This stunning show rod owes its existence to Harry Markiecki, of Toledo, Ohio. He built it in 1961, after a year of hard work and a $3,000 investment, and performed all of the work himself, except for the upholstery and paint, which were outsourced to local Toledo shops. This hot T-bucket, named Trojan, graced the cover of multiple magazines, with Hot Rod proclaiming it to be a “Space Age ‘T’” and recording its victories as such: “Harry Markiecki’s updated 1916 Ford missile has conquered 18 trophies in 7 showings, including 6 Best of Shows.”

Trojan was powered by a 322-cubic inch Buick Nailhead V-8 that was topped with a Weiand Drag Star intake manifold with six Stromberg 94 carburetors and was mated to a Dynaflow transmission. The body was finished in Lime Fire Metallic, with black and white pinstriping and the traditional yellow/orange period flames. The rear deck showcased Markiecki’s metalworking abilities, as a 1958 Ford deck lid was fused with a 1959 Chevrolet hood to create the fenders. Taillights were borrowed from a 1958 Impala, and the chromed headlights were taken from a tractor! Other notable features on the car include a cut-down ’32 grille shell, white overstuffed Naugahyde upholstery with a matching folding top, and black-painted steelies with Lancer hubcaps at all four corners.

By 1971, Trojan had been acquired by Chester Cary, of Lima, Ohio, and then it was owned by Mike Guffey prior to joining America’s Car Collection, a large private museum in Winnemucca, Nevada, from which it was purchased for the Andrews Collection.

While part of America’s Car Collection, Trojan underwent a comprehensive nut-and-bolt restoration by the collection. Historian Mark Moriarty assisted in locating period photos, which primarily came from an article in the May 1962 issue of Rodding & Re-Styling, a piece in the December 1961 issue of Car Craft, and another feature in Showtime. These photos ended up being invaluable when returning the show rod to “how it had been.” Dave Bengochea, Parker Arrien, and Ken Lutzow, of Flying A Garage, conducted the restoration and were joined by Dale Weber, of Sparks, Nevada, who did the impressive pinstriping. Martinez Custom Upholstery, of Burbank, California, was commissioned for the interior and top work, while the extensive chrome plating was conducted by Advanced Plating, of Nashville, Tennessee.

Following the completion of the restoration, the hot rod was invited to the 2009 Detroit Autorama, and it appeared there alongside such legendary vehicles as Orbitron, Outlaw, and Dream Rod, as well as in the company of Harry Markiecki’s wife, son, and daughter, the car’s original pinstriper, and Bob Hogg, its original painter. It won Best in Class at the Autorama, followed by Terrific T and Excellence awards at Del Mar and another First in Class and an Outstanding Detail award in Boise. The car was the cover feature in the October 2009 issue of Rod & Custom, with a six-page story to complement its numerous recent awards.

Trojan retains its original bodywork, engine, and frame, and it is show-quality in every respect. It will fit nicely into any hot rodder’s stable.