T for the Track | The Jalopy Journal The Jalopy Journal
After a long day on the road, we made it to Riverside, California. I’m exhausted, excited and a little bit overwhelmed. Why? This weekend, I’ll be racing at The Race of Gentlemen’s Southern California Drags in my Model A roadster. I’ve covered T.R.O.G. on both coasts, but this is the first time I’ll be right in the middle of the action. I can’t wait.
Naturally, drag racing has been on my mind for the past few weeks. It seems as if it’s always popping up in my searches and buzzing around my head without any sign of slowing down. And when I was scanning my local Craigslist, I came across a competition machine that is too good not to share.
The listing is for a “Ford Model T drag racer,” but that doesn’t even begin to tell the story. The ad also includes a short description.
“Ford T roadster steel on 1932 rails (sic), built in the late 1940s, 299-inch flathead, 1939 Ford transmission, won 1984 Nostalgia Nationals at Baylands with a 12.12 dial-in, so featured on the 1985 NN poster. Spares, photos available or look in Hemmings Motor News.”
Although the ad confuses a Model A frame with a 1932 frame, I’d like to believe the rest is accurate. What about it is 1940s? I’m not exactly sure. That aside, the whole setup is ultra-traditional. I wish someone would have scooped it up to race at the drags this weekend. It looks like a strong runner, and I hope to see it out on the track one day.
—Joey Ukrop
Photos from the CL ad here.
