Jim Grant has been involved with mechanical creations since he was 15 years old when he and his dad, who was a master mechanic, rebuilt the engine from his first car, a 1946 Mercury. By 1961, Jim had built a 1930 Model A coupe with a 340 ci Buick engine that he raced at the Arlington drag strip.

During the years 1964 through 1966, while working as a mechanic for Plimley Motors, Jim ordered a new 426 Dodge Hemi Engine Super Stocker, the first one to be sold in Canada. A year later, with modifications done to turn the Hemi Charger into a true race car, Jim went racing at Arlington in
B/Modified Production, and for a time held the NHRA record at 116 mph and also set the B/FX record at 11.41 et and 121 mph. Jim’s car was now known as the CANADIAN.

In 1967, Jim sold the Dodge and started work on a 1966 Valiant
B/Altered called CANADIAN II. Jim built the car to fit into either a funny car or altered class, and designed a topless body. His brother Steve built moulds off the steel body for fiberglass parts, while others worked on the partial tube frame, suspension, and customized axles, Jim built the 426 Hemi engine and drive train.

Jim’s CANADIAN II went on to set numerous records, which in April

JIM GRANT - Inducted 2006

Pioneer - Hot Rod, Custom Car and Drag Racing

Jim Grant in the Canadian II  (Keith Warren collection)

By Keith Warren, Dave and Louise Pearson, 2006

Jim Grant

1968 included the NHRA B/Altered record at 10.13 et and 138 mph , and in July of the same year upped the record to 9.48 et and 145 mph. This record stood for a year until Jim again reset it at 9.29 et and 147 mph. In 1969 the car was raced at the NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, CA. where it went five rounds and ended with a class win. The following year Jim was runner up at the same event, and continued to race the CANADIAN II until the end of the 1971 season.

Jim then moved on to street and off road motorcycle racing. He rode competitively and built Harleys through the 80s and 90s. His hot street Harley turned a personal best of 11.76 et and

113 mph at Mission Raceway in 1996.

In 1997, returning to his hot rod roots, Jim built a 1935 Ford cabriolet, powered by a blown Ford flathead engine. This car appeared at various car events in Canada and the United States and was recognized with many awards.

By 2002, Jim decided it was time to race again, and work began on CANADIAN III a 1932 Ford hi boy roadster, with a 4-71 blown flathead out of his 1935 Ford cabriolet. In 2004 the ‘32 Ford was raced at the Bonneville Salt Flats in XF/BGR class. In 2005, Jim returned to Bonneville to race the ‘32 Ford, now equipped with a 6-71 blower, and a few engine modifications, running a best of 156.3 mph, which resulted in the presentation of a dash plaque and trophy for running within 3% of the world record. Although the track closed early because of inclement weather, Jim’s car posted the fastest flathead mph for the Bonneville Speed Week.

Jim is currently driving his 1932 Ford roadster with a 6-71 blown 392 Chrysler Hemi engine.