HTCAV Driver Profile – Ben Dahlstrom
Words: Chris Ralph Photos: Phil Wisewould (track), Dahlstrom family (other)
It was a sensation from the start. When the new Chrysler Valiant was released in 1962, Australian family car buyers’ jaws dropped and Holdens and Fords were suddenly boring. The horizontal side knife edges and the slightly templed side windows of the R Series yelled “spaceship”, while the moulded spare wheel cover on the boot lid cried “pre-war sports car’. Three-speed floor change and a big 225ci Slant Six engine blew the commoners into the weeds and even challenged the pace of the 3.8 Jaguar. Very cool, man.
But the boys in the boardroom got cold feet and the S-Series Valiant quickly appeared, sans spare wheel mould and floor change manual – gears were now changed by a pointed finger in an age of push-button everything. It still looked the goods and went as hard, but three-pedal motoring in an Aussie Chrysler would have to wait until the Pacer (again, a three-speed floor change) at the end of the decade.
Clem claims R-Series glory
With the Valiant’s performance proven on the road, it was only natural for the motor racing fraternity across Australia to get them onto the track, with Ernie Abbott a prominent early name.
In my (and Chrysler’s) home state, Clem Smith put aside his super-quick Humpy Holden with Jaguar gearbox and embraced MoPar. His R-Series was the dominant SA touring car around Mallala, a track the successful businessman would later rescue and run. It was also the beginning of a racing partnership with Valiants that lasted for decades. (Itching to get my sticky fingers on one, I pestered my father that an R or S Valiant should be his next family car. He bought an AP5 station wagon. Not the same, Dad.)
So, it’s very pleasing for me to see an S Series Valiant in the HTCAV. It’s even more pleasing to know it had once been owned by my late pal, photographer John Brash, whose MoPar addiction had seen him race a Bathurst Trak-Pak Pacer for several years.
But I wasn’t prepared for the fascinating back-story of Ben Dahlstrom – nor of the car he has brought to the HTCAV fold.
Ben’s story
It starts as a kid growing up in a motorsport family (y’can’t help bad luck), the son of former mechanical engineer and Victorian Speedway Division 2 Champion, Bob Dahlstrom. Bob had always fancied the S Series and was interested in joining the HTCAV. Meanwhile, Ben (by now also a mechanical engineer) was working in the construction industry and had started talking to a certain Les Walmsley, current HTCAV president and legendary Charger punter. Les listened carefully to father and son and their dream plans - he knew of an S-Series racecar, but wasn’t sure it was for sale. Good enough for the Dahlstrom Dream Team – they were soon round at the equally legendary Inspector Michael Holloway’s house inspecting a competition-equipped S. Three days later, they drove off with it, chortling. That was mid-2008.
Fate intervenes, with a wallop
Ben’s beloved first son, Andy, born December 2008. Beloved Dad, Bob, sadly passed away January 2009. New family home at Kinglake burnt to the ground in the Black Saturday bushfires February 2009. Wow, Ben’s life was thrown into a turmoil of conflicting emotions and an urgent need to sort life out. The Valiant was the last thing to consider, but luckily it had been garaged elsewhere.
A career had to be progressed, houses re-bought and children raised. Once the essential ‘life’ items had reached a manageable point, off came the dust cover. Ace engine builder Nick Cascone provided a gleaming fresh Slant Six and various Sandown and Philip Island track days promptly ensued over the next couple of years.
Progression was as fast as the budget would allow – but enthusiasm was always huge. At the 2018 Historic Sandown, Ben entered the Regularity Class. Enter yet another historic touring car legend. Eddie Dobbs, FE Holden racer and closet Valiant fancier, tapped Ben on the shoulder and advised - “bring her down to my workshop”.
The Val’s back story
Up on the hoist for the first time and Eddie’s gobsmacked: “What? I haven’t seen this since I was an apprentice. What is this car?” He was looking at a galvanised chassis and bronzed welded rear end stabilisers – a practice reserved for touring cars anointed for racing in the ’60s. Did this car have a secret history? Never road registered, its CAMS logbook shows former Cortina driver Barry Clarke as the first owner in 2000, followed by John Brash and Michael Holloway.
Ben set out to trace its history. “Chrysler records show the old girl is a real old girl,” he said, “It was delivered straight from the factory to – Clem Smith Motors!”
However there appears to be no recorded history from that quarter, so the cold case mystery continues…
So THIS is racing!
Eddie’s work on the brakes was the first of several revelations and came just in time for Ben’s true HTCAV racing debut at Historic Winton in 2019.
“The first race was a bit of a blur - a combo of nerves, adrenaline and sheer ecstasy at achieving a lifelong dream - and thanks to John Bowe for the wise words of advice!” recalls Ben, thinking if brakes are good, suspension must be even better!
So, it was back to Eddie’s for lowering, thicker front sway bar and bigger torsion bars, resetting rear springs and adding proper race bushes and mounts. By Historic Sandown last year, the S Series had actually become a racecar, with Ben smashing his PB by a full four seconds with a creditable 1.35 best lap.
By the time of this year’s Phillip Island Classic, Ben was looking very competitive, with numerous great battles in the mid Nb field and pulling a 2.05 lap.
A recent upgrade to 15-inch wheels - with the better range of race rubber available for this size – has Ben confident he can easily shave an extra two seconds off a lap at both tracks – and a top speed of around 230 km/h down the straight at the Island.
What’s it like to get off the line?
“Two schools of thought,” says Ben, “You can apply the Tilley method: hold 3000 rpm and stab ‘1’ on the push-button gear selector, or hold it against the brake in gear. Either way it lays smoke!
“And it’s actually pretty easy to drive, immense fun. It’s not overpowered – somewhere between 220-240hp - but certainly nowhere near the development of the Tilley car.” (NSW’s famous family of MoPar and Mustang, especially Cameron Tilley in the S Series, AP5 and Pacer)
But Ben did take on an aspect of the Tilley car. He recently gave the body a birthday. Once the mechanicals were sorted, it was only natural that he’d want to make it look more handsome. Enter yet another HTCAV stalwart, EH and HQ Holden driver Richard Fairlam, who with son Brendan does amazing work for remarkably few dollars as Fairlam Auto Restoration in Cranbourne, Vic.
The mystery car was rubbed back to the bare essentials and a whole new look came out of the blue…
Enjoying the Ride
“I know I’ll never win any races,” says Ben, but he doesn’t care. It’s all about the cars and the camaraderie - being surrounded by new friends with plenty of support and advice.
It’s also very much about family. “Without the support of my wife Kellie, son Andy and daughter Annika, I wouldn’t – couldn’t - be doing this. Luckily, they seem to love it almost as much as I do.
“They know this old car is something special, Grandpa’s car. Dad and I had a dream a decade ago - I’m the one living it and I hope he’s enjoying the ride!”
