This 1924 Lexington Concord features modified boattail speedster bodywork and was purchased by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation in January 1961. It was acquired from the Ansted Rotary Corporation, whose owner, William Ansted, was a descendent of former Lexington Motor Company president Frank B. Ansted as well as the owner of A.J. Foyt’s 1964 Indianapolis 500-winning car. The car was displayed at Tony Hulman’s Early Wheels Museum in Terre Haute, Indiana, and was subsequently incorporated into the IMS Museum collection, where it has spent the past two decades in a climate-controlled storage facility. Power comes from a 232.5ci Ansted inline-six paired with a Warner selective sliding-gear transmission and a Salisbury rear axle. The car is finished in red over an ivory-color chassis and black upholstery. In preparation for the sale, IMS Musem staff rebuilt the carburetor, cleaned the starter motor and switch, flushed the fuel tank, and replaced the freeze plugs. Further sorting of the brakes, cooling, and electrical systems will be required prior to regular use. This Lexington is now offered by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation with a clean Indiana title.
The Lexington Motor Company was founded in Kentucky in 1909 and relocated to Connersville, Indiana, the following year. The company was acquired in 1913 by E.W. Ansted, who subsequently purchased several other automotive suppliers and formed the United States Automotive Corporation in 1920. Economic recessions led to sales losses in the early part of the decade, and E.L. Cord purchased the automaker and absorbed it into the Auburn Automobile Company in 1927. This Lexington features custom boattail speedster bodywork finished in red with ivory-color pinstriping, numbers on the doors, and a Concord chassis with a 119″ wheelbase. Features include a body-color radiator surround, a single brake light, and a California yellow plate with a 1960 registration sticker.
Painted wire wheels feature knock-off hubs and are mounted with U.S. Royal De Luxe 5.5-17 bias-ply tires with cracked sidewalls. The rear hydraulic drum brakes will require additional service.
The cockpit features a bench trimmed in black upholstery with matching door panels and a rubber floor mat. There is a metal open battery tray fitted in the passenger-side floorboards, which will need to be relocated according to the seller. The car will be sold without a battery.
The wood-rimmed steering wheel fronts a wood dash panel housing a Waltham barrel speedometer and gauges for oil pressure and amperage. Just under 51k miles are shown on the five-digit odometer. Total mileage is unknown.
The 232.5ci Ansted inline-six features a single carburetor and a body-color valve cover and oil pan. New freeze plugs, a lower radiator hose, and gaskets for the water pump, manifold, and water neck were installed IMS Museum staff in preparation for the sale. The ignition points, starter switch and motor, and spark plugs were cleaned, and the carburetor was rebuilt. An inoperable fuel pump was removed, and the car currently runs on a gravity feed from the fuel tank. A leak from the radiator core is also noted.
Power is sent to the rear wheels is a Warner three-speed selective sliding-gear transmission with reverse as well as a Salisbury rear axle. Corrosion is noted on the chassis. The car is titled by its engine number.
Located inside the famed 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval, the IMS Museum is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that relies on the support of visitors, members, donors, and corporate partners to make possible their daily operations, exhibits, restoration and preservation initiatives, and educational programming. To learn more about the IMS Museum and the many ways you can show support, including their “Adopt-a-Car” program, please click here.
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