the Mercury Speedster body for model Ts (found in Speed Secrets magazine, thank you Larry!)

 

and one in Sweden was used by Tord Jadraas to move his hot dog stand! 

Cass Casmir and his barnfind late 1920s-era Fronty Ford 88 (thank you Larry W! I found this in the Speed Secrets magazine!)

“A few years ago, I was looking for spokes and wheels, and when I went to see them, I noticed something sticking out from under a large tarp in the garage,” he said. “It was a partially disassembled sprint car.”

Casmir's speedster has lettering for local Indiana and Illinois businesses in existence during the 1920s.

 “I have no factual history on this car, and we don’t know for sure if it was raced at Roby Speedway,” he said. “But there was no other racetrack around, and the wording (advertisements) on its sides show local companies of the time.”

Roby Speedway was a one-mile dirt track located between 108th and 112th streets in a small town named Roby, Ind., near the the Indiana/Illinois state boundary, that once drew thousands of spectators in the early days of auto racing, from 1920 to 1936

notice the unusual bars under the front axle! 

Those were required by some racetracks to prevent death and destruction if a wheel fell off or broke an axle!

here's an example

  

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2015/02/09/historians-locals-recall-long-vanished-roby-speedway

I just learned of a quarterly magazine that looks to be FUL of the stuff I like to read through, thank you Larry W !!

Charlie Yapp wrote a pair of articles in 1990 touching on the speedster segment of the hobby for Restorer, the Model A Ford Club of America’s magazine, and brought back a flood of memories for those racers and sparked a barrage of responses.

“The Model A Ford Club of America and the Model A Restorers Club, they’re purists, they do not like hot rodders,” Charlie said. “But they had already seen the speed stuff creeping into their world, so they wanted me to take charge of this.”

Charlie wrote to about 32 of those responders with a homemade newsletter, and a month later, 200 fellas wanted to receive the newsletter, 400 the following month, and 800 by the end of the first year.

 Charlie, who ran a photography studio at the time, saw something going and founded the Secrets of Speed Society to publish what became Secrets Magazine, which has continued on since 1991.

After learning about this, I looked on Ebay, and found a collection for sale for about 180, 1999-2018 editions. I snapped it up, and will be letting you all know about the wonderful stuff I find in them

It's about speedster people & the neat things they do. 

The Secrets Of Speed Society's (S.O.S.S.) goal is to save the history of "Ford Speed and Sport" as it was in the old days and today. 

Primarily Ford Model "A", "B" & "T" (1909 through 1934) based driving, cross country touring, hill climbs and racing of all types.

Published quarterly, with 52 glossy color pages packed with facts, figures, drawings and photographs.

With research articles, stories of our membership, past advertising, new products and events about Speedsters, hill climbs, open wheeled racers, cross country touring and performance for Model T and A and B Fords.

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/keeping-secrets/

I don't know what I'd do with it since there are no race tracks for 150 miles in any direction... but the heart wants some fun useless stuff

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1614966002906571&set=pcb.4188866831258693

a Midland from about 1913, roughly. Great lettering

https://forums.aaca.org/topic/341211-period-images-to-relieve-some-of-the-stress/page/373/

the 1928 Packard "Vincent Speedster"

In 1927, Jesse Vincent, head of Packard Engineering, was given permission to build a special speedster to demonstrate the abilities of the 2 1/2 mile banked oval at the newly-constructed Proving Grounds. 

He used the opportunity not only to impress celebrities and dignitaries, but to serve as a testbed for much of the Speedster-series drivetrain parts. 

It was constructed using the lightest single-six chassis, the largest (and highly modified) straight eight engine, and a special lightweight and aerodynamic aluminum body. 

It was clocked at over 129 mph on the oval track, and was often used by Vincent to commute from his home on Grosse Pointe! 

In 1929, Charles Lindberg drove the car at 112 mph, saying it was the fastest he had ever gone “…on the ground.”

https://forums.aaca.org/topic/341211-period-images-to-relieve-some-of-the-stress/page/514/

1916 American LaFrance Speedster

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2395537594231817&set=gm.3797216543905578&idorvanity=1530498137244108

people who color black and white photos deserve a free meal, or beer, or something that shows how must we all appreciate the work/effort and results!

