1915 Ford Model T Speedster

Owner/Navigator: John Foley, La Paz, Baja California, Mexico (Foley@GraybeardAviation.com)
Restorer/Driver: Ralph Ricks, Huntington Beach, Calif (rdricks@GraybeardAviation.com)

This is one of the first hot rods. It started out as a 1915 Ford passenger car, and was one of 15 million Model T’s built. The original body was removed and this Speedster body was installed - just as they were doing from the very beginning. Cars like this were raced on everything from dirt tracks to coast-coast. A similar Ford Model T won the very first race from New York to Seattle in 1909; and a Model T racer placed fifth at Indianapolis in 1923 with an average speed of 82 mph.

We competed in the 1998 History Channel Great Race from Tacoma to Boston, driving over 4,400 miles through rain, shine and snow without problem. Our Speedster was nearly the oldest car in the race, and we appeared nationwide in AP photos. The Great Race is a 13 day rally race that scores precision and navigation, rather than top speed. In this race, To Finish is to Win.

We then raced in the 1999 History Channel Great Race, from Atlanta to Anaheim, a distance of just 3,800 miles. We won Sportsman Division on Stage 8, which was the longest day - 430 miles.

The 2000 History Channel Great Race was another tough 4,000 miles, from Boston to Sacramento. We ended with third place sportsman on the final day's competition, just one second out of first place.

1997 California Great Race awards: - - California Tough and Best Dressed.
1998 History Channel Great Race awards: - - Barney Oldfield and Best Dressed.
1998 California Great Race: - - 2nd place Sportsman, and Best Dressed.
1999 History Channel Great Race - - 1st pl. Sportsman Stage 8; Best Dressed.
2000 History Channel Great Race - - 3rd pl. Sportsman Stage 13; Barney Oldfield Award.

Safety and reliability enhancements allowed or required by rules of the Great Race:
Four wheel drum brakes, dual brake/tail lamps, overdrive, electric starter (Model T), generator, fuel pump, battery, lights and seatbelts. It also has internal engine modifications for more power.

Performance: 0-50 mph in 15 seconds; 50-0 in 3 seconds; Cruise: 70 mph;
Top Speed: 85 mph (estimated); Weight: 1600 lb. (est.); Fuel economy - 30mpg.

The Model T features a 20 hp, four-cylinder engine turning a two-speed planetary transmission, with the gears being selected by the foot pedals. The modern automatic transmission is based on this 1903 Ford design, and it has been said that Ford still gets a few pennies royalty for every automatic transmission built today. The accelerator is hand-controlled.

There were over 2,000 aftermarket suppliers for the Model T in its heyday. Some of those items from that era are on this car: Livingston Radiator, Speedster body, monocle windshield, Atwater-Kent distributor plate, Langbein auxiliary transmission, water pump, wooden transmission bands, wire wheels, etc.

Overhead valves and overhead cams, while not on this car, were available from the aftermarket by 1917. 4-wheel hydraulic brakes were available by 1926.

John Foley, owner and navigator of car 77, is the Director of Maintenance for an airline in Mexico, and is responsible for the safety and reliability of a fleet of jets. John hot rodded cars and raced motorcycles as a young man - so riding in this open Speedster comes natural to him. He lives with his wife Martha in La Paz, Mexico. John was the Great Race top rookie in 1995, and competed in ‘96, ’97, ’98, ‘99 and '00.

Ralph Ricks, restorer and driver of car 77, is a retired Field Engineer from a major avionics manufacturer. He has flown his own plane as well, and lives in Huntington Beach, Calif, with Ronna, his wife of 40 years. Ralph teamed with John in the last four Great Races. Ralph has been tinkering with sports cars since his college days, but this one is the sportiest of all.

Ronna, design consultant and award-winning costumer, has a BFA in Art History. Her costume selections are for the Gentleman Automobile Jockey of 1915.