The field at The Amelia is a picturesque sight, being the fairway of the golf course right next to the Ritz Carlton in Amelia Island, Florida. The cars themselves were separated into various classes, and from them one could pick out the sport models that would be called a “speedster” if they were American makes. For the most part, European speed models were present.
Classic Sport and Speed Cars
1914 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost London to Edinburgh Skiff
The Rolls Royce Silver Ghost series were built from 1907-1914. In 1911 Rolls Royce Ltd. decided to challenge Napier’s dominance of the roads and tracks in early twentieth century England. Selwyn Edge had, under R.A.C. supervision, driven a factory Napier in a top gear-only run from London to Edinburgh, achieving 19.34 mpg; he then ran flat-out at Brooklands to attain 76.42 mph on that track. All in the same day. Fancy that!
Suitably challenged, the boys at Crewe then crafted a lightweight version of their Silver Ghost model. In September of 1911 they ran the same course and followed the same procedure (under R.A.C. supervision), achieving 24.32 mpg and scorching the track at Brooklands with a record run of 78.26 mph.
Of course, the Napier crowd were scandalized, and nettles were flying back and forth between the two firms for a time after. Competition improves the breed, if not the manners….
This 1914 coachbuilt Silver Ghost, a lightweight sport model in the L-E tradition, sported a Cuban mahogany-clad skiff body and other nice bits n’ bobs, crafted by Carrosserie Shapiro-Schebera of Berlin, Germany. It’s a sport phaeton that was meant to go fast and have some adventure on a sunny day. Now, is that the definition of a speedster, or what?
1911 Rolls Royce Skiff. As you can tell, it’s hard fighting the crowds and avoiding the sun in order to get a good shot. My apologies…
1911 Rolls Royce Skiff as seen from above. Note the beautiful Cuban mahogany woodwork. Skiff bodies were very popular in the aughts and teens years.
1928 Auburn 8-115 Speedster
Al Leamy designed the Auburn 8-115 Speedster for 1928 as a sport model for Auburn clients who wanted something racy looking for the street. Motivated by a 299 cubic-inch Lycoming inline-8, the 8-115’s would also compete directly with Stutz Blackhawks in speed and endurance contests to prove the mettle of their respective companies.
Speed and endurance records were achieved by Auburn in 1928 on board tracks, concrete speedways, and hillclimbs. A new flying mile was set with an Auburn Speedster at 104.347 mph, and a 24-hour speed of 84.735 was notched as well.
1928 Auburn Speedster ad. image courtesy AACA Library
These cars were fast, but also, good looking. The example on the lawn at the Amelia had been resurrected from a weed patch in 1992 and underwent a complete restoration to its current glory, a beautiful Auburn Speedster in green and black.
1928 Auburn 8-115 Speedster
1928 Auburn 8-115 Speedster, view of the distinctive tail.
1931 Bugatti Type 51
This car was not in the show, but rather, is a regular static display at Amelia and other concours. Pur Sang of Argentina hand-builds examples of the classic Bugatti and boy, are they beautiful! The Type 51 shown at the Ritz Carlton is the twin OHC version of the legendary Type 35 of 1924-30, whose engine was inspired by the famous Miller twin-cams of this era. There are other differences in the T.51 from the earlier T.35 that the Bugatti enthusiast would be able to point out. But the bottom line is that, for a fraction of the cost of an original, the craftsmen at Pur Sang Automobiles will build you an authentic-looking and operating Bugatti!
1931 Bugatti T.51, body style similar to the 1924-29 T.35 versions.
1931 Bugatti T.51 with the twin-cam engine.
1937 Peugeot Darl’mat
Peugeots had always been at the forefront of automobile technology, and the modern OHC engine was originally developed by a group of engineers at Peugeot in 1913. Racing enthusiasts were naturally drawn to Peugeot racers, and Emile Darl’mat was one such character.
