History
Green T - 1921 Ford Model T Racer
This car has been built for the Perkolilli Red Dust Revival out of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. Green T, as she is affectionately known, reflects perfectly the ethos of run-what-you-brung, built for purpose, specials. Perko is a massive expanse of hard-packed red clay that was first used as a race track in 1914 and is commemorated from time to time with events for pre-war racing cars and motorcycles. Everything on Green T is contemporaneous with race cars of the twenties.
Green T was conceived, designed and built by well-known Perth Model T enthusiast Graeme Lockhart. A sister car to Graeme’s Black T, Green T is powered by a Canadian Ford 3-litre, side-valve engine, coupled to a two-speed, planetary gear-type transmission and connected to an improved Ford differential with a ratio of 3:1.
The chassis is a 1921 Ford Model T vanadium steel, twin rail style unit with three-point suspension. The engine/transmission unit and front and rear axles are mounted in a triangular configuration, fixed front and rear to transversely mounted leaf springs.
The body once saw service on a vintage Aston Martin race car that was campaigned in Australia prior to the out-break of WW2. During the war, many of the alloy components of the Aston were removed, presumedly for the manufacture of armaments. The origins of this body are unknown but it was likely made in Australia and fitted to the Aston post-war. It was discarded in 1983 when an alloy body was returned to the race car. The body was recovered in 2019 by Graeme who grafted it to the Model T chassis.
Finished in a lush British Racing Green, this car represents the embodiment of US technology and British style. The name pays homage to the famous British racing Aston Martin: Green Pea.
Modifications
High compression pistons.
Early veteran T high compression head (up from 4:1 to probably 5.5:1).
0.030 over-size bore.
12 kg shaved off the flywheel.
The crank, rods and pistons have been balanced.
Ignition is by distributor and the camshaft is fitted with an aluminium timing gear – advanced 7 degrees.
