Hal Dye And His “one and only”

My wife Lisa and I had a fantastic time participating in the 2024 MARC National Meet in our 1929 boattail speedster, “One and Only.” We’re grateful to all the volunteers who made the event so special. My father, Harold Dye Sr., and I built this car over many years, completing it in 2001. The project began as a dream he’d had since childhood, inspired by a similar boattail he remembered from Columbia, South Carolina, where a local radiator shop used one for deliveries. Sixty years later, he began collecting parts, starting with the hood, cowl, and radiator shell from a disassembled 1929 Fordor sedan. The boattail itself was crafted from two 1940 Ford hoods that had once been welded together to make a canoe. Dad loved welding, and he custom‑built the grille using the Model A shell as the base. At the Hershey Swap Meet, I found a 1934 Ford Model B truck engine, which, paired with a period‑correct downdraft carburetor, intake manifold, and custom header, gives the car plenty of power for such a lightweight build. While unique, it remains largely Model A, retaining the original transmission, mechanical brakes, steering components, and wheels. Having restored many vehicles before this one, we used leftover paint from previous Tudor sedan and Vespa Pedal Pike projects. With those materials—and many hours of work—we created a fun, fast, and truly one‑of‑a‑kind 1929 Model A boattail speedster. Our “One and Only.”

Hal Dye