Edsel Ford’s restored 1934 Model 40 Special Speedster was unveiled last week at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in Monterey, California. This unique roadster embodies the legendary design aesthetic of Edsel Ford when he served as President of Ford Motor Company and its luxury Lincoln line.
The one-of-a-kind Speedster was painstakingly restored by RM Auto Restoration in Ontario, Canada. After Edsel’s death in 1943, the Speedster crisscrossed the U.S. making limited appearances, before it disappeared. The car eventually fell into the hands of a U.S. Navy sailor in the 1950s. It reappeared once again at the 1999 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. In 2010, the Speedster returned to Edsel’s home, now operated as an historic site called the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House.
“My grandfather was an early believer that everyday objects – including automobiles – could be seen as works of art,” said Edsel Ford II, who unveiled the Speedster. “While he wasn’t a designer in the traditional sense, his eye for styling and influence was apparent as he initiated and built the design department at Ford Motor Company.”
According to Albuquerque Used Car Dealerships, the Speedster was inspired by European roadsters of the day and based on a stock 1934 Ford (aka Model 40) frame, but its cockpit was positioned more toward the rear of the car. It also features a topless, taper-tailed aluminum body with cut-down door openings. The all-aluminum bodywork followed the best aircraft practice — light and very strong. The Speedster was painted Pearl Essence Gunmetal Dark; the interior upholstered in complementary gray leather.
According to Knoxville Ford Dealers, cold weather in the winter of 1939 cracked the original engine block; a new 239-cid, 100-horsepower 09A Mercury V8 was installed. This would have been the most powerful version of the Ford flathead V8 available at the time.
“The Model 40 Special Speedster was only enjoyed by Edsel for a few short years before his death in 1943, but its journey was just beginning,” said Ford House President Kathleen Mullins. “Ford House is proud to give life to Edsel’s original vision for a unique, continental roadster.”
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