Summary

Hot-rodder icon Tex Smith's 1934 Ford roadster pickup was brought over from Australia by Tex and built by OZ Rods of Australia. Restored by Bill Miller, finished in June 2015. All-steel car running a 1957 Desoto 331 HEMI with automatic transmission.

Details

Tex Smith is one of hot roding's iconic figures. Tex was a supporter of Bonneville Salt Flats in the early 50s and helped develop the NHRA. He was editor at Hot Rod magazine, also introduced Street Rodder, Rod & Custom and several other successful magazines. Tex helped in the founding of NSRA, and the Street Rod Nationals. He was also editor of Old Car Weekly, and became PR Director for the Great American Race. Tex introduced his own magazine, Hot Rod Mechanix, and developed an ever-growing line of specialty books. This beautiful all-steel phantom roadster pickup was originally built by OZ Rods of Australia in the mid 90s, but the roadster has just finished a complete restoration. It's running a built 1957 Desoto 331 HEMI, topped off with a custom intake with four Stromberg 97 carburetors. It has a custom canyon colored leather interior and the exterior has Mercedes Cream PPG paint. The three-year restoration was completed in June 2015, the same month as Tex Smith's passing. This beautiful 1934 Ford Roadster will be an everlasting memory of one of hot rodding's early legends and iconic figures, LeRoi Tex Smith.