Wheelstanding Ford Model T drag car – Video

Drag Challenge veteran Noel Inman takes 1320Video for a ride in his unique drag-strip weapon

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Videographers: 1320Video


WE’VE found all kinds of unique characters and builds during our six years of running Street Machine Drag Challenge events, and none is a better example of that than Noel Inman and his 1922 Ford Model T centre-door hot rod.

The bloke is always smiles, whether he’s just run a 10.5 down the track or he’s stranded with a nuked C4 gearbox. He’s just happy to be a part of the experience and be racing.

| Read next: 1927 Ford Model T Coupe

Noel and his T were at the Modified Live event at Heathcote Park Raceway in mid-April, and in this video, Noel takes Kyle Loftis from American YouTube channel 1320Video for a blast to show the car’s wheelstanding ability.

The story behind Noel’s centre-door is as intriguing as its styling. A small-time company called Polyform made (allegedly) about six of these high-roof fibreglass bodies and called them Ford Centre-Lines, but once Ford cottoned on to Polyform using its name, a threat of legal action for copyright infringement resulted in the crushing of just about all of the bodies. Yet somehow this one not only managed to survive, but found its way across the pond from the US and into Noel’s hands.

| Read next: 1927 Ford Model T roadster – flashback

“It’s a 1922 Ford centre-door; it’s a pretend Model T and they didn’t make many of them,” Noel explained. “They’re often referred to as the horseless carriage, because it’s actually like a horse carriage with the body style and centre door.”

The basic driveline consists of a nitrous-fed 347ci Windsor, with a C4 ’box. Noel has been racing the thing for years, and he can just about tell you what time the car will run before he heads down the strip.

| Read next: Glenn Etchell’s 1928 Ford Model A roadster

Noel’s been running in our Drag Challenge circus for quite some time now, and in May he won the Turbosmart Outlaw Blown class at Drag Challenge Weekend 2019, making it two consecutive wins in the class at DCW. We’re hoping to see Noel gear up once again for a crack at the full-length Drag Challenge, which runs over 10-15 November this year.

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