Hillegass Sprint Car, 1956 Sprint Car | Conceptcarz.com - Pictures, Pricing, Information, Wallpaper, History

Hiram Hillegass began building race cars in 1919 while working at Mack in Allentown, Pennsylvania. By the time he died in 1960 at the age of 65 he was recognized as one of the foremost builders of single seat race cars in the United States, stature that was endorsed which he was elected to the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1997.

Hillegass is perhaps best known for his midgets, which he began building as the midget racing boom took off in the Thirties. At the time he was living in Syracuse, New York and working Carrier Corporation's research and development department. He continued there through World War II but then returned to Allentown where he set up his own shop at 2435 South 4th Street.

Midgets, as builders like Frank Kurtis and Pop Dreyer proved, were viable business and Hiram Hillegass approached it as such, even going to the extent of investing in cast iron bucks over which he could accurately, quickly and repeatably form the complex body panels that clothed his creations. Racers earned their livings with the diminutive but shapely single-seaters, sometimes racing every evening of the week during the season and twice or more a day on weekends. The cars and their engines had to be quick enough to command appearance money, bring home prize money regularly and stand up to constant use and competition.

The midgets of Hiram Hillegass met the test, and it is not surprising that the drivers who survived racing his midgets turned to Hillegass for bigger cars which were then known simply and logically as 'Big Cars'. These were the sprint cars that carried bigger engines, campaigned on larger tracks and each year adjourned for the month of May to Indianapolis, Indiana for the 500. Hillegass built two Big Cars in the Thirties, one for Frank 'Butcher Boy' Wierer in 1937 and one for Doc Keim in Hillegass's hometown of Allentown in 1939.

Following the war both car builders and racers looked for an alternative to the recycled production car frames that had been the basis of many pre-war Big Cars. Many had worked in the aircraft and defense industry during the war and brought from it some lessons. Car builders began to use large diameter high strength steel tubing for frame rails. Rigid, rugged and straightforward to build and repair, the tube frame caught on quickly, particularly with Frank Kurtis who put eight of his tube framed KK2000s in 'the show' at Indianapolis in 1949.

Hiram Hillegass recognized the practicality of frames made from lightweight, strong tubing and he quickly developed his own design which he offered as a chassis and body package for $925 with the buyer to provide his own engine and driveline. The first three tube frame Hillegass sprint cars were built in 1949, three more were built for 1950.

Source - Bonhams & Butterfields

Sprint Car

Sprint cars have had a very long history and enjoyed much popularity in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. They are generally considered high-powered race cars with the purpose of competing on short dirt or paved tracks.

sprint Car Racing really came into its form after World War I, when many enthusiasts and armatures raced 'specials' (commonly referred to as 'race cars' and 'dirt track cars') at various dirt tracks, such as at the county fair horse tracks. The Ford Model T was a popular favorite, as it had the speed and parts were readily available.

Within the decades to come, the cars evolved greatly. The Ford engine was still popular, but other custom builders, such as Miller and Offenhauser, offered a very competitive engine that often outclassed the rest of the field.

Up to this point in history, around the 1930s, the cars were still not called 'Sprint Cars'. Midget cars had come onto the scene, and were much smaller than the larger machines, now called 'big cars.'

The post-World War II era brought about many new improvements. Cars were professionally built and competition continued to escalate. Some cars were still using the four-cylinder engines of the pre-WWII era, but many had been fitted with larger units, such as the Ford or Mercury flathead V8. The Chevrolet V8 became popular in the 1960s and soon outclassed other engines.

The name 'Sprint Car' was coined around 1950. As the years progressed, the cars were improved with the addition of safety requirements such as cage roll bars. The engines began producing more and more horsepower, and wider tires were needed to help with traction. Wings began appearing on the tops of car to help with down forces.

In modern times, the Sprint Cars can reach speeds in excess of 140 mph. Many engines have been tuned to produce 750 horsepower and more. The cars have an excellent power-to-weight ratio and are very entertaining to watch or compete in. Famous drivers from well-known racing series, such as IndyCar and NASCAR, have competed in Sprint Car Racing.

1956 Hillegass Sprint Car
Year	1956
Make	Hillegass
Model	Sprint Car
Engine Location	Front
Drive Type	Rear Wheel
Combined MPG	0.00

Engine
Engine Configuration	V
Cylinders	8
Aspiration/Induction	Normal
Displacement	265.00 CU IN. \| 4343.4 cc. \| 4.3 L.
Fuel Type	Gasoline - Petrol
Fuel Feed	Carburetor

Standard Transmission
Gears	3
Transmission	Manual
	Ford

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1956 Hillegass Sprint Car