Just bought this Speedster. Looking for pictures of speedster builds in the late 30's or 40's. This car in was a barn for over 20 years. Don't know when it was built. It has a 1927 Chevrolet 4 Cylinder motor. Looking to paint like a speedster of that time. Doesn't run right now hoping to start working on it soon.
Here are a few more picture. It has a cool Mack Truck speedometer. I hoping it won't take much to get it on the road.
You have 1928 engine, not a 27. (two port exhaust, better head)(a little more horsepower stock) If it does not want to run right, you mite try some carb heat. Good find! Be safe, have fun!
I was just about to say that but you beat me to it, that's a '28 engine, or at least, it's a '28 head on it, which is a good thing. Should have a valve cover on it. The speedster has pretty good proportions, looks like maybe the cowl was lengthened, which helps. The right paint job and detailing on this could really make it into something. I think there is a Speedsters thread that would have tons of pictures to look at.
A simple clean up would help a lot Black out the blue suspension. Change the trailer tail lights for something more era correct. As far as paint color, that’s up to you.
You'll have trouble finding many late '30s-40s built speedsters. The speedster industry collapsed quite quickly after the introduction of the model A. This isn't too shocking. One of the main selling points of speedsters was the ability to disguise just how old a Model T (or Chev 490) you were starting with. A brass-era T pulled from a ravine looked like a nearly new T after a speedster body and a reconditioning that was mostly a diy project. After 1928, it was obvious that you were starting with an old car. There were a few Model A speedsters, but the launch of the '32 after only 4 years of the A meant that the A didn't have long enough to depreciate to build the same speedster market that the T had. Most of the post-1928 speedsters that exist were built in the 1950s & '60s as a spinoff of the 'old crocks' movement. In the '50s and into the '60s there was a fad for taking big-engined touring cars like the Cadillac, Buick, Pope-Hartford, etc, cutting them down to runabouts and racing them in 'old crocks races' as a lunch-break show at other events. Speedsters had a revival too, but in separate races. So feel free to take inspiration from speedsters built in any era. A great resource for speedsters is the Northwest Vintage Speedsters Club.
I've already got those photos saved in my reference file for my 28/early 30's Chevy framed boat tail. That car has me thinking that I will just sell the 29 A cowl that I have had stashed back for years and build my own cowl . The plan for mine is to still use the Ford Flathead six that a fellow Hamber gave me for the project. I had the engine before I ever had a frame. Like the red white and blue one mine will be a mix match of parts as that has always been the plan. Build it like some guys wanting to race would have done in the early 30's. This site has a lot of photos that you can look at both old race cars and there are a lot of the members cars to see. Worth checking for ideas on what works and what doesn't work so well. The rear axle that came on my frame is a bit different than the one you have from what I see. This axle is sitting out under the cherry tree hoping someone rescues it before it gets stuck on a scrap load.
I really like the proportions of your speedster. I am just not sure where they got rid of the distance between the seat and rear axle. Would you measure your wheelbase? From the pictures it looks like less than 113" Thanks!
The car does have mechanical brakes. I measured center to center of wheels it is 96 inches. I hoping this week getting it in the garage and start working on it.
For a little research and inspiration, get your hands on a copy of Outlaw Sprint Car Racer about the life of John Gerber in Iowa. Have fun
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