Four-time Top Fuel World Champion Shirley Muldowney and four-time IHRA Top Fuel champ Doug Herbert, along with a stellar cast of high-performance supporters, are teaming up to bring Shirley’s outrageous 1940 Plymouth Sedan—the “Grocery Getter”—to the auction block in 2014.
The proceeds from the sale of the two-tone pink hot rod will be donated to B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe), the 501(c)3 organization founded by Herbert, that teaches young drivers greater levels of skill and concentration when behind the wheel.
Shirley’s son, John Muldowney, was responsible for fabricating the custom chassis and handling the initial build for the unique machine. The final construction of the “Grocery Getter” will be performed by Loren Harris and his crew at Blue Ridge Hot Rods in Staunton, VA, (www.brhotrods.com) who are donating their time and talents toward the completion of the project.
“Blue Ridge Hot Rods is very excited to be the shop chosen by Doug and Shirley to make this hot rod dream a reality for the B.R.A.K.E.S. foundation, “ says Harris, whose shop has turned out a long string of award-winning street rods and customs.
“This is going to be a major undertaking by everyone,” says Herbert, who also owns and operates the Herbert Performance Parts Center in Concord, NC. “We’re planning on having the car completed by summer of this year and to take it on a show car tour around the country. Shirley and I have even talked about taking it on the Hot Rod Power Tour.
“We hope to see six-figure bidding for such a quality hot rod with Shirley Muldowney’s name on the title.”
The “Grocery Getter” is powered by a small-block Chevy engine topped with a blower provided by BDS Superchargers and the list of additional companies donating their performance parts and services to the project is an impressive one. Doug Herbert Performance Parts, Big Al’s Toybox, Holley, Ride-Tech, Cragar, Ididit, Lokar, Valspar House of Kolor, Prestolite Performance-Mallory-Mr. Gasket, Hedman, Liberty Engine Parts, Fat Man Fabrications, BeCool, Specialty Power Windows, Vintage Air, Goodyear, Wilwood, Flaming River, Strange Engineering, Auto Meter, Unisteer, Past Time Signs, TCI Transmissions, Valor Multimedia, and Dynamat have all contributed to the build.
“The job that Doug has done with B.R.A.K.E.S. helping kids to become such better drivers makes me even prouder to be his friend,” says Shirley. “I’m hoping the proceeds from the sale of the ‘Grocery Getter’ will make it possible for even more young drivers to stay safe and avoid making a serious mistake out on the roads.”
For more information on B.R.A.K.E.S. or to make a tax-deductible donation, please log on to www.putonthebrakes.com
This story was originally published on January 17, 2014. 
