Steelsmith Special Roadster

Story by Randy Curran, Photos by Dan Podobinsksi

Being young has its advantages. No bills, no relationships, no worries. Other than school, you had it made. Disadvantages? No money. Sure…you might get an allowance, but do you realize how long it takes to save for anything at a couple of bucks a week? You were lucky if you could afford a hot rod mag!

You can imagine how awful it must have been for Alex Steelsmith of Indianapolis, when his Grandpa Benge took him to see a ’29 Model A roadster body that was in a loft above a semi-tire retreading shop. It came with a frame and had been hot rodded before, but at fourteen years old, there was no way Alex had the cash for it. Well, Grandpa Benge bought it and held on to it for roughly a decade. By that time, Alex had a job and money. Advantage: adult.

Alex immediately started on making the A into a serious hot rod. It had already been channeled, but it appeared to be a weekend or even a one night job.

Read the rest of this article in Issue # 45