By Dean Larson

Photos: Seller, Hemmings Classifieds

We love sports specials here at RCN, and we love them even more if they come with a little bit of competition history, which ends up being pretty rare with cars like this. Today we stumbled upon a sports special with some well known competition history and period photos, and it happens to be a darling little flathead V8-powered roadster as well. Check out the Ford-based Mackey Special, available here on Hemmings classifieds.

The man behind the auto was Wesley D. Mackey, better known as Mac. He started work on his sports special back in 1947 with only a ’33 Ford chassis and drawings of the car he concocted in his mind. The body was crafted from steel using modified ’36 Ford fenders and custom-formed sheet metal. The grille shell was sourced from a ’34 Ford and completed with custom slats. Items like the rear bumper and fuel cap were hand crafted and the wire wheels are 16-inch Ford units. For power, Mac went with an early 1950s Ford flathead V8 that was bored out and fit with shaved heads, an improved camshaft and a magneto ignition. A non-synchronized three-speed transmission sends power to a Columbia two-speed rear axle out back, which could be shifted between a 4.11 and 2.52 ratio.

Mac completed his car and registered it for street use between 1950 and ’51, and he immediately joined the Motor Sports Club of America. It’s unclear whether Mac ever raced the car himself, but the seller details that the car was campaigned with a fellow by the name of Peter Sugg behind the wheel. Sugg drove the car at least three separate times in the Mountain House Hill Climb, where he secured two first place and one second place finish. The Mackey was also campaigned in the Great American Mountain Rally, which consisted of 1,000 miles of driving across New England in November. As for Mac, it sounds like he served as the Vice President and Technical Advisor for the Motor Sports Club of America, where he officiated at club events, some where the Mackey Special was piloted.

Mac kept the car stored for some time until he died in 1961, and the current owners purchased the car in 1968. It’s since been restored a couple times and campaigned as recently as the Great Race of 2005. The car appears to be in good running order at this time, and the seller claims it’s ready to be enjoyed by another generation of sports car lovers. The Mackey is listed for sale for $68,000 here on Hemmings classifieds.