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=846291261334274&set=gm.4035980353214009&idorvanity=496619540483459

"How To Build It" magazine from 1934 article on building a racing speedster. Used a lot of 23-25 Dodge parts, and I bet, back in the 40s, there were junkyards full of great parts for building speedsters!

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10173588614995195&set=pcb.4040459996099378

California wildfires that wipe out cities (I think this is from the Palisades fire) often have this result.... and why don't collectors install fire sprinkler systems with a reservoir of a couple thousand gallons?

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10227660945261412&set=gm.3993236777488367&idorvanity=496619540483459

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10227660945261412&set=pcb.3993236790821699

Another incredible cool hot rodding story, the 'Ballard Special', a twin engine racer, with two Ford 4 bangers, timed 90 degrees out so that they now run in a traditional straight 8 form with a 1-5-2-6-4-8-3-7 firing order ... thank you Doug!

     https://www.handh.co.uk/private-sales/vehicles-for-sale/FordModelA/

what a great and early little hot rod speedster/gow job

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=122157851168802634&set=gm.2928488327537350&idorvanity=1037424246643777

1914 speedster... another useful variety of the Model T

I thought I'd posted this 1952 Maverick Speedster, in case I haven't, here's a good look at an impressively good looking design

https://pebblebeachconcours.net/cars/seeking-the-cars-that-will-capture-hearts-at-the-2023-pebble-beach-concours-delegance/

https://www.ultimatecarpage.com/gallery/Sterling-Gladwin-Maverick-Sportster-93014.html

https://www.vaultcars.com/wp-content/uploads/Pebble12-1342.jpg

back in 2010, I posted about the Auburn Cabin Speedster... and I think I just stumbled across a photo of that same car way back in 1932 from

I'm only guessing it's the same one. 

orignally the color photos were posted in https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/12/woodlight-headlights-number-one-in.html where there are a couple others

https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/49339447263/in/album-72157712543534427/ for the black and white photo source, the Gladys O’Donnell Collection, she was a charter member of the 99s

1925 Maxim speedster made from a truck, was on Ebay, but the bidding didn't get to the reserve, of course

This Maxim fire truck was found in Vermont in bad shape. But the pointed fenders, the huge Wisconsin engine that made the reputation of the Stutz racing team in early teens, the magneto, the bucket seats and the hood that retains the unusual shape of the rad made it clear it was a great candidate for a speedster conversion

The engine was pushed back and lowered. The steering wheel angled and pushed back 36". 

The hood was extended and a custom monocle windshield added

Engine is a Wisconsin RBU 5x6 side valves. 471 cu. in. 

 4 cylinders cast in pairs.
Bosch magneto, Zenith Carb
Wheel base : 146"
Wheels : 24"
Tires (6) : 38x7 Bridgestone
Trans : 4 speed

 

If you are the type to plan your days to the minute, my car is NOT for you. Unless you have a museum!

But if you are the kind to never leave without your toolbox, you may qualify 

This Maxim is all but reliable. It will be 100 years old and everything that can leak does, 

Rad, oil pan, differential joints, carb etc...everything drips. 

And gas mileage is calculated by the drum, not gallons, It does not even register on the fuel efficiency spectrum. 

 Other clarification : it would be more exact to speak of "decelarators" when referring to what other cars have what is called "brakes"

https://www.ebay.com/itm/115699116044?mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5337851298&customid=597007&toolid=10001&nma=true&si=Zr6z0m%252BuQLBSYqFc%252B7MdYOUW6y4%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

16 k for this 1930 model A speedster in Tucson... I bet that would be a hoot to drive across country, just on the small roads (thanks Doug!)

https://tucson.craigslist.org/cto/d/tucson-1930-model-speedster/7583126152.html

there is a website dedicated to speedsters, of all brands, by someone that wrote a book about the speedster style.

the site includes a lot of brands, like Oldsmobile, Mercer, Stutz, Knox, Stanly, National, etc etc

the site is a side effect of the book the author wrote, and Hagerty did a book review on it https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/the-definitive-book-on-classic-speedsters-requires-a-slow-roll

 

https://www.classicspeedsters.com/blog