Makes › Ford › "Sweepstakes" race car · Factory competition · 1901 One-off
Ford
"Sweepstakes" race car
Henry Ford's first race car; beat Alexander Winton at Grosse Pointe 1901 (The Henry Ford)
Contents
01Overview
At a glance
- Built
- 1 Built
- Years
- 1901
- Engine
- Horizontally opposed two-cylinder · 8,830 cc / 8.8 LFactory: 539 cu in · converted
- Power
- 19.4 kW / 26.4 PSFactory: 26 hp · converted
- Top speed
- 116 km/hFactory: 72 mph · converted
- Body
- Not yet verified
- Designer
- Henry Ford and Oliver Barthel, with Ed Huff (electrical)
- In this archive
- Not yet verified
- Surviving
- Not yet verified
Sources and any conflicting figures are in the sections below.
Why it matters
"Sweepstakes" was Henry Ford's first race car. After his first car company failed, a win over the better-known Alexander Winton in October 1901 restored his credibility and brought backers for his second firm. Ford Motor Company followed in 1903.
How rare is it?
Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.
Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.
02Production & history
Production
Every figure says what it counts.
| What is counted | Figure | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total model productionindividual car: 1901 Ford "Sweepstakes" race car built by Henry Ford, in The Henry Ford collection (identity confirmed) | 11 | Factory production | Independently researched |
Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.
History
Construction began in May 1901 in a Detroit shop, with Oliver Barthel as principal designer, Ed "Spider" Huff on the electrical system, and Ed Verlinden, George Wettrick and Charlie Mitchell on machining and forging. Ford entered it in a 10-mile race at Grosse Pointe, Michigan, on 10 October 1901. He trailed Winton early, then passed when Winton's car developed trouble.
Ford sold the car in 1902 (the magazine gives March 1902 to William C. Rands for about $2,000). He bought it back in the 1930s, had a new body made after the original was damaged in a fire, and displayed it in the museum.
Variants
How each version differs from the standard "Sweepstakes" race car.
No variants documented yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
03Specifications
Technical specifications
Engine
| Engine family | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Engine code | Not yet verified |
| Layout | Horizontally opposed two-cylinder2 Independently researched |
| Cylinders | 22 Independently researched |
| Displacement | 8,830 cc / 8.8 LFactory: 539 cu in · converted2 Independently researchedThe museum text gives 538 cu in and the specification block 539 cu in; Just Cars gives 8.8 litres. |
| Bore | 178 mmFactory: 7 in · converted2 Independently researched |
| Stroke | 178 mmFactory: 7 in · converted2 Independently researched |
| Compression ratio | Not yet verified |
| Valvetrain | Atmospheric intake valves, mechanical exhaust valves2 Independently researched |
| Fuel system | Rudimentary mechanical fuel injection, patented by Ford2 Independently researched |
| Power | 19.4 kW / 26.4 PSFactory: 26 hp · converted2 Independently researchedMuseum text says horsepower was estimated at 26. |
| Power at | 900 rpm2 Independently researched |
| Torque | Not yet verified |
Transmission & drivetrain
| Gearbox | 2-speed manual (planetary)2,3 Independently researched |
|---|---|
| Gears | 22 Independently researched |
| Driven wheels | Not yet verified |
Chassis, body & dimensions
| Chassis | Ash wood frame reinforced with steel plates, leaf-sprung axles3,2 Independently researchedJust Cars describes the 2001 replica built to the original design; the museum lists ash wood among the materials of the original. |
|---|---|
| Front suspension | Not yet verified |
| Rear suspension | Not yet verified |
| Brakes | Not yet verified |
| Steering | Not yet verified |
| Body construction | Not yet verified |
| Wheelbase | 2,440 mmFactory: 96 in · converted2 Independently researched |
| Length | 3,380 mmFactory: 133 in · converted2 Independently researched |
| Width | 1,570 mmFactory: 62 in · converted2 Independently researched |
| Height | 1,450 mmFactory: 57 in · converted2 Independently researched |
| Front track | Not yet verified |
| Rear track | Not yet verified |
| Kerb weight | 1,100 kgFactory: 2,430 lb · converted2 Independently researchedMuseum lists "Weight"; type of weight not specified. |
| Dry weight | Not yet verified |
Performance
| Maximum speed | 116 km/hFactory: 72 mph · converted2 Independently researchedSpeed claimed by Ford and Barthel from road tests; Just Cars quotes 116 km/h. |
|---|---|
| 0–100 km/h | Not yet verified |
| Fuel tank | Not yet verified |
“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.
04Colours & options
Factory colours & interiors
Original paint and trim, with the number of cars in each where a source gives it.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Factory options & codes
Codes are shown exactly as written by the manufacturer.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
05Individual cars
Chassis register
Every documented car, with its colours, history and where it is now. Open a row for the full record. Known chassis are not automatically authenticated originals.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Competition history
Every race result of the individual cars, in date order. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Auction & sale history
Documented public sales of the individual cars. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
See one in person
Museums where an example of this car can be seen.
No example is documented on public display yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
06Reference
Identification guide
How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.
The surviving car carries a body made in the 1930s, and the magazine notes it was not an exact copy of the original. Its identity was confirmed from photos, records and examination of the engine, chassis and induction system. Two working replicas were also built by Ford in 2001, so engine, chassis and induction details are the evidence to check.
Sources
Each number links to the exact facts it supports.
-
1
1901 Ford "Sweepstakes" Race Car | The Henry Ford Level B
- 1 individual car: 1901 Ford "Sweepstakes" race car built by Henry Ford, in The Henry Ford collection (identity confirmed)
-
2
1901 Ford "Sweepstakes" Race Car (THF90167) Level A The Henry Ford
- horizontally opposed 2, atmospheric intake valves and mechanical exhaust valves
- The engine had only two cylinders
- 539 cubic inches (Specifications)
- bore and stroke were seven inches each
- atmospheric intake valves and mechanical exhaust valves
- rudimentary form of mechanical fuel injection, patented by Ford
- Horsepower : 26 at 900 revolutions per minute (Specifications)
- 26 at 900 revolutions per minute (Specifications)
- Transmission : 2-speed manual (Specifications)
- 2-speed manual (Specifications)
- Ash (Wood) (Material)
- Wheelbase : 96 inches (Specifications)
- Overall length : 133 inches (Specifications)
- Width : 62 inches (Specifications)
- Height : 57 inches (Specifications)
- Weight : 2430 pounds (Specifications)
- claimed the car reached 72 miles per hour during its road tests
-
3
Ford Sweepstakes - the race that changed everything Level B Just Cars (August 2010, Collectors Issue 174) · 2010-07-27
- 2 speed planetary transmission
- frame is made of ash wood reinforced with steel plates
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