Miss Persia
In Spring 2015, Torben, founder of Gents Barn, once again took a journey back in time. Not in a DeLorean, like Michael J. Fox in the ’80s, but as he is known by his family and best friends, he got lost in old records, books and magazines at his desk at home, in front of the laptop and in libraries around the world. He spent six years looking for his first vintage car, for even ten years he was chasing after his first, classic mahogany boat until he could call it his own. Now it was time again – his personal quest for a boat, which has been unseen for about 70 years.
Gar Wood Speedster Miss Persia, Chicago Boat Show, 1936
More specifically, his search for “Model 606” – the second and final 16ft Speedster that Gar Wood sold to Paris, France – and the only Speedster manufactured in 1936. Is it possible to reconstruct the history of this boat, to find its owners, maybe even the boat itself? Well… – not too brisk, it would be a success already to at least find out the first owner!
Not much was known, the year of delivery, the name of the French distributor, but also a rumor that this boat did not remain in France – but that it received a truly royal status. With the help of his good contacts in the worldwide vintage car & boating scene, he was able to bring light into the darkness.
At the end of this fantastic discovery, the boat – known today as “Miss Persia” – lived up to its name. Read the short story here (in the new tab) – it’s about a long journey to its new home, about the Shah of Persia, a unique Packard engine and most importantly the legendary resurrection of a Gar Wood Speedster. A few facts for the interested boater:
- Boatyard/Brand: Gar Wood
- Model: 16ft Speedster (606)
- Type: 2-seater gentleman racer
- Year of design: 1936
- Engine: 1947 Packard 1M-245 R marine racing engine
- Recreation period: mid 2017 – fall of 2022
- First owner: Shah of Persia
By the way, did you already know that – based on our many years of research and as of Sept. 2018 – worldwide
- only about 30 Gar Wood Speedster are known,
- out of these 30, probably only 7 original Speedsters have survived the years,
- exactly 1/3 of all known Speedsters were equipped with a red interior and red hull paint,
- 77% of all Gar Wood Speedsters are equipped with a 6-cylinder engine, 13% with a V-8 motor,
- the value of a Speedster has increased by an average of 61% over the last 15 years
- that 23% of all Speedsters – and thus the majority – are equipped with a modern Crusader Marine engine,
- currently, the smallest power plant in a Speedster has only 103 hp, but the strongest engine of a Speedster features 365 hp
- our Miss Persia has the only original engine installed and at the same time the strongest vintage as well as third-largest engine of any known Speedster, it is one of only two Speedsters in Europe today and that it is the only Gar Wood Speedster equipped with a Packard engine?
Find more information about the Gar Wood Speedster here:
Look forward to seeing Miss Persia again soon on the lakes and on the coasts of Germany and Scandinavia! We certainly do!
PS: Would you like your own, faithful copy of our “Miss Persia” or the legendary “Miss Behave”? Contact us and let us see how we can help you fulfill your own dream.