Darl’mat was a racer and also was a Peugeot dealer who hired Marcel Portout, a Paris-based coachbuilder, to craft a Peugeot sports racer using a Peugeot Model 302 as a starting point. Darl’mat introduced Portout to Georges Paulin, an enterprising designer who employed aerodynamic styling principles to create streamlined bodies. Together with Portout, the pair created several iconic boulevardiers in the 1930s that complemented the more ostentatious work of Figoni et Falaschi. The 1937 Darl’mat, owned by the Tampa Bay Automobile Museum, is one such example of Paulin and Portout.
1937 Peugeot Darl'mat, part of the collection at the Tampa Bay Automobile Museum.
Competition Speedsters and Racers
1929 Bentley Speed Six
The Bentley Speed Six was built in 1929 for racing, and Bentley exchanged bodies as needed to adhere to requirements of the races in which they participated. For instance, in 1929 Le Mans required a four-seat configuration. So, the Speed Six was outfitted accordingly, and with that, Woolf Barnato and Tim Birkin placed first in the event. Along with other wins in 1929, “Old Number One,” would also win overall at Le Mans in 1930!
The current two-seat boattail speed body is a replica of what would have been on Old Number One when it competed in its last race in 1932.
1929 Bentley Speed Six.
Another view….
1934 Railton Trials
This one-off special was the result of a collaboration between Reeves Railton, a landspeed racer, and Noel Macklin of Invicta fame, and it was built at Macklin’s Fairmile Engineering Company in Cobham, Surrey. It used a chassis shortened from 116 inches to 105, and its raised front end was probably in preparation for off-road use in trials competition.
The Railton Trials used a 254 cubic-inch Hudson inline-8 and transmission with a wet clutch. Its torquey Hudson Terraplane engine developed 101 horsepower and propelled the car to 60 mph in less than 13 seconds, quite a feat in 1934!
1934 Railton Trials. Note the mud- and rut-clearing front end setup.
1934 Railton Trials coachbuilder.
1952 Kurtis Kraft Cummins Diesel Special
This 1952 Indianapolis racer was famous for at least two reasons:
1. Its lowered and canted engine allowed the racer to have a squat, aerodynamic body with a lower center of gravity. This car stance and setup inspired the famous Indy roadsters of the 1950s!
2. This particular car was diesel-powered and grabbed pole position at Indianapolis in 1952 by doing 138 mph. Although not the first racer to employ diesel, the Cummins Special made a powerful argument about the efficiency of diesel power that lasted up until Volkswagen’s “Dieselgate” scandal of 2014.
Other innovations included turbocharging, dual-caliper disc brakes, and driver-adjustable suspension. The Cummins Special weighed a hefty 3100 pounds and used a 400 cubic inch turbocharged powerplant that produced 380 horsepower. The car did not finish due to a clogged turbo unit, but the Cummins Special had made a statement about diesel, a racing tradition at the company that had begun in 1931. It now resides at the Cummins Heritage Center.
1952 Cummins Diesel Special.
The Cummins’ design revolutionized Indianapolis racers because of its lowered center of gravity and also its streamlined shape.
1955 Porsche 550 Spyder
Porsche was rapidly evolving its racing stable and developing purpose-built racers. The Type 550 was the first in a long line of such cars, and its “550 Spyder” designation harkened back to a long European tradition of naming lightweight and quick conveyances to be “spyders.” For all intents and purposes, the 550 Spyder was a competition speedster with another name.
Why did Ferry Porsche not use the “Speedster” term as he had allowed it for the 356 design series model? Well, everyone at Porsche HQ enjoyed the exposure (and funds) that flowed to Stuttgart, resulting from the fame and fortune that the 356 Porsche Speedster brought to the brand. But it was also known that Ferry was not pleased with the spartan nature of the 356 Speedster; he would abruptly end its production in 1958. There was even an article written in Christophorus, the factory mag, lamenting this decision; its title was ”The King is Dead—Long Live the King.” A more sumptuous-outfitted Roadster would eventually take the Speedster’s place, more in line with Ferry Porsche’s vision. But it would never fill the Speedster’s shoes….
