MTFCA Forum

For anyone who has stopped at Pioneer Village in Minden, Nebraska, you may have seen this custom bodied Model K:


This Model K has a "history" back to the 1950's. It was owned by Nelson Hollywood, a well known collector at the time:


This car began life as an early 1906 Model K touring car (roadster's weren't produced until 1907). As the late Don Mates documented, it was at one time owned by the late Larry Porter (Porter collection, now at Piquette).


This photo of the K leading the 1959 re-enactment of the Ocean to Ocean race (a Ford K roadster originally began the New York to Seattle race, acting as pilot car from New York to St. Louis):


Besides the shorter wheelbase (extended from 114 in in 1906 to 120 in for 1907-08), early Model K had several changes made for the 1907 sales season. I've looked at this speedster, and it is a well done custom make car, and appeared to have been converted to a speester "in the day.'


My question is, could this be the same car? The pic below (I have to start another post to get a 6th photo in) sounds similar ("cylinder gas tank and box in the back"). The major difference being that the headlamps have been electrified on the Model K in the 1911 advertisement:

Lindly Bothwell had a Model K .
He had a fire at his ranch in the early1950's and several of his cars burned , including his model K .
I wonder if Nelson Holmwood may have rebuilt it into this roadster .

Pete: I don't think it could be the one from the Bothwell collection, Ben Sharpsteen told me that the fire was so hot it melted the aluminum of the model K.

Pete,
I’ve seen this roadster up close. It looks like very well done, period work. I’ve encountered other Model K were converted to speedsters in the early years after production. I’ve long suspected this car was changed to a roadster years ago.