1939 Meteor Lakester

The Meteor was designed during the 1930s and constructed in Southern California. The cigar-shaped, hand-formed body had a minimal frontal area, a tapered tail section, and exposed wheels, and was formed from mil-spec aluminum. Most of the parts were sourced from junkyards using many Ford Model T, A, and B components. The chassis is from a Ford Model T truck and the engine is a 1937 LaSalle 322 cubic-inch unit paired with a three-speed LaSalle transmission. The front suspension is from a 1932 Ford and braking is via mechanical Ford cable brakes.

This vehicle used parts from at least five cars, an airplane, a tractor, a motorcycle and a truck. The steering wheel was from a military aircraft and the rear tires were sourced from a dive bomber.

It was called a 'Lakester' after the location where it raced - the dry desert lakebed. It achieved a top speed of 104 mph at Muroc.

By Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2025