Model T Clown Car

[RustyFords]

It was a great day at the Conroe Swap Meet

I drove the T and had a vendor space where I was selling some odds and ends and a couple guys talked to me about a Model T clown car that they’re reviving. It was used in rodeos and parades in the Houston area and all the way down into south Texas in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. One of the guys who talked to me was a teenager when the car was first put together and helped to build it.

Anyway, they were looking for front axle parts and steering linkage and I told them I had a parts chassis that had the whole front end intact. So they came by the house and I just gave them the whole front axle, springs, linkage, wishbones, spindles...everything.

They said the clown car’s front suspension had been patched so many times that parts of it were unusable. So they were thrilled to get their hands on everything they needed all at once. And I’m really pleased that more of my parts chassis is going to good use. It’s even better that it’s helping to revive a piece of local history that’s been dormant for over 30 years.

They plan to return it to the rodeo once it’s viable again and promised to let me ride in it when that happens.

I can’t wait. I’ll post sone photos as soon as I get some.

[RustyFords]

One other interesting tidbit...they told me that this particular clown car has a lever that the driver can pull that makes the driver’s side front wheel fold under when the car’s doing a wheelie.

When you release it, the wheel pops back into place.

I saw a Model T clown car with a wheel like this when I was a little kid at a rodeo in the early 70’s. It was almost certainly this car.

[Angmar]

Post photos of the car when you can. Always wondered how those cars did what they did.

[RustyFords]

Post photos of the car when you can. Always wondered how those cars did what they did.

Will do.

One of these guys is a welder and is going to weld up a hairline crack in my rear crossmember. When I go out to their shop I’ll grab some photos of the car.