1927 Ford Model T | Bisley, Surrey

This 1927 Ford Model T modified beach racer has been assembled from parts sourced over many years from the USA and the UK. It was built for the inaugural VHRA Hot Rod Races at Pendine Sands and has competed at every event since, achieving a best speed of just over 92 mph. It has also competed at the "GOW" hill climbs at Prescott, sprints at "Throttle" Bicester and dirt track racing at the "Hot Rod Hayride". The car was designed to resemble a stripped-down barn find racer from the American dry lakes of the 1930s and 1940s, as featured in William Carroll's book "Muroc: When the Hot Rods Ran" and Don Montgomery's "Hot Rod Memories" series. It has appeared in several magazine features covering the Pendine races, as well as on the cover of Neil Fretwell and Neal Reed's book "Pendine Sands: Hot Rod Races". Over the years, its 1937 221 cu in 21-stud Ford Flathead has received a number of upgrades. It now runs a vintage Evans manifold with four Stromberg 97 carburettors, skimmed heads, and a lightened and balanced crank and flywheel. The hydraulic braking system has been upgraded with Lincoln-style drum brakes. All major parts are of pre-war manufacture or design, with a few minor modern concessions for performance and reliability: an electric cooling fan, a Dynamator, electronic ignition and an electric fuel pump. All work was carried out by the owner, with a little help from friends and family.