The 550 Spyder was road-worthy, but at its core, it was a track speedster pure and simple. James Dean cut his competition teeth on his 356 Super Speedster, but it was his 550 Spyder that brought Dean to death’s door. These machines were small but fast, and they required a skilled hand to master their inherent oversteer.
The Porsche 550 Spyder at Amelia (550-030) was first raced in Caracas, Venezuela in 1955 by Huschke von Hanstein to eighth overall and first in its class. Its competition and ownership trail led this 550 Spyder to the United States, where it eventually found its current place as part of the Brumos Porsche Collection.
1955 Porsche 550 Spyder.
Modern Speedsters
2019 Troy Indy Special
On display at the entrance to the concours was the Troy Indy Special, first conceived and created in 2019 by 7Fifteen Motorworks in Three Lakes, Wisconsin. This model is styled after an iconic sports racer that was created by Illinois native Wally Troy in 1959 and featured in the October 1960 issue of Hot Rod magazine.
1959 original Troy Roadster, the inspiration for the modern Troy Specials.
The original Wally Troy car was acquired by Bob Kendall in 2017; Bob and John Kendall own 7Fifteen Motorworks. To sit in this creation requires the classic speedster step-over-the-sill routine, as there are no doors. Easy-peasey!
The aluminum body is hand-formed and is a work of art that evokes the classic 1950s Indy track racer as seen on the aforementioned 1952 Cummins Special. However, the Troy Indy Special is for the street! For more information, visit their website at www.7fifteenmotorworks.com.
2019 Troy Special.
2019 Troy Special Chassis, powdercoated in a bronze shade. Note the modern coilover suspension, Chevy LS3 powerplant, and the fuel cell (for safety) at the rear.
2020 Ferrari Monza SP1
Leave it to Ferrari to do something over the top, as it has been doing since the 166MM of 1948 was first introduced. The 2020 Ferrari Monza SP1 continues the long line of Ferrari sports racers, cars designed for the track, but also outfitted for the street in case anyone is crazy enough to try that. And there are plenty of tifosi who do!
The SP1 has a single seat and its sibling, the SP2, has two. Both operate without a windshield, a configuration invoking classic speedster style. The Monza SP1 has a 6.5-liter V-12 that produces 799 horsepower, jumps from 0-60 in a reported 2.9 seconds, and has a top speed of 186 mph.
Unlike most modern speedsters that are produced by legacy firms, this example will not be a one-off concept used to regale the masses at car shows. Instead, Ferrari plans to produce 499 SP1’s and SP2’s for 499 happy customers. Ah, la dolce vita!
2020 Ferrari Monza SP1. A true speedster!
Note the black trimline: it swoops around the back, travels along the side, and then outlines the hood.
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I have good news to report to my friends in the United Kingdom: Ben Horton of Hortons Books in Marlborough is now stocking my book, Classic Speedsters. This means that you can now purchase a copy if you reside in Britain without having to pay international shipping charges! You can find Mr. Horton’s store online at www.Hortonsbooks.co.uk. Go get yourself a copy—you won’t be sorry!
As previously mentioned, Tina Van Curen at Autobooks-Aerobooks in Burbank, California is also stocking my book, and you can find her store online at www.Autobooks-Aerobooks.com.
I do like to support local bookstores; please consider these companies if you live near them. And don’t forget that you can also purchase a copy from my website.
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I’ll be visiting other concours this season and will look for speedsters at these events to share with all of you. Thankfully I returned from The Amelia Concours in Florida with no symptoms of Covid, this after hobnobbing with thousands of others in a mask-free environment for the better part of three days.
Of course, I am fully vaccinated, and I would encourage everyone to play it safe and also to get vaccinated. Wear a mask if you have any health concerns or susceptibility. Better to be safe than sorry….
And go drive that speedster!
Halcyon days from 1917….