Rebuilding the "original" racecars

Challenge: Gordon Kipp, President of the Ormond Beach Historical Trust, hired Masterpiece Models to build full-sized replicas of the Olds Pirate and Winton Bullet racecars. The historic automobiles built by Ransom E. Olds of Oldsmobile and Alexander Winton of The Winton Motor Carriage Company competed in 1903 on a stretch of Ormond Beach, Florida in the first race officially clocked for speed, time and distance. As a result, Ormond Beach, and neighboring Daytona, have since garnered the nickname “The Birthplace of Speed.” The replicas were commissioned for a new park to be dedicated on the 100th anniversary of the race. The cars would be displayed openly where tourists and community members could sit in the replicas and feel a piece of history, so a high level of detail and authenticity were required as well as durability.


The original cylinder cap from an Olds engine

Solution: The Masterpiece Models team went on a research adventure, flying to Cleveland, Ohio and driving 8 hours to the motorized Mecca of Detroit, Michigan to see a working three-quarter scale reconstruction of the Olds Pirate built by an enthusiast. There are only 2 known photographs of the original olds pirate in existence, so the opportunity to not only see a recreation, but watch it drive was invaluable – not to mention just fun for the team. The owner of the replica lent Masterpiece Models an original cylinder cap from an Olds Curved Dash Engine, the model used on the Pirate, to make a cast for the new replica.

Returning to Cleveland, the Team visited the original Winton Bullet. Being able to study the actual car, which won the race by less than a second, gave the team a better understanding of the 1903 mechanics and engineering.


The original Winton Bullet

In fabrication, everything was built of steel and fiberglass to ensure the replicas could endure daily use. The spokes for the Olds Pirate were laced by one of the few remaining people to make laced car wheels and they would be suitable to drive on. The seats for both the Bullet and Pirate were made of fiberglass and painted to replicate the original leather.

The replicas being installed at their permanent home

Result: The opening of "The Birthplace of Speed" three-day event was a huge success thanks to the work of Masterpiece Models. Having never met the team before, Gordon Kipp approached them and said "Those replicas are really something, huh?" To which John Geigle replied, "Yeah. We built them." The men had a good laugh over that.