 1949.

[GregKhougaz]

A roadster body on the Khougaz lakes car is channeled deeply over the '32 Ford frame and welded to the frame in front. Khougaz fabricated a neat fairing to mold the body into the framerails. That was a challenge for the painters who had to do some repainting after the body and frame were fused. The low silhouette still looks great today. Is channeling worth the effort? Jim Khougaz's lake times indicate yes.

[GregKhougaz]

Although most cars in his class were T roadsters, chosen for their svelte silhouettes, Jim Khougaz wanted to see how low he could get his roadster and be competitive. Today, its sleek silhouette marks it as one of the best-looking vintage lowboys ever built.

[GregKhougaz]

Dark brown interior contrasts neatly with this car's metallic blue exterior and cordovan wheels. A comfy bench seat permits three cozy passengers. Also to note is the '40 Ford column shift. 

[GregKhougaz]

To improve high-speed aerodynamics, Khougaz fabricated an aluminum bellypan for his sleek roadster. It ran from the front frame horns under the full length of the car and ended in a smooth tailpanel.

[GregKhougaz]

Not content with simply pirating an Auburn dashpanel, Jim Khougaz cut the entire Auburn dash out of an old sedan, reversed it, and cut it down to fit snugly in his Deuce.

[GregKhougaz]

This Auburn panel, with 100-mph speedo, is from a straight-eight model; Auburn V-12s used 120-mph speedometers. 

[GregKhougaz]

Note the SCTA timing tag. Khougaz kept the original; this reproduction commemorates the car's best time: 141.95 mph in July 1949.

[GregKhougaz]

A 286-cid Flathead in the Khougaz roadster runs a Lincoln-Zephyr distributor conversion, Edelbrock heads, 4-carb manifold (with four Stromberg 81s), and homemade headers. Inside, pop-up pistons, big valves, Johnson adjustable tappets, Lincoln valve springs, and a Winfield cam do the serious work. For the restoration, Mark Kirby and his talented crew at Motor City Flathead, Dundee, MI, built the engine.

Last summer in Monterey, Dr. Mark Van Buskirk sold the ex-Jim Khougaz dry lakes racing '32 Ford roadster for $385K at RM.  I tried to go in with Dad to buy it but..... out of our league!! 

[Rooster]

 Nice piece of history, is the car still in the family?

[TBird]

Very Cool