History Period (pre-1928) Speedster photos

These were posted before but still apply - Alberta / Montana

 

What a great machine! I'm guessing those side lamps don't do much for lighting up the road at night

 

Yet another fantastic Speedster post!

 

26-27 Mercury bodied speedster;

 

Cool post! I'm planning on trying something like this with my next build. Just slightly newer (1928 - 29) with a handmade body.

 

About 20 years ago, I was fortunate to be able to copy the contents of a photo album from Ford Body Co., a very old local manufacturer of aftermarket commercial bodies in our area. I contacted them because I had seen a restored T huckster with a body manufactured by them back in the day. The photo album was ancient - the gloss black and white photos were attached to cloth-covered pages.

These are scans of some of the speedster bodies that they offered at the time. I have copies of the price list for two of the three bodies. I also got copies of many of the commercial bodies that they manufactured - including the first garbage truck that the city of Greensboro ever had.

Speedster Body:





The "Special Racer Body":






The U-39 Racer:

 

This is pretty much what I want to build (sans fenders). THANK YOU for sharing this with us...got anymore?

 

Those were all of the speedsters that I had. I did just go back thru my folder and found a rear view of the U-39 speedster. I'll scan that tomorrow at work and will post it for you. It has an interesting rear deck/spare tire mount that you'll probably like.

I do have lots of old commercial bodies - most in the teens and 20's era.

I find the photos very interesting because many are commercial vehicles built for companies in the Greensboro, NC area and have the logos and addresses of the businesses painted on the bodies. Some are photographed in front of the businesses in old downtown Greensboro which I find interesting as well.

Todd

 

Thank you Jalopy31. Great photos, I had a Ford body catalog years ago but there weren't any speedster types listed. That first photo is very nice, the early br*** radiator types are my favorites.

 

I'm glad to hear that those made your day!

I scanned the speedster photos today at work and cleaned them up some to improve clarity (works great on B&W photos). I'll do that with the commercial-bodied cars as well, and will email them to you. It may take me a couple of days to get it done after work hours though.

Regards,
Todd

 

A speedster my dad was working on for the Great Race. Don't know any specifics on it though. . .

 

Here's the back view of the U-39. I like what looks like a raised circular tool storage compartment with hinged lid. I ***ume a spare tire would lay on the rear deck centered around this compartment.



Todd

 

Be still my heart! That's gorgeous!

Here's a quick photoshop of it without fenders;

 

Thanks again for posting these...this car is fantastic.

Here's the thing I'm wondering...where in the heck is the fuel tank. You'll notice the "Special Racer" has an oval fuel tank on the turtle deck, but the standard "racer" body doesn't have an exposed tank. At first I thought it might be under the seat(s), but there's no way a 10" round tank is going to fit there. Next I thought maybe the tank is in the turtle deck, but I don't see a filler neck. The top of the turtle deck evidently is screwed down (as seen in the photo), so I cant figure out where in the world they put the tank...it's either a custom tank under the seats (seats hinge forward for filling) or its in the turtle deck and we just can't see the filler neck. Very interesting!

 

I'd bet my money that it's in the turtle deck and we cannot see the filler neck (cap?) in either of the photos. I love the tool box/spare tire retainer - that's my favorite part of this design. If you made a flat tank that fit in the turtle deck, I wonder of you could hide the filler neck under the lid for the tool compartment?

Todd

 

I agree, the tool compartment is 'snappy'. Looks like only the bottom part of the tool compartment hinges up & back, I see screws holding the top (forward) portion down to the base. It might be possible to run a tank under there with the filler coming up thru the tool compartment, but the rise in the crossmember complicates that quite a bit.

Measuring on my frame, I've got 71" from the firewall to the crossmember - the spec sheet says its 32 1/2" from dash (firewall) to seat - the seat itself is 16" deep, so we're at 48 1/2" from the dash to the rear of the seat. That only leaves 22 1/2" for the fuel tank which is not enough for a regular cylinder style Ford tank.

If the tank were mounted longitudinally behind the seat (under the forward part of the turtle deck) a 10" round tank would easily fit, but I would think you'd be able to see the filler neck.

 

This is the first Hybrid.....It is an electric, hydrogen generator. No fuel needed.Way before it's time.

.

 

Sweet looking "T" based speedster from a 1920 issue of Popular Mechanics

 

Bad Daddy where did your dad get the seats ?

 

For some reason, this one hits home for me. Gary

 

I can't remember if it's on this thread or somewhere else here but there are a set of plans for the mercury speedster