This 1927 Leo Monnin Speedster Is A Hot Rod From The Era Before The Term Existed – Amazing History For Sale


This 1927 Leo Monnin Speedster Is A Hot Rod From The Era Before The Term Existed – Amazing History For Sale

It may sound completely nuts but every muscled up, hairy, bellowing car on Drag Week this year owes its existence to machines like this one. Why? Because if guys like Leo Monnin had not build hot rods like this to drive to their local fairgrounds to race on the weekends, the very idea of cruising your loud, obnoxious, old lady scaring car through the center of town proudly wouldn’t really exist. We’re not saying that it all stemmed from this car, but this and others of its ilk set the precedents that we live by and try to live up to today. While a little on the ungainly side, this speedster becomes unspeakably cool when you look at the list of parts it was built from, who it was built by, and how well it was built to exist nearly 90 years after it was originally constructed and we mean constructed because your jaw will hit the floor when you see what this thing is actually made from.

Here’s the list of components from the eBay ad:

Grille is a custom stone guard

27 whippet radiator, hood and cowl

28 Essex boattail (rear body)

24 star continental flathead 25hp

31 Packard gear box

18 Nash dash?

T-Frame upside down

T-1 ton straight axle

Split leafspring rear suspension

Adjustable windshield (narrowed)

35 olds or gm sloped nose guard

split wishbones front and rear

mechanical breaks (rear only)

The story of the car itself is just as good. Rather than rehash it, here’s the text from the ad:

Up for auction is a 1927 Whippet, Leo Monnin Speedster. Leo was born on 6-1-1892 and passed away on 2-18-1976. He was a WW1 mechanical engineer, when he came home he operated a mechanical shop in 1924. In 1928 he was a mechanic at a gulf station, star route, Meadville PA. In 1932 he was a mechanic at 964 park avenue Meadville,PA. In 1946 he owned and operated Leo’s Race St garage on 1000 E. Race st, Meadville PA. Leo retired in 1958. He raced the speedster in 1936 and 1937 at the old Meadville fairgrounds and Rt 322. Guys with speedsters and jalopies would tow or drive from Oil City, Franklin, Sugar Grove etc. Leo drove the speedster on the street until 1943, Leo’s best friend stated that they had got in trouble with the law for scaring buckboard horses in town, they were told to drive like men or don’t bring it into the town streets anymore. his best friend also stated that he had only seen the car once between 1945 and 1976, and that was at the Victory Day parade in September 1945. Before Leo passed away he had sold his estate to his best friend, when he got around to cleaning everything out he couldn’t believe Leo still had the car when he had passed away. The gentleman I bought the car from was the purchaser from Leo’s best friend, It took him approximately 4 years to convince Leo’s friend to finally sell it. The previous owner got the car and immediately started work on it. He started to sand down the entire car, it was green at the time and found yellow beneath, silver front suspension, red split wishbones. He sprayed it back yellow including the brass at he bottom of the body. He changed the zenith carb to a tillitson, put on 4 WWW firestone tires on spokes, a headlight a replaced the windshield glass. The cars does run but is not a highway vehicle, just a city cruiser.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE PHOTOS AND THEN HIT THE EBAY LINK TO SEE THE FULL AD AND ALL THE AMAZING DETAILS ABOUT THIS CAR –

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Leo Monnin speedstaer for sale on eBay - incredible early hot rod

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One thought on “This 1927 Leo Monnin Speedster Is A Hot Rod From The Era Before The Term Existed – Amazing History For Sale

  1. Tedly

    Normally I’m all for modifying any car, this is one case where I say leave it alone though. It’s perfect just as it is.

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