What defines a Speedster ?

Would it be sacrilege to power one with a later in line 6?
Of course I would cover it with shiny metal!

 

It'd be brilliant with a Jaguar XK six.

 

From that same site:

It's T-based, apparently (but what is the front suspension?) Take a look at that exhaust

 

Wheel size probably 16's at the minumum, and 20's for the real vintage look.

Why not any engine you got. how about a flat 6 aircooled franklin like Tucker was going to use.

 

Quite simply an early(pre-1930 would be a good breakpoint) roadster with the bumpers, fenders, runningboards, and aprons removed. Often has some suspension modifications to lower the car and basic or wild and wooly engine modifications for high speed use. Often has headlamps, taillamps, horn etc for daily use.

 

That would be a bit "unorthodox", but an earlier Franklin would be awesome!

 

Jeff, how 'bout a 3 springer, underslung frame? I'd think you could make your own cowl, mimicking a '26/'27 T, as they're simpler and more "roundy" than an "A", would look good and be easier to integrate into your hood/boat-tail body.

Brian

 

underslung 3 springer ?? like parallel in front and one in back? not sure what you mean.

I have an A roadster cowl, so I figured I would just use what I've got on hand. Same with the engine choice.

Every time I google search info on speedsters, there is always something about your car from Hot Rod magazine.

 

He is a World War One Veteran at a protest in Washington DC about getting a promised bonus for WWI veterans. They didn't get the bonus, ever. They were camping in parks and got run out of DC by the U.S. Army's Douglas MacArthur. This explains why many older veterans I knew did not think General MacArthur was wonderful. This happened early in the Great Depression. No Connection to the current happenings.

 

Me thinks a three springer is transverse in the front and a pair of semi elipticals in the rear.

 

Saw this one at Hershey this year.

 

The bonus march took place in 1932 and that picture dates much earlier, probably early twenties. What makes you think there is a connection?

 

The name "The Cootie" was military slang for bugs that lived in World War One trenches. The car was made from older model parts. I knew older people who did drive cars like that one in the Depression. What makes you think the picture is older?

 

Here is the pride of the South Omaha Turds, owned and built by brother Dick Warsocki. We had a blast taking it to the H.A.M.B. drags last meet, a test and tune success. Sure turns heads going down the street. It says speedster big time! See its build thread at-- Hoodlum update --thread title. ~sololobo~

 

Liking this little Nash Healey

 

Honestly, just build it from scratch. it aint that hard. every time some tries to amalgamate a stock cowl with a f1 hood, it looks like a turd. sorry.

The best way to spend your time is studying the 30's junk formula Indy cars, that is about the scale you want. moon disks are going to look gay and out of place.

Start with an idea: 100" wb, set the radiator back till the back of the radiator is on the same horizontal plane as the outer radius of the front wheels (not tires). Then get your butt as close to the rear end as possible, then set the passenger back 4 to 6 inches, this will help keep the body narrow. The max width of a speedster should be no more than 36" (2 18" seats, I built mine a 34" inches width), it is a race car, not a sofa.

The tail should be narrow and long, study how the center line of the tail intersects with the body lines.

Finally study, study and study. It is all in the balance and execution. Try not to make something ugly.

Have fun!

 

That Nash Healey is a Frazer Nash. They have an interesting chain drive transmission.

 

Here are some Speedsters at a Hillclimb in Lincoln NE. photos are from the local newspaper, so don't know who to give credit for the photographs.

 

I'd like to see more conventional front + underslung rear. It means designing around the resulting reverse rake to the frame, but it can look good.

 

I like the wheel/tyre combo on this one:

What's that, 19" and 16"?

 

I do like that one too Ned, as well as the silver #29

Thanks for the definitions fur buscuit, but I'm confued on this - "set the radiator back till the back of the radiator is on the same horizontal plane as the outer radius of the front wheels". Did you mean vertical?

 

yeah...verticle...

 

Its all relative...

 

Semi-ellipical front, single rear (which mine looks like, but isn't, as it's on coils with unequal length trailing arms on the rear) is a 3 springer. Glad to hear I'm near the top of a google search for "speedster"! I have Bill McGuire to thank for that!

Brian

 

I agree with fur biscuit on this one. The "junk formula" Indy cars of the 30's are terrific inspiration. As far as what defines a speedster, in my mind it's a narrow single or double seat car built to be fast or at least appear to be so. Front engine, with pre-WW II styling. I'm sure some of the experts on the forum, and there are many, can show you a large number of cars that don't fit those requirements that I would probably still call sppedster. There is your answer. It is almost whatever the builder thinks it is. Here is my interpretation. Once more I agree with fur biscuit, from scratch looks the best. There are numerous ways around that, but that's the way I went. Please keep us posted on your progress.

 

I found an article from modern mechanix magazine that used longitudinal springs in the front and transverse in the rear. Chevy axles and frame "A" engine and transmission "T" cross member and spring.

The best I could ever figure was a speedster was intended as a sports car instead of a dragster or lake car, so cornering was considered in the design. They would have little rake and similar size tires front and rear.

Also check out the prewar A.R.C.A., not the same as the present one, that was started as an European style road racing series. similar to the present S.C.C.A.

 

After I found a Studebaker President Roadster in the woods, I then found this guys website who happened to have this little gem on it!


This was the plan for the '31-'32 Studebaker Indy cars.

 

That is great to see those plans. NICE!

I dig this A based on too


Now my head is swirling with ideas , I may have to dig thru my old models and mock something up in 1/25th scale, just so I can "build" it.

 

Final product.