Speed....

R

ronn

Well-known member
What has the fastest model A ever been clocked at?

assuming it was on a track....?

what was the setup?
 
Pete Richardson of Washington State holds the record at Bonneville at 107.778. This is a full-fendered, stock bodied coupe. He used an overhead valve conversion on a Model B block, an A block would have done the same thing. The engine is fuel injected and uses a magneto for ignition. Racing gasoline is the fuel. Model A engines have gone over 200 MPH in streamliners.
 
I read somewhere that there was a model A powered drag car that ran in California in the sixties that was SO FAST that the guys with blown hemi engines would leave when they saw it coming. I think that Jim Brierley was the driver. Maybe Jim can tell us more about this car.
 
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WOW! impressed....

The 200mph streamliners is what I was looking for-how is it possible....?
 
Do you mean something like this........


Kowalski Customs out of Reading PA. Bonneville last August they set a class record at 138.9 mph. The body is a belly tank from a 1949 F-86 Sabre jet. I saw the car in person at the Jalopy Showdown in Latimore PA and I can honestly say the workmanship is well done with great attention to detail. Oh, and this is normally aspirated.....
 

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Way cool! Thanks for the photos Brian.

Puts a whole new meaning to the term "model A".....
 
Purdy, Thanks for the plug but it wasn't me or my car that scared away Chryslers. It was Vic Smaldino, a friend of mine that is now in his 80's but still very sharp of mind. This was before the big-guns ran blowers. Vic ran an all time high of 136 MPH. Vic ran 100% nitro and it was a sweet thing to watch!
 
Greg Martinez of San Francisco has the class record of 155 with his blown flathead lakester. Steve Nelson of Petaluma CA has the class record in his lakester at 197. AS I recall Steve got somewhere around 270 hp on the dyno with DOHC. Jim Brierely has his lakester class record of over 160 with his vintage OHV engine with a turbo. Pics dont seem to want to attach, will try again later.
 
Brian LI said:
Do you mean something like this........


Kowalski Customs out of Reading PA. Bonneville last August they set a class record at 138.9 mph. The body is a belly tank from a 1949 F-86 Sabre jet. I saw the car in person at the Jalopy Showdown in Latimore PA and I can honestly say the workmanship is well done with great attention to detail. Oh, and this is normally aspirated.....
Click to expand...

Brian I saw a bunch of their stuff at the Oaks PA Tattoo and Hot Rod expo last year and I was very impressed until I got closer and realized everything they brought was incomplete and had to be pushed into the show. It kinda ruined it for me.
 
....well kinda depends on how you define what is still considered "Model A's". The above cars don't really look like a Model A.

But here's a fast one that still does:

Ford_MTA_0.jpg


The Mäkelä Auto-Tuning Oy (Ltd) (MAT) from Finland took a stock 1929 Model A Tudor and slipped in a '1981 122ci aluminum Cosworth BDA power plant originally designed for European Group 4 rally and touring car racing. The naturally aspirated Cosworth engine revs to 8,400 rpm to make 250 hp and sees 200 lb-ft of torque at 7,200 rpm (according to the company web page). Note the painted, wood-grained, metal spoke, wheels.

There is a great video of a drive in this car on the MAT web page (turn up the volume on your computer):

http://www.mat.fi/n_index.php?nav=gallery_video&video=Model_A_fast_version.f4v&back=videos

They claim that it is the worlds fastest Ford Model A at 200 kmph (124.27 mph).

The story about it was covered in several magazines. Here is the link to the article that appeared in March 2008 Hot Rod Magazine that tells all about the project:

http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/hrdp_0803w_1929_model_a_touring_car/viewall.html

Fordially,
Brad in Maryland
 
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The aforementioned vehicle is not a Model A Ford. It is an automotive monstrosity with Model A parts. It is an insult to most Barners to refer to it as a Model A Ford. It is hardly what Henry had in mind in the 20's. Anybody can put a big motor in an antique car and make it go fast. That is not fascinating it is disgusting !
Al
 
Here are some more of the Smaldino rail:

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Here is Vic King's rail "Midnight Oil":

I think Jim had something to do with this one.



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Attached hope are pics of Greg Martinez's car in red, and Steve Nelson's in orange trim. Sorry, no pics of Jim B's car.
 

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Vic King's Midnight Oil was built mostly by Vic with partner Pete Wooley, I came along and helped finish it. The first engine to run it was my Cook, Followed by a Single Overhead Cam Sparks, then several others including a Pontiac Tempest but mostly Model B's. In 1960 we took it to Detroit for the NHRA Nationals, and won X-class while setting top time and low e.t. records in class, with the blown Sparks. A lot of history in that car, as well as work and fun.
 
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