While Ford’s Model T is most famous today as bare-bones transportation for the masses, the design’s famous hardiness paid off in other pursuits as well. As early as 1909, a Model T proved its race worthiness by successfully competing in the legendary transcontinental race from New York City to Spokane, Washington. As many young clients began to recognize Ford’s surprising performance pedigree, a new market sprang up for used Model Ts.

Heavy wooden factory bodies were stripped away and left behind in farmyards, and they were replaced by lightweight racing bucket seats and oval tanks. Full-length windshields were replaced by circles of glass no larger than a lady’s hand mirror. Sleek vee’d brass radiator shells recalled the Mercedes machines that ran at Indianapolis. Taken down to its bare essentials, a Model T was more than just affordable transportation. It was genuinely quick and a real hoot in which to shoot up and down a dirt road.

The “T Speedster” offered here was built around a 1926 model, with its two bucket seats, oval gas tank, and not much else ensuring a thrilling driving experience! While it has an authentically “Brass Era” appearance about it, it has been built for modern drivability on today’s roads. Accordingly, it is equipped with a period Rajo cylinder head, two carburetors, and a conventional Muncie three-speed manual transmission, as well as a modern water pump and distributor and a six-volt electrical system. It is quite peppy and reportedly a whole lot of fun to drive.

This is a charming entry point to the collector car hobby, or good affordable fun for any country road on a cool autumn evening.