1928 Ford Model A Roadster
For consignment, a custom built racer with the intention to race in vintage events. In particular “The Race of Gentlemen” in NJ, however is fully sanctioned to race in other vintage events nationwide. It started life as a Model A roadster, however has undergone a vintage racing look in its transformation to the present state. It sports a well machined and massaged for speed 600 series tractor engine topped by custom carbs, a 3 speed transmission from 1939, juice brakes, and some transverse leaf springs for the suspension and handling.
Exterior
This fenderless Ford has a paint scheme which gives a vintage ode to a Bob Fish which gained fame in the 1950’s sponsoring various cars to promote his carburetors, including an entry and winner of the 1955 Daytona Beach Race driven by Fireball s. Unfortunately the car was disqualified due to an internal engine modification. So here we see sky blue in the background with a white cove and some red painted on badging with sponsors. It’s hand painted and is well done, looking the 1950’s racing part. An open cowled hood has a long curved white coated exhaust piping and headers which runs through the mid length of the car for the back side exit grow from the open sided engine bay. A roll bar resides just forward of the C curved trunk which dives downward to a bumper-less rear roll pan. The wheels are looking like stock black centered and white rimmed VW wheels, which are actually vintage Ford steel wheels and are wrapped by 6.00-16 rubber all around. A topless car with only the windscreen remaining and it is surrounded by chrome trim and has a flat plate glass inserted. Upfront, the radiator cowl is black, and it has some vertical fan like ribs running through it. Black bezel headlights flank on either side.
Interior
Stripped down to its bare bones, we now see some straight design low back bomber styled buckets with black anodized aluminum sides and padded black vinyl inserts for the seat and back. The remainder of the cockpit is covered in light weight gray painted steel drilled panels. The dash is also full metal jacket and is painted with the exterior sky blue and has 3 sweep gauges in its center. A rally steering wheel fronts the dash and a long armed shifter reaches for the driver in the center. Keep it simple and lightweight is the mantra for this racer.
Drivetrain
Using a 1953 Red Tiger tractor engine which has been meticulously machined with work on a hotter cam, porting, bored out cylinders and big valves, and a cut down flywheel which provided the tractor with a lot of torque, but not a lot of speed but that certainly is no longer the case! The engine is a 172ci 4 cylinder, and is topped with some Holley 1904 1-barrel carbs in dual format. The transmission is a 1939 Ford 3-speed manual type with a 3.78, (consigner stated), rear axle. Lake pipe style headers are on. Aptly named a “Redneck OFFY”!
Undercarriage
All pristinely painted black steel with not even any trace of track dirt on her. It’s very straight and true. We see transverse leaf springs for all corners, and 1939 “Juice Drum Brakes”.
Drive-Ability
The “Redneck OFFY” fired right up and off to the paved test track where it sounded vintage, drove vintage and is showing some surprising performance from that Red Tiger 4 popper. Braking was solid and bias free, and it was a real hoot to go around the track a few times. It did not have the pleasure of going through the McDonald’s Drive through though, I did not have my app with me on the celley.
All in all at the end of the day a custom built vintage racer with some fun tongue in cheek, some serious performance and effort to get there, and a nifty paint scheme giving a nod to a carb builder in the 50’s. It’s definitely a neato piece featured in Hemmings Motor News in February of 2021. Read all about it, although not as interesting as this ‘script!
Price: Auction
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