1934 Edsel Ford Model 40 Special Speedster

Special Speedster

eauty in simplicity—if ever there was a vehicle that

embodies the meaning of that phrase, it is this one-off

Model 40 Speedster built under the direction of Ford

Motor Company president Edsel Ford. Inspired by

sports cars he saw in Europe during a visit in the early

1930s, Edsel asked E. T. “Bob” Gregorie, Ford’s chief

designer at the time, to design a low and racy car. The resulting

car was based on a modified 1934 Ford (Model 40) frame and

was powered by a stock flathead V-8 (later replaced by a more

powerful Mercury motor).

The body itself is like the top half of a butter dish with

wheels, but in all details and proportions it delivers the impres-

sion of a low, sleek, fast, and fun car. The split front grille is laid

back at just the right angle, while underneath another, wider

B