Al Benaway's 1930 Ford Model A Coupe - The Little Squirt

Bob George was a local auto racing promoter that the members of the Strokers of Saginaw knew. Bob got hold of a fellow up in Edmore, Michigan that owned the Central Michigan Airport. "He let us use his airport, and that's when we started drag racing," Al Benaway told Kustomrama. The year was 1957, and Al recalled that the airport consisted of sand and grass. "The first time I drag raced up there, I had the Model A Coupe with the flathead in it. I was drag racing in the dirt," he chuckled. Sunday, July 7, 1957, 2,117 spectators came to watch the first supervised Drag Strip race in Central Michigan make it into the history books. Al became the area’s top winner in Class C. Later on, he also raced a channeled '34 two-door sedan that he lost the grille on while racing, as the pointed 34 grille kept digging down into the sand. Photo from The Strokers of Saginaw Photo Collection.

A grey primered iteration of the coupe displayed at an indoor car show. This iteration of the coupe ran a 283 Chevrolet V8 engine that had been stroked to 301 cubic inches. Six Stromberg carburetors fed the beast. Photo from The Strokers of Saginaw Photo Collection.

Another photo of Al's Coupe from the same indoor car show. Photo from The Strokers of Saginaw Photo Collection.

Still running the Chevrolet motor, the coupe has now been given a red paint job. Photo courtesy of Al Benaway, provided by Jonathan Russell.

After racing and showing the coupe in a grey primer, Jay Miller, who had helped Al chop the top, gave the car a beautiful paint job. According to Al, everybody in the area knew Jay. "It was a really good body shop, he did some beautiful paint jobs, and when the car was painted up it looked like a mirror." Al decided to display the car in some shows, and in 1958 it won best paint at the Detroit Autorama. Photo from The Strokers of Saginaw Photo Collection.

Photo from The Strokers of Saginaw Photo Collection.

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Photo from The Strokers of Saginaw Photo Collection.

A photo of the Little Squirt appeared in print in Custom Cars June 1960. According to the caption, Al's coupe had been awarded first place in the large Competition Rod class at an indoor car show.

A photo of The Little Squirt appeared in print in Custom Cars June 1960. The photo was taken at the Fort Wayne Rod and Custom Show in 1959 where Al was awarded first place in the large Competition Rod class. Photo from The Strokers of Saginaw Photo Collection.

A photo of the coupe taken at the 1960 Fort Wayne Rod & Custom Show. Dressed up with a rolled and pleated roof inset, this iteration had received a blown 392 Chrysler Hemi. Photo courtesy of Al Benaway, provided by Jonathan Russell.

Another photo of the Little Squirt taken after Al had installed the blown Hemi. Photo from The Strokers of Saginaw Photo Collection.

Photo courtesy of Al Benaway, provided by Jonathan Russell.

Photo courtesy of Al Benaway, provided by Jonathan Russell.

Photo courtesy of Al Benaway, provided by Jonathan Russell.

Photo courtesy of Al Benaway, provided by Jonathan Russell.

Photo courtesy of Al Benaway, provided by Jonathan Russell.

A photo of Al with the coupe taken at Ubly Dragway, up in the thumb of Michigan. Al sold the coupe to a fellow in a town nearby. "I tried to buy it back a couple of times, but he didn't want to sell it. He's a car collector, so he's got a bunch of cars out there." Photo from The Strokers of Saginaw Photo Collection.

Al eventually pulled the 392 engine out of the Little Squirt and sold off the body and chassis. The engine was installed in an A/A altered fiberglass 1923 Ford Model T Bucket with a Logghe chassis. "The car had a direct drive transmission in it with a double-disc clutch," Jonathan Russell told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama in November of 2020. Photo courtesy of Al Benaway, provided by Jonathan Russell.

Hot Rod Detroit

1930 Ford Model A Coupe owned by Al Benaway of Saginaw, Michigan. Al was a founding member of the Strokers of Saginaw car club and his coupe was known "The Little Squirt."

Street racer with a Flathead V8

Al's coupe started as a street racer running a hopped-up Flathead V8.

Let's drag

A 283 Chevrolet V8 engine that had been stroked to 301 cubic inches followed. The Chevy engine ran six Strombergs and a 1939 Ford transmission and rear end. A photo of this iteration of the Little Squir appeared in print in June of 1960. According to the caption, Al's coupe had been awarded first place in the large Competition Rod class at an indoor car show.

Blown Hemi

By December of 1960 a blown 392 Chrysler Hemi and a Chevy rear end found its way onto the coupe. The car won best paint at the 1958 Detroit Autorama. Tom Hammond from Saginaw, Michigan did the pinstriping and lettering on the car in 1961.

Sold in pieces

Al eventually pulled the 392 engine out of the Little Squirt and sold off the body and chassis. The engine was installed in an A/A altered fiberglass 1923 Ford Model T Bucket with a Logghe chassis. "The car had a direct drive transmission in it with a double-disc clutch," Jonathan Russell told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama in November of 2020.

Magazine Features and Appearances

Custom Cars June 1960