For Sale: 1931 Ford Roadster in Greenwood, Indiana

1931 Ford Hi-Boy Roadster

Built by Legendary Racer Roy Caruthers

An Extraordinary Piece of American Hot Rodding and Indianapolis Racing History

We are extremely proud to offer this exceptional 1931 Ford Hi-Boy Roadster, personally constructed by accomplished professional race car driver Roy Caruthers, whose family history is deeply intertwined with the golden age of American hot rodding, dry lakes competition, and Indianapolis racing.

This is not simply another beautifully constructed traditional Ford Roadster. It is a remarkable automobile built by a man who spent his life immersed in professional motorsports, using his personal knowledge, engineering experience, and connections with some of the greatest names in American racing.

The result is a truly special, all-steel 1931 Ford Hi-Boy Roadster that combines the authentic appearance of a 1940s hot rod with mechanical components, craftsmanship, and historical connections that would be nearly impossible to duplicate today.

The Caruthers Family Racing Legacy

To appreciate this remarkable automobile, one must first understand the racing heritage of the man who built it.

Roy Caruthers grew up surrounded by the excitement and innovation of American motorsports. His father, Doug Caruthers, was involved in the early Southern California hot rod movement, competing on the famous dry lakes in modified roadsters during the formative years of organized hot rodding.

Doug was associated with the legendary C&C Special, a competition roadster that established a class record in 1947 and was featured in Hot Rod Magazine. The C&C Special later evolved into a drag racing machine associated with one of the earliest 140-mph milestones in the sport.

Growing up in this environment, Roy developed a lifelong fascination with racing, particularly the Indianapolis 500 and the extraordinary machines and personalities that made American championship racing so exciting.

Following in his father's footsteps, Roy enjoyed a successful professional racing career, competing in midgets, sprint cars, and championship cars. His years in racing brought him into contact with many of the most respected drivers, mechanics, engineers, and car builders in Indianapolis racing history.

When Roy eventually stepped away from professional competition, his love for traditional hot rods never diminished.

In fact, it led him to create the extraordinary automobile offered here.

Roy's Vision - A Traditional 1940s Hot Rod

In late 1997, Roy began fulfilling a lifelong dream of building his own traditional Ford roadster.

His vision was very specific. He wanted a car that captured the authentic appearance and personality of a hot rod from the 1940s, while incorporating the mechanical knowledge and craftsmanship he had acquired through decades of professional racing.

The project began with an all-steel Brookville Roadster body and Brookville frame.

Rather than simply assembling a collection of commercially available parts, Roy modified the Brookville frame to his personal specifications and fabricated his own suspension, steering, and running gear.

His approach reflected the philosophy of the original hot rod pioneers: build the car yourself, make it perform properly, and use the best components available.

What makes this particular roadster so fascinating is that many of those components were supplied or fabricated by personal friends who happened to be legendary figures in American racing.

A Specially Built Mercury Flathead V8

Power comes from a beautifully prepared 255-cubic-inch Mercury flathead V8, built by Roy Caruthers and his stepfather, Johnny Capels.

Capels was a highly respected Indianapolis racing figure, accomplished mechanic, and longtime motorsports executive who served as president of both USAC and CART. Known throughout the racing community as "The Golden Greek," Capels brought extraordinary knowledge and experience to the project.

The engine was assembled by Roy and Johnny at Capels' shop and incorporates an impressive selection of traditional performance components.

Among the documented engine components are:

SCAT 4�-inch crankshaft

SCAT connecting rods

Custom-built Arias pistons

Special cylinder heads and intake manifold associated with legendary engine builder Barney Navarro

Ed Winfield SU1A camshaft

The cylinder heads and intake were reportedly gifted by Barney Navarro to Johnny Capels, adding another remarkable connection to the golden age of American performance engineering.

The engine is an excellent example of traditional flathead Ford performance, assembled by individuals who personally understood the technology and techniques that made these engines legendary.

Authentic Indianapolis Racing Components

Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of this roadster is the extraordinary collection of components connected to some of the greatest names in Indianapolis racing history.

A.J. Foyt - Right Rear Wheel

One of the most historically interesting components on this roadster is its right rear wheel, reportedly originating from A.J. Foyt's 1962 Indianapolis 500 Roadster.

According to the car's historical account, the wheel is associated with an incident during the 1962 Indianapolis 500 in which Foyt lost a wheel during the race.

This single wheel provides a remarkable connection between Roy's traditional Ford roadster and one of the most celebrated drivers in Indianapolis Motor Speedway history.

A.J. Watson - Front Wheels

The front wheels were reportedly supplied by legendary Indianapolis race car builder A.J. Watson, whose beautifully engineered roadsters dominated an important era of championship racing.

Steve "Zoom" Long - Custom Radiator

The roadster features a specially constructed brass and copper radiator built by Indianapolis racing craftsman Steve "Zoom" Long.

Pancho Carter - Indianapolis Racing Oil Filter

An oil filter reportedly originating from one of Pancho Carter's Indianapolis race cars was incorporated into the build.

Critter Malone - Custom Exhaust

The exhaust system was fabricated by Critter Malone at Jackie Howerton's shop, adding another connection to Indianapolis racing craftsmanship.

Charlie Patterson - Custom Driveshaft

The driveshaft was constructed by Charlie Patterson, another craftsman associated with the Indianapolis racing community.

Bob Higman - Quick-Change Rear Axle

The car features a genuine Halibrand Champ quick-change rear differential, reportedly sourced and assembled by respected racing builder Bob Higman of Lafayette, Indiana.

The traditional quick-change design contributes to the car's authentic competition-inspired appearance and provides the mechanical character associated with vintage racing machinery.

Together, these remarkable components demonstrate the extraordinary network of racing friends and craftsmen who helped Roy bring his personal vision to life.

Beautiful Traditional Styling and Craftsmanship

The finished roadster captures the timeless appearance of an early American hot rod.

Its all-steel Brookville body, traditional Hi-Boy stance, exposed suspension components, vintage-style wheels...for more information please contact the seller.