Project Pictorial: 1936 Auburn Speedster Gets Modern Chassis

1936 Auburn Speedster Modern Chassis Swap
1936 Auburn Speedster Modern Chassis Swap

Staffan Ellström from Kristianstad, Sweden has embarked on a low-budget project after finding a 1936 Auburn Speedster in a shed where it had been for sitting many years.

An old man built the whole thing together with his son, but due to family issues, the project was stopped and forgotten. Staffan bought the body along with a lot of other miscellaneous stuff and says it was a real bargain…

His first plan was to build the car back to mint condition. But, he says. ” that would take too much time, and I don’t have that or the patience to pull that off”.

So, he opted for a rougher approach and decided to go with a chassis swap.

The Donor Vehicles

He acquired a ’92 Mercury Grand Marquis GS as a chassis donor, and later a ’92 Chevrolet Caprice Classic for engine and transmission.

Like many of these chassis swaps, Staffan sold off the unused parts for a little better than he spent — Free modern drivetrain!

Narrowing the Donor Chassis

Staffan narrowed the Mercury Grand Marquis donor chassis to better fit the ’36 Auburn Speedster body…

Putting it all together…

The balance of the build comes from a menagerie of parts; the floor is from the Mercury Grand Marquis, the steering column is from an old Chevy, the gauge from a ’57 Volvo PV, and a VW Beetle backseat. The dash and door panels are crafted from an old oil barrel.

Staffan hopes the build will be finished by this summer. We’ll be watching for it. Stay tuned… Follow Staffan: facebook.com/staffan.ellstrom