2013 INDUCTEES
Model T Era Legends
Ralph D. Ormsby - Frontenac Factory Race Car Driver
Ralph D. Ormsby was born in Markle, IN on Sept 21, 1892. By 1900, the family had moved to Fort Wayne, IN. His early life
is unknown except that he was selling real estate in 1918 for the Monroe W. Fitch & Sons Company in Fort Wayne. However,
he and his older brother Homer must also have been involved in auto racing because in 1921 they were hired by the Chevrolet
Brothers to drive the first factory built Fronty-Fords.
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Fred Martin - Faultless Speedster Bodies
Fred Martin was born at Logansport, Indiana, May 20, 1886. Fred grew up in Logansport, graduated from high school
there and attended the University of Chicago. After college he began a business career which covered an interesting diversity of experience.
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MODERN LEGENDS
FRANK HARRIS - Restorer, Collector
“Fast Frank” Harris was born in San Pedro, California in 1932. He has restored several brass era cars and a
number of foreign sports cars. He has owned 10 Model T’s, seven of them being speedsters. He did all the work
himself except for specific machining that couldn’t be done with a lathe and hand tools.
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LARRY YOUNG - Restorer, Collector
Larry Young lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He has restored a Tudor sedan and a very rare ABC bodied speedster that
was selected as the Hall of Fame Restoration of the Year for 2011. Several years ago, Larry was involved with
other enthusiasts in the development of new billet camshafts for the Model T. Originally three grinds were developed
and manufactured by Specialty Motor Cams (Bill Stipe). These original grinds were well received by the Model T community.
Since that time, Larry has collaborated with Steve Coniff on two very successful cams for the Montana 500. In the
most recent Tulsa Hill Climb, his Tudor sedan not only won its class, but had the fastest time of all the flatheads.
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2013 Restoration of the Year
Wikner Ford Special - Manufacturer
The Wikner Ford Special is recognized as the oldest known Australian built racing car. It was built in 1922 by
Geoff and Roy Wikner in Leura in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. All the aftermarket components including the
RAJO overhead valve cylinder head, the Buffalo centre lock wire wheels and the Mercury lowered front axle were
imported and fitted by the original builders. The car is based on a 1918 Model T Ford with many of the components
hand crafted by a local blacksmith.
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