The Story

This 1930 Ford Model A roadster is a genuine post-war dirt track racer with a remarkable family history spanning three generations. On December 7th, 1941, the seller's grandfather was 16 years old when he lied about his age to join the Army. Shipped off to the Pacific for the duration of World War II, he island-hopped his way to occupying Japan for a year. Through it all, he dreamed about one thing: turning the 1930 Ford sitting in the backyard into a race car.

When he returned home in 1946, that's exactly what he did. Built with Ford, Chevrolet, and surplus Sherman tank parts, this roadster was purpose-built for dirt track and mountain racing on Friday nights after work. From 1946 until 1969, this car competed regularly and won frequently, filling the garage with trophies. Through several iterations over the years, the original four-cylinder was eventually replaced in 1958 with a 1954 Ford 230ci I6 from the grandfather's pickup truck. The combination proved successful on the track for another decade.

The seller inherited the car in 2003 when his grandfather passed away. Fourteen years ago, he made it street legal by adding headlights, turn signals, and gauges, and upgraded the three-speed manual transmission to a Mustang T5 five-speed. It's a blast to drive and gets a lot of attention, frequently getting stopped for photo ops. Shortly after completing the work, financial necessity forced him to sell it. Four years ago, he bought it back. Now, he must part with it again, this time, he fears, for good. This will be the second time the car has left the family.

What You Get

Drivetrain & Chassis: The engine is a 1954 Ford truck 230ci I6 that runs and drives excellent. It starts easily and idles smoothly. The intake is custom fabricated with dual two-barrel Motorcraft carburetors. Copper tubing is plumbed across the bottom of the intake plunum to maintain optimal fuel temperature in cold climates and can be opened or shut to avoid vapor lock. The distributor is a Ford Dura-Spark style HEI. Custom side-exit header run through an internal Glasspack muffler. An electric fuel pump mounted inside the tank delivers fuel and is actuated from a dash-mounted switch. The transmission is a Mustang T5 five-speed manual, connected with an adapter plate. A new clutch slave cylinder was recently installed. The electrical system has been completely modernized to 12-volt with everything in working order. Cooling is handled by a retrofitted early Mustang radiator and electric fan. The front suspension and brakes are Chevrolet components. The rear end is a Ford banjo-style unit.

Body & Frame: The body is composed of removable panels secured with twist locks. The checkerboard "flames" on the front are removable panels. The #7 was recently painted on the side in honor of the grandfather's racing history. The Ford frame is fully boxed using steel from post-WWII surplus Sherman tank material.

Interior & Floors: The seats have been completely redone and are in excellent condition. The car is equipped with a detachable, era-correct racing steering wheel. Modern GPS and 12-volt gauges are installed. The floor plate is removable for easy access to the transmission and shifter.

What You Need

The seller notes that if he were building the car today, he would choose different headlights, mirrors, and gauges with more classic styling. Those decisions are now up to the next owner. There are some light rust spots on exposed metal around the body and on some chassis components. The floor could be repainted to avoid further surface rust. The car is fully functional and street legal.