Vehicle Description
Vehicle to be offered for Auction sale January 19th - 22nd, 2017 at Russo and Steele's 17th Annual Scottsdale Arizona Auction at the Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Please contact us for more information.
In the beginning, building hot rods was an intensely personal and all-consuming hobby. With no professional rod builders and few aftermarket parts suppliers, the cars were often built by highly skilled and naturally talented individuals in pursuit of their unique vision for the best-styled and hottest-performing cars Detroit designers had not yet dreamed up. Gene Winfield and Don Tognotti were two such young men and their names continue to rank firmly among the best and most creative automobile customizers of the post-war era.
Among the many great customs and hot rods built during the fertile 1950s and 1960s Golden Age, the King "T" was designed and built by Don Tognotti and Gene Winfield over a two-year timeframe from 1962 to 1964. Featuring wild custom paint and a full-body Model T look, the King T was massaged, modified, updated, and improved over every square inch of the Model T Runabout body and an uncanny presence combining classic looks and features wit an altogether modern overall look. Following completion, the King "T" graced the cover of Rod & Custom magazine and took a succession of awards at the crowded and lucrative arena shows of the era. Of all its wins, however, the crowing moment for the King "T" was its America's Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) trophy win in 1964. The rod also inspired a Hot Wheels Redline edition car called the "Hot Heap Roadster" and subsequently a similar die-cast Tonka "Thunder Hubs" toy car during the early 1970s.
Many hot rodders and component-car manufacturers made King "T" style cars and bodies with varying degrees of originality over the following years. However, one thing is certain - the King "T" was a high-water mark of the great early-to-mid 1960s car culture and a profoundly influential achievement. This 1926 Ford Model T Roadster carries much of the King "T" presence and appears to have been built during the 1980s street rod revival that swept North America all over again.
Featuring an overall look similar to the famed King "T" and a vintage style winged Moto-Meter atop the radiator, this roadster is equipped with full fenders (widened 2 inches) and running boards (stock width) and carries a cool stance with a dropped tubular front axle. It also delivers ample power for the lightweight chassis with a Chevy V-8 engine dressed with chrome and polished goodies and accessories, plus headers and a set of ever-popular Mickey Thompson "M/T" rocker covers. Other highlights include an automatic transmission with "cane" shifter, 9-inch Ford rear end, and hydraulic brakes. A basic soft top provides wind and weather protection while the roadster's interior includes a custom dash, steering column, and steering wheel. An interesting take on the iconic King "T," this 1926 Model T Roadster is sure to deliver a fun and exciting experience for an appreciative new owner.
