Speedsters at the MARC MEET

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henry's 31

Well-known member
For those attending the MARC meet, how was the speedester attendance? Did they get to form a special interest group?


Al
 
I went to the MARC meet in '03, the 100th anniversary of Ford. There were 8 or 10 speedsters there and a photo of them all together was on the back cover of the MARC magazine. We parked in a trailer park about 10 miles out of town and drove our speedster to the meet every day, it was a lot of fun!
 
They had talked before the meet about the possibility of forming a Special Interest Group. I wander what was the outcome? I have a speedster project and I am very interested.
 
I was under the impression that MARC frowned upon Model As converted to speedsters. No??
 
Although both clubs use the same judging standards for completion I've found that MAFCA is a bit more tolerant than MARC about changes from totally stock A's.
 
Before the convention MARC had come out and encouraged bringing speedesters to the convention and talked about possibility of a SIG. I would never take a restorable car and converted into a speedster, but I purchased a chassis from a member that was planning on building a traditional speedster, but due to health reasons he decided to sell it. I will build it in his honor, but only as a traditional era speedster. I recently purchased a metal boattail for my speedster that was crafted from hood on a wood base.
 
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henry's 31 said:
Before the convention MARC had come out and encouraged bringing speedesters to the convention and talked about possibility of a SIG. I would never take a restorable car and converted into a speedster, but I purchased a chassis from a member that was planning on building a traditional speedster, but due to health reasons he decided to sell it. I will build it in his honor, but only as a traditional era speedster. I recently purchased a metal boattail for my speedster that was crafted from hood on a wood base.
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I suspect that ALL Model A speedsters are built from left over parts.
 
Seems like there is plenty of interest in a Speedster SIG within MARC. All you need is 5 members to get started.

If someone was interested in doing so all they need to do is contact the Director of Regions (Jim Zimmer contact info here) and see if there is already something in the works. If there isn't then go ahead and start a region and start soliciting members!

-Tim
 
Based on the full page “ad” in the Model A News, I was planning to take my Speedster to Asheville. I registered it for the meet as a second car. However, when no plans were made for any special events, recognition, gatherings, or even group parking, I decided it wasn’t worth the extra trouble to bring a second Model A. If there was even a display planned for the front parking area, I would have brought the Speedster, but there was just no inducement to drag the thing up the mountain.

I would be mildly interested in a Special Interest Group.

W. Michael
 
P.S. said:
I was under the impression that MARC frowned upon Model As converted to speedsters. No??
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Paul, I took 3 Model-As to the 2003 MARC National meet in Dearborn of which one was a speedster and one really was not by definition a speedster. I posted pix of the two cars below. We did drive both cars on the Mandatory Tour to the Willow Run airport that year.

The issue that I have kinda found to be the stumbling block was exactly what was a 'Speedster'. A Speedster by the most accurate definition was an aftermarket body or a home-built body that replaced an original (OEM) body on an otherwise stock-type running gear.

My 1928 Model-A track roadster pictured below really isn't, -or should not be considered a Speedster (-because it retains the original OE body), -but instead in the original era it was generally called a GOW job or a modified. These same cars after the war became known as hot rods ...which I think is where the purists began having some heartburn in promoting them in the club. I felt the brunt of some of this controversy because back then I was restoring/entering cars in fine point yet was modifying & racing Model-As at the same time.

Fast forward a couple of decades now, and MAFCA has definitely became more liberal in what they accept, ...and so maybe MARC is willing to concede?? Remember, since the inception in the early 1950s it was the MARC club's mission statement 'To promote the 1928-1931 Ford Model-A ...as originally produced." Now the 'as originally produced' verbiage is no longer in the MARC club statement. So in reality, even though MARC still calls themselves the Restorers Club, I guess the club is technically open to stock Model-As, modified Model-As, street rod Model-As, rat rod Model-As, hot rod Model-As, or anything in-between that kinda resembles a Model-A. Just a little FWIW, when you look up the definition of a street rod (go to NSRA's page), it would appear the majority of the cars attending the Asheville meet fit within the street rod definition simply by their use of aftermarket engine blocks, replacement cylinder heads, synchro-ed transmissions & overdrives, tube shocks, hydraulic brakes, incorrect/different steering gear boxes,modified electrical systems including alternators and aftermarket (electronic) distributors, Air Conditioning units, tinted windows, incorrect wheels or tire sizes & radial tires, non-authentic paint colors, etc., etc.. So in reality, a Speedster SIG is really not that far removed from what the majority of these other cars are!! :eek:

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In my opinion, a speedster should have a beautiful hand made body, overhead valves, a bullet noise, boat tail, friction shocks, and aftermarket wire wheels with racing tires. It should be something that could have been built before WWII which leaves out hot rods. I am not fond of the ones that are just a Model A chassis with two seats.
 
nkaminar said:
In my opinion, a speedster should have a beautiful hand made body, overhead valves, a bullet noise, boat tail, friction shocks, and aftermarket wire wheels with racing tires. It should be something that could have been built before WWII which leaves out hot rods. I am not fond of the ones that are just a Model A chassis with two seats.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My8tEmdQvuk


Weight was the enemy. Stripping off fenders etc was the easiest way to make a car faster. Everyone poured their money into increasing engine performance. If you were the rich kid on the block daddy bought you a new streamlined body. I consider seats on a sheet of plywood to be the easiest way to make the lightest car - it's also the oldest method.

Maybe do 3 classes of "Speedsters"
The Raceabout - modeled after the 1913 Mercer Raceabout 2 seats on a platform with a gas tank behind them.
GOW - Pre WWII type fenderless modified with original body
Speedster - aero body one or two person
All would be open for period engine mods flathead or OHV.


But if you don't have the $ or room to add a Speedster to the garage I think a Cycle Kart competition would be a lot of fun with a period correct feel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyfxc49reCw https://youtu.be/njkoZLWx74Q
 
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ModelA29 said:
But if you don't have the $ or room to add a Speedster to the garage I think a Cycle Kart competition would be a lot of fun with a period correct feel.
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Cycle Karts are definitely WAY up there is the 'cool' department. At my age however, there are many things that I definitely could still do -but shouldn't, ....and cycle karts definitely ranks right up there at the top of that shouldn't list!! ;) :D
 
BRENT in 10-uh-C said:
Cycle Karts are definitely WAY up there is the 'cool' department. At my age however, there are many things that I definitely could still do -but shouldn't, ....and cycle karts definitely ranks right up there at the top of that shouldn't list!! ;) :D
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C'mon it's only 200cc and 6.5 hp. The no rear suspension is a no go with my back. My first "car" when I was 5 was a 1/4 midget - this looks like just as much fun with the ability to build a car I'd fit into. I swapped my midget for a 28 Dodge when I was in 8th grade.
 
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