1926 FORD MODEL T INDY SPEEDSTER

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Many years before Henry Ford's 1932 Flathead V8 brought race-winning horsepower potential to the masses, racers like Frank Kulick, Wilbur Shaw, the Chevrolet Brothers and Barney Oldfield were hot rodding their Model Ts and winning at AAA-sanctioned hill climbs, 24-hour reliability runs and circle track races from coast to coast. A quick check of the AAA record books (1911 through 1931) will show numerous top-10 finishes at the Indy 500 by Model T speedsters similar to this one. Built by one G.E.

Smith (born circa 1905) and owned by him until 1997, this stripped-down 1926 Ford Model T boattail speedster features a hand-formed aluminum body and engine modifications that boost horsepower from 20 to 28. The (unverified) story goes that it was built as a backup car for the 1926 and 1927 Indy 500 but never pressed into service. Though it lacks exotica in the form of a Rajo, Roof or Frontenac overhead valve cylinder head, magneto ignition, etc., its mildly hopped-up Flathead four provides plenty of pep for vintage race events or (with the fenders and windscreen in place) on the road.