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Passion by Ford

There’s no denying that from whatever angle you look, this stunning Speedster looks terrific. It was designed by Edsel Ford who, in contrary to father Henry, was very interested in the design and styling of an automobile. When Edsel returned from a holiday in Europe in 1932, he contacted Bob Gregorie and asked him to supervise the construction of a sports car just like the ones he had seen during his trip. After the first attempt, a boattail Speedster on a ’32 Ford chassis, Edsel soon wanted something more dramatic. Early 1934 a second Speedster was built, the one shown here, although at first it had a different front treatment. Just imagine the effect the Speedster would have had on other drivers when Edsel took it for a spin. However, the engine had a tendency to overheat and to improve cooling a new grille was designed in the early 1940’s. After Edsels death in 1943 the Speedster was sold and put in storage. Several owners followed until as late as 1999 it was rediscovered for what it was. Still in great shape, the amazing Speedster will be offered by RM Auctions during their 10th annual Automobiles of Amelia Island Auction on March 8. Not surprisingly no estimate for the Speedster is given, but we sure wish we could be there to see how far it will go! (photos courtesy RM Auctions) (RB)