In 1915, Louis Chevrolet, race car driver Joe Boyer, Indianapolis car dealer William Small, and Zenith Carburetor president Victor Heftler established the Frontenac Motor Corporation with the expressed purpose of engineering, building, and racing high-performance automobiles. Frontenac cars went on to capture back-to-back wins at the Indianapolis 500 (1920 and 1921) and Ford Model Ts equipped with the company’s overhead-valve conversions set speed records at tracks across the country.

At the 1924 Indianapolis 500, Frontenac debuted its 16-valve, twin-cam Model D-O cylinder head for the Model T. Competing against thoroughbred Duesenberg and Miller race cars, these Fronty-powered Fords set qualifying speeds of 80-plus mph and placed 14th, 16th, and 17th. These feats inspired many Model T owners to build their own DOHC Fronty-Fords, even though the conversion cost $500 and was billed as “for racing cars only.”

Perhaps the ultimate expression of a period Model T Speedster, this Fronty-Ford features a genuine D-O cylinder head and original “Sport Roadster” coachwork built by the Mercury Body Corporation of Louisville, Kentucky. Designed exclusively for the Model T chassis, these high-quality Mercury bodies were sold by authorized Ford dealers and independent garages alike. Featuring steel construction and an exciting boattail design, the Sport Roadster was originally supplied with a top, windscreen, step plates, cycle fenders, and rear-mounted spare. This particular body carries serial no. 1074.

Formerly owned and restored by well-known classic car dealer Tiny Gould, this Fronty-Ford was sold at one of Mr. Gould’s Pocono Raceway auctions in the early 1970s to America’s most prolific car collector, Bill Harrah. Recorded as car no. 137 in Harrah’s extensive collection, this Model T Speedster received a no-expense-spared “Gold Star” restoration. Upon completion, the Fronty-Ford took pride of place in Harrah’s world-famous museum and is illustrated in the book Harrah’s Automobile Collection.

Its museum display placard states: “This car is equipped with performance and custom accessories available through parts accessory catalogs of the era.” Indeed, this twin-cam Fronty-Ford is desirably outfitted with twin Winfield Model S carburetors, a Bosch magneto, large-capacity radiator, 5,000 rpm tachometer, Hartford shock absorbers, and Buffalo wire wheels, as well as pressurized oil and fuel systems.

Following Harrah’s death, this Model T Speedster was sold at auction in February 1986 for $42,000, a remarkable sum at the time. The buyer was noted Ford and Lincoln collector Tom Powels of Reseda, California and the car remained in his private collection until 2006, when it was sold to Mark Smith.

In correspondence on file with Tom Powels’ son Leland, Mr. Smith explains: “The Model T interested me for a few reasons. First, I know the man that had it restored and later sold it to Bill Harrah in the 1970s. Next, I knew Bill Harrah and presently own several cars from his collection. Lastly, I have enjoyed speaking and learning from your father over the years. It really means a lot that this car came out of his great collection of Ford based racers.”

Offered for public sale for the first time in over 35 years, this exceptional Mercury-bodied DOHC Fronty-Ford represents the final word in Model T performance, with style and provenance that are second to none.

*Please note that this Lot, like all vehicles in this Auction, has been in long-term static storage and may not be currently operational. It will require mechanical attention prior to any road use.

Gooding & Company presents and conducts the Estate of Mark Smith Auction under the authority of John J. Rendemonti, Executor of the Estate of Mark J. Smith, duly appointed by the Circuit Court of the State of New Hampshire, Probate Division, Case Number 312-2022-ET-00072. The Estate has compiled available title and/or registration paperwork for the Vehicles offered in the Auction and will provide such paperwork to the Buyer if it is available. However, as set forth more fully in the Conditions of Sale, neither the Estate nor Gooding makes any representation or warranty with respect to any existing certificate of title or registration with regard to any Lot in the Auction. Any Lot may be sold on a Bill of Sale. By participating in this Auction, all bidders and buyers recognize that Estate and Gooding have expressly disclaimed all such warranties concerning the availability or sufficiency of any title or registration documentation.