The Story Behind This Unique & Famous Hot Rod Ford Model T
It was 1960 when 17-year-old Steve Scott, then of Reseda, California, walked away from an advanced physics class with the idea for the “Uncertain-T,” as the story goes. The Uncertain-T, while hand made out of fiberglass, did have a Model T flavor with the inclusion of the 1921 Ford headlights, radiator shell, and motor meter. By 1965, the Uncertain-T made its splash on the November cover of Car Craft, having already appeared in the May ’65 issue as an inside story.
Read More: 1969 Mustang Fastback with Boss Flare and 460 ci
It would take Steve, with help from his brother, John, some four-plus years and $15,000 (a large sum in those days) before the Uncertain-T appeared at the 1965 NHRA Winternationals Custom Auto Fair at the Pan-Pacific Auditorium in L.A. Right out of the gate it was featured on the cover of the events program and before the weekend was over it would be given the Special Sweepstakes Award over a rather famous hot rod, the “Ala Kart” after George Barris had freshened up the car. In 1966, Monogram released a 1/24 scale model of the hot rod, but unfortunately it was pulled, some say prematurely, from the model car shelves. We will never know just how popular it could have been.
As with so many famous hot rods, they have a way of vanishing. And they also have a way of being found. Beau Boeckmann of Galpin Motors tells a great story about how they came to find the missing hot rod. After looking for the Uncertain-T and other missing hot rods, Boeckmann found the car in its nearly original form in a warehouse that, of all things, was near to his Galpin Ford dealership in Van Nuys, California.
Under the watchful eye of Boeckmann’s lead restoration specialist Dave Shuten, the intent is to restore the car back to its original 1965 debut appearance. As with all restorations it is the intent of the Galpin Auto Sports team to document the restoration process.
Read More: Chopped and Channeled Hot Rod Lincoln Pickup
If you want to check out all things Uncertain-T, you should visit Kustomrama (The Traditional Rod and Kustom Encyclopedia; kustomrama.com), which has lots of great info and vintage photos. And, if you would like to stay abreast as to what’s happening with Steve Scott, you can visit his official Uncertain-T website at stevescottsuncertaint.com. And, of course, you can visit the Galpin Auto Sports and ask Dave Shuten to let you take a walk around this and many other famous vintage hot rods. MR
