Glossary of Terms
H
A component of the braking system that is activated by driver. Generally the Hand Brake causes a braking action to occur in one or more wheels, or some other part of the drive train.
Hardtop --A rigid, removable top for a convertible or roadster.
Hatchback --A hinged body component that serves as a sort of door opening outward and providing entry to the interior of the car from the rear.
H.D. --Heavy Duty.
H.T. --High Tension. The English term refers to spark plug voltage in relation to ignition components.
Head Restraint --A cushioned head support meant to protect the driver in conditions where the driver’s head may be thrust rearward.
Header --A multibranch exhaust system assembly that transfers exhaust products from more than one cylinder to one or more exhaust pipes.
Header Tank --An engine cooling system component that is used as the filling point for the system, and is generally found at the top of the radiator.
Headlight Cover --A protective cover for the headlight(s). The Headlight Cover(s) is part of the original body design.
Heater Delete --A phrase used to describe the condition of racing cars being ordered with the heater missing, or “deleted.”
Heat Riser Tube --An induction system attachment that provides a source of warm air (usually from the exhaust system) to aid in cold starting.
Heat Sink --A part of a system that transfers and dissipates heat from another region of that same system.
Heavy Chevy --A name for the ’71 Chevelle that featured a cowl-induction hood and a similar look like the SS models, but instead used easily insurable small-block V-9s for power (including the notoriously poor 307). Production of the car continued through ’72.
Helicoil --A form of commercial repair for internal threads.
Hemi --Considered by most to be the greatest high-performance V-8 muscle car engine of all. Hemis first appeared 1951 in Chryslers. Hemis were produced until 1971. The Hemi name was created from the hemispherical shape of the combustion chambers that were unique to Hemi engines.
Homologation --A system of manufacturers/competitors certifying that a Formula or Sports Racing car, as produced, complies with all of the necessary specifications.
Homologation Specials --Some musclecars were short production-run vehicles built to qualify (homologate) for competition racing events. During this period many cars were built so that their racing version could compete in events such as drag racing or road racing. There were minimum street production requirements for these cars to required by the racing sanctioning bodies.
Hood --The panel or panels serving the function of covering the engine compartment.
Hood Tach --A tachometer mounted on the hood of the car, outside of the cockpit. Hood Tachs were used primarily on Pontiac GTO models.
Horn --An audible signaling device that highway cars possess.
Hub --The part to which a road wheel is attached, which provides support for the wheel and has the capacity to rotate on a fixed shaft.
Hub Caps --Removable attachments to the central area of road wheels whose purpose is solely cosmetic.
Hub Carrier --A component of the suspension that provides the capacity for mounting a rotating wheel hub as well as the attachment of different suspension parts and stabilizers.
Husrt/Olds --The company created by George Hurst to combat restrictions he was faced with at GM when he wanted to put a 455 in his ’68 Cutlass. This Hurst/Olds combo would appear many times throughout the years on many different vehicles from this point forward.
Hurst Shifter --Floor shifters that were added as an aftermarket addition to many cars. More precise and much more rugged than factory units, most serious four-speed musclecars used the Hurst Shifter. Several automatics did as well.
