Beautiful Photos and The Story of Edsel Ford’s Model 40 Special Speedster – Design You Trust

Beautiful Photos and The Story of Edsel Ford’s Model 40 Special Speedster

1934-ford-model40-special-speedster-1

In the early 1930s, Edsel B. Ford, the President of Ford Motor Company, commissioned his styling chief, Eugene T. “Bob” Gregorie, to create a unique roadster with limited production potential. Gregorie sketched various alternatives before building a 1/25th scale model, which he tested in a small wind tunnel. The resulting car, based on the 1934 Ford (also known as Model 40), became known as the Model 40 Special Speedster.

h/t: vintag.es

1934-ford-model40-special-speedster-2

With the help of Ford Aircraft personnel, Gregorie’s team fabricated a custom welded tubular structural framework and an elegant taper-tailed aluminum body. The car’s long, low proportions were unlike anything Ford had ever built. It weighed about 2,100 pounds and was powered by a 100-brake horsepower Mercury flathead V-8 engine.

1934-ford-model40-special-speedster-3

The Model 40 Special Speedster was one of Edsel Ford’s personal vehicles, but after his death in 1943, it changed hands several times. In 2009, Texas collector John O’Quinn purchased the car from Bill Warner, founder of Florida’s Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. After O’Quinn’s death, Edsel Ford II arranged for the Speedster’s purchase, and it was restored in 2010 by RM Restorations in Blenheim, Ontario, Canada.

1934-ford-model40-special-speedster-4

The Model 40 Special Speedster is an exceptional piece of automotive history, not only for its beauty but also for its connection to one of the most influential families in the American automobile industry.

1934-ford-model40-special-speedster-5
1934-ford-model40-special-speedster-6
1934-ford-model40-special-speedster-7
1934-ford-model40-special-speedster-8
1934-ford-model40-special-speedster-9
1934-ford-model40-special-speedster-10
1934-ford-model40-special-speedster-11
1934-ford-model40-special-speedster-12
1934-ford-model40-special-speedster-13
1934-ford-model40-special-speedster-14
1934-ford-model40-special-speedster-15
1934-ford-model40-special-speedster-16

If you want more awesome content, subscribe to 'Oh, Design You Trust,' our brand new Facebook page! Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

More Inspiring Stories

Cool Pics That Capture Naughty Ladies of the 1950s
Cool Pics Of 20 Great '80s Classic Cars That Time Forgot
Rock ’N’ Roll On Wheels: 30 Photos Of The Coolest Customized Vans Of The 1970s
Amazing Black-and-White Photos of Amsterdam Taken by Dutch Painter George Hendrik Breitner
The Isolator: This Insane Anti-Distraction Helmet From 1925 Would Fit Into Any Modern Open Office
Artist Illustrates Well-Known Thriller Movies As Vintage Cartoons
Amazing Illustrations by John Bauer in the Early 20th Century
Davis Divan Three-Wheeler: The 1940s Unique Concept Car That Lost In History
Vintage Photographs of Women Flaunting the Inflatable Bras to Look Like Marilyn Monroe in 1952
Beautiful Pics Of Madonna Photographed In Alphabet City, NYC By Richard Corman In 1982
Fabulous Cover Photos of La Vie Parisienne in 1927
Stunning Vintage Black-and-White Photos of Edwin Smith
Vintage Japanese Watercolor Sketches of Toy Designs
Futuristic and Retro, Hyundai Transforms First-Generation 1975 Pony with Electric Powertrain
Romanian Artist Colorized Black And White Photos To Bring Memories To Vivid Reality
Beautiful Tiny 1929 Zaschka Three Wheeler, The World’s First Folding Car
Bizarre Portraits of Cora Korsett With Tiny Waist in the 1970s
Amazing Photos of the Third Generation of the Ford Thunderbird, 1961-1963
Edwardian London as Seen Through the Eyes of an Unknown Russian Tourist in 1909
R1: Innovative Three-Section Low Floor Tram
Photographer Martin Parr Captured Candid Portraits of British Drivers in 1994
Retro Thai Film Posters Tell You Everything You Want To Know About A Movie
Firebird III: One Of The Most Intriguing And Influential Concept Cars Of General Motors
"Deep, Dark And Dangerous": Outstanding Fantasy, Sci-Fi & Comic Book Illustrations By David Palumbo