The John Martin Special is a sentimental project, and a tribute car of sorts. With the exception of a genuine Riley four-port head that the first version should have had anyway, this will be a very close recreation of the ’29 roadster that Guardrail Willie Martin’s father and grandfather raced together back in the ’40s. In the project’s early inception, as word of Willie’s intent spread through Riverside, California, a parts pile began to materialize. First came a salvageable frame, then a pair of ’29 headlamps, a windshield frame, a usable steering gearbox, and so on—Willie’s friends all but threw parts at him. A body however, was not so easily acquired, and so began the quest for that precious metal.
What will it take to prepare this brand-new Brookville body for paint? Well, considering this roadster will be fenderless with only half a hood, and since the door edges are intended to overlap anyway, this shouldn’t be too bad—but let’s examine what’s necessary for a body to get fit.
After a while or two it became clear that the ’29 roadster body supply had run dry and the good ones were gone … or were they? Then, during the L.A. Roadsters Show, it happened, right in front of Brookville’s sheetmetal Mecca of a vendor’s space. As Willie’s wife and friends cheered him on, a wallet came out, a deal was made, and the missing puzzle piece was soon after delivered to Willie’s shop, Ed Martin Garage. The rest will be history … in the near future.
