The EJ Walton 1929 Model A Ford Custom Special

In the late 1920s, American automobiles stood at the crossroads of mass production and mechanical artistry. Ford was building the Model A by the millions, yet beyond the factory gates a quieter movement was underway. Racers, craftsmen, and individualists were reshaping standard chassis into personal expressions of speed, elegance, and ambition. From that culture emerged some of the most fascinating cars of the era, and few embody it more completely than this 1929 Ford Model A aluminum boattail roadster.

At first glance, the car defies classification. It wears Ford mechanicals, yet carries the presence of a European Grand Prix roadster or a Duesenberg Torpedo. Its flowing aluminum body, sculpted hood, and dramatic semi-boattail tail give it a distinctly coach-built character. This is not a modern tribute or later hot rod. It is an American “Special,” created in period and documented as such.

Historical research traces the car to E.J. (W.L.) Walton, a skilled fabricator associated with Harry Miller’s Indianapolis racing operation, whose cars dominated American open-wheel racing in the 1920s. Walton built this roadster using hand-hammered aluminum panels, applying the same craftsmanship and race-shop discipline that defined Miller’s legendary machines. Author Peter Winnewisser documents aluminum-bodied Model A roadsters by Walton in The Legendary Model A Ford, placing cars like this firmly within the authentic landscape of late-1920s American coachbuilding.

The bodywork is the star. Bare aluminum reveals the artisan’s hand in every curve and seam, from the long hood to the compact cockpit and gracefully tapered rear deck. Black fenders and running boards frame the sculpture, while red wire wheels and dual side-mounted spares provide a sporting flourish. Basket-weave grille and vent panels, along with diamond-pattern accents, reinforce the car’s Art-Deco aesthetic.

Under the hood, the mechanical presentation is just as compelling. A copper-plated cylinder head and intake manifold crown the Model A four-cylinder engine, fed by a Stromberg downdraft carburetor and sparked by a Mallory dual-point distributor. Hand-formed copper fuel and oil lines give the engine bay the appearance of a Miller-shop special, blending function and beauty in equal measure.

The roadster was acquired through RM Sotheby’s and later underwent a meticulous one-year concours restoration by Rick Bishop Restoration in Stuart, Florida, ensuring it presents at the highest level while retaining its period character. Today it is offered from a Private Florida Collection.

What makes this boattail truly special is not just its beauty, but its credibility. It is a documented, period-built American racing special with a known craftsman, a published historical reference, and a coherent story that matches the metal. In a world filled with recreations, this is the real thing.

Nearly a century after it was shaped by hand, the Walton Boattail remains what it always was: a bold statement of American ingenuity, speed, and style, distilled into aluminum and copper, and preserved for the collectors who recognize something truly rare when they see it.

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