Hot rods have always been a special breed of car. With modifications ranging from mild to wild, most of them are destined to be models, completely reflecting the tastes and character of the people who own them.
Terry Cook, a car designer tracing his roots from Long Island, New Jersey, created the 2011 Delahaye USA Lockhart Boattail as the fifth car in his series of speedsters. Inspired by a streamliner created by Mike Ball of Velocity Engineering, this car is made as a tribute to one of the icons of the automotive world, Frank Lockhart.
Lockhart, during the 1920s had been considered the best racing driver in the world and is arguably one of the greatest racers ever. As an accomplished race car driver, he won the Indy 500 and set speed records that were only broken decades after he set them. Unfortunately, he died in 1928 while attempting to break the 200 miles per hour barrier at Daytona Beach. The car he used to set land speed records, the Stutz Black Hawk, is the inspiration for Terry Cook’s creation.
It was constructed in Indiana, the same place where the Stutz Black Hawk was born. A boattail style car, it is characterized by 4 pontoons covering all four wheels. This gives the impression that the car is floating above the ground. The fiberglass body is mated with a 130 inch frame. Along the way, it is constructed to include some cues of Lockhart’s car. A coat of Tangello Orange paint allows for a striking look. The engine is a 4.6 Ford Mustang V8 engine with Ferrari valve covers.
The 2011 Delahaye USA Lockhart Boattail is an attraction wherever it goes. And for those who are interested, it is actually currently up for sale as of this very moment.