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Edsel's Roadster @ Pebble Beach

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Edsel Bryant Ford’s 1934 Model 40 Special Speedster Debuts at Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance - MediaFord.com

photocredit: Jalopnik
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif., Aug. 19, 2011 – It has grace, style and a 77-year history shrouded in mystery that has intrigued automotive collectors, enthusiasts and writers worldwide. Edsel Ford’s restored 1934 Model 40 Special Speedster was unveiled today by Lincoln and the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House at The Lodge, Pebble Beach in Monterey County, Calif. It will appear again on Sunday August 21, at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Restored to its timeless elegance, Edsel’s personal roadster shared its story of a decades-long journey.

The Speedster’s extensive restoration by award-winning RM Auto Restoration in Ontario, Canada, revealed the stunning, custom made “one off” as it originally looked in 1940 after its final redesign by Edsel and designer E. T. Gregorie. The revelations uncovered during a year-long restoration have resolved many long-held assumptions about the illustrious vehicle’s journey over time. But more than a story of restoration, the vehicle provides a glimpse into the early years of Edsel Ford’s design and automotive styling as President of Ford Motor Company and its luxury Lincoln line...

The Model 40 Special Speedster
Its rich history began in 1932 after Edsel returned from a trip to Europe. He asked Ford’s chief designer, E.T. “Bob” Gregorie to design and supervise the construction of a personal sports car similar to those he’d see “on the continent.”

The first design reportedly disappointed Edsel because it wasn’t lower and racier. But Gregorie, who was adept at turning Edsel’s visions into tangible designs, went to work on a more dramatic, streamlined design. This “continental” roadster may have started with a stock 1934 Ford (aka Model 40) frame, but its subsequent chassis was radically altered. The Model 40 Special Speedster was unlike anything Ford Motor Company had built up to that time.

At 113 inches, the Speedster’s wheelbase is approximately the same as the standard 112-inch wheelbase of a 1934 Ford roadster. Yet, it appears longer and lower. This illusion was achieved by modifying and lowering the car’s chassis, positioning the cockpit toward the rear of the car and extending the tail section.
Gregorie, Robbie Robinson, supervisor of the Lincoln plant, and Ford Aircraft Division personnel, fabricated a topless, taper-tailed aluminum body with cut-down door openings and mounted it over a custom welded tubular aluminum structural framework.

It was believed that the Speedster’s fenders were modified Trimotor Aircraft “wheel pants,” but Ford’s aircraft fabricators undoubtedly fashioned them from scratch. The custom-designed front cycle wings were mounted so they turned with the car’s Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels. The all-aluminum bodywork followed the best aircraft practice – light and very strong...

...To follow the Speedster’s travels, and view the restoration process, visit www.FordHouse.org. For video footage of the Speedster, go to media.lincoln.com.

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video not found at Lincoln.com
so Youtube/Lincoln to the rescue
 
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