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Video: Edsel Ford’s 1934 Model 40 Special Speedster Debuts at Pebble Beach

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By on August 24th, 2011

Edsel Ford’s restored 1934 Model 40 Special Speedster was unveiled last week by Lincoln and the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House at The Lodge, Pebble Beach in Monterey County, California.

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.

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.

The 2,100-pound Speedster was powered by a stock 75-bhp, Ford Model 40 flathead, with straight exhausts that were enclosed by the bodywork with only the tips protruding.

